The bush

"The bush", a term mostly used in the English vernacular of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, is largely synonymous with hinterlands or backwoods. The fauna and flora contained within the bush is typically native to the region, although exotic species may also be present. The word derives from Old French bos, and Old Norse buski, and related to Dutch bos and German Busch with the sense ‘uncultivated country’ coming directly from Dutch bos,

The expression has been in use in Australia from the earliest years of British settlement, and it has inspired many derivative Australian English terms, such as bush tucker, bush mechanic, bush ballad and bushranger. The term is also widely used in Canada and the American state of Alaska to refer to the large, forested portions of their landscapes.