Windows 7 world tour wallpapers

Thanks to Windows 7, there will always be some corner of your desktop that is forever England. Or Canada, or the Outback, or an African elephant, because localised wallpapers are included in the newest iteration of Microsoft's operating system.

Windows 7 is here, kind of: the release candidate is out this week as a soft launch ahead of the proper finished version, which is expected sometime before the end of this year. Among the new features are a fistful of new wallpapers created by illustrators and designers. But if you like your computer to reflect a little piece of home, you can choose from 30 wallpapers depicting a scene from a specific country.

Each of the beautiful photographs shows a slice of landscape from the UK, Australia, Canada, the US or South Africa. The files take up 19.2MB of disk space, divided into folders depicting each country. Some are obvious landmarks, while others are a little more generic.

Click through our gallery to see the wallpapers, some of which are frankly stunning. While you're at it, see if you can name all 30. We certainly couldn't -- it's times like this we wish we'd paid more attention in geography, instead of sneaking off to the science lab to tinker with those BBC Micros. For added Where's Wally-style bonus fun, see if you can spot CNET UK's intrepid globetrotting PC editor Rory 'Roaming' Reid on his travels...

Update: Thanks to the commenters who pointed out that Crave cannot tell the difference between the white cliffs of Dover and the white cliffs of Beachy Head. Told you we failed geography.

Windows 7 promises fireworks. We kick off our tour in Sydney.

These are the Twelve Apostles off Australia's Victorian coast, along the Great Ocean Road.

This may well be a billabong. Jolly swagman not pictured.

A burbling Aussie stream.

More Australian bush.

Another view of Sydney Harbour and Opera House.

O Canada! Our home and native land!

Pastoral Canadian beauty.

A Canadian lighthouse. Or should that be 'lighthoose', eh?

CNET UK's Canadian mobile phone reviewer Flora Graham is probably feeling right at home.

A Canuck canoe.

Some famous Canadians: Donald Sutherland, John Candy, William Shatner, Wolverine.

To the UK, or, in the words of Spinal Tap: Stonehenge! Where the demons dwell, Where the banshees live and they do live well, Stonehenge! Where a man's a man, And the children dance to the Pipes of Pan, Hey! Stonehenge (St Hubbins/Tufnel/Smalls)

It's just like Local Hero, innit?

The Giant's Causeway, on the north coast of County Antrim.

A castle! How very British.

The Seven Sisters at Beachy Head. Not, as we previously suggested, the White Cliffs of Dover. So that's why we couldn't see any bluebirds.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Welcome to the USA.

An American lighthouse. It's just like the Canadian lighthouse, but fatter.

R.O.C.K in the U.S.A!

Anyone fancy a roll in the hay?

Arches National Park, Utah. Tom Cruise has just fallen out of shot.

The sun sets on the US wallpapers.

Welcome to the South African portion of the tour.

An elephant, comin' atcha.

A vineyard. When we fancy a drink, we usually go for a cheeky South African. Well, we have to -- every barman in London is South African.

A wall. But wait! Who's that cheeky chappie peeking over the dune? Why, it's Rory 'Roving' Reid, the little scamp.

Embarassment ensued when it became clear that everyone had been to the same swimsuit sale.

The sea. We're not doing too well on the South African portion of this tour, are we? What do you expect? We're the UK's leading gadget blog, not Judith blinkin' Chalmers.