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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | Australia | Top of Page

Background: | Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include climate-change issues such as the depletion of the ozone layer and more frequent droughts, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

| Geography | Australia | Top of Page

Location: | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: | 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Map references: | Oceania
Area: | total: 7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 25,760 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: | generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m
Natural resources: | bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use: | arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland) permanent crops: 0.04% other: 93.81% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 25,450 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 398 cu km (1995)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%) per capita: 1,193 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
Environment - current issues: | soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world

| People | Australia | Top of Page

Population: | 20,600,856 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 19.1% (male 2,014,230/female 1,920,604) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 7,005,588/female 6,895,817) 65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,226,432/female 1,538,185) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 37.4 years male: 36.6 years female: 38.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.801% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 11.9 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 7.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | 3.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.73 years male: 77.86 years female: 83.75 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.76 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 14,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups: | white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions: | Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Languages: | English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

| Government | Australia | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia
Government type: | federal parliamentary democracy
Capital: | name: Canberra geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 13 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March note: Australia is divided into three time zones
Administrative divisions: | 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Dependent areas: | Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island
Independence: | 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National holiday: | Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
Constitution: | 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Legal system: | based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Kevin RUDD (since 3 December 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Julia GILLARD (since 3 December 2007) cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch: | bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives) elections: Senate - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be held no later than 2010); House of Representatives - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be called no later than 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37, Australian Labor Party 32, Australian Greens 5, Family First Party 1, other 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Australian Labor Party 83, Liberal Party 55, National Party 10, independents 2
Judicial branch: | High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)
Political parties and leaders: | Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [Brendan NELSON]; The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]
International organization participation: | ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr. embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Flag description: | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

| Economy | Australia | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Australia has an enviable, strong economy with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Robust business and consumer confidence and high export prices for raw materials and agricultural products are fueling the economy, particularly in mining states. Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, a housing market boom, and growing ties with China have been key factors behind the economy's 16 solid years of expansion. Drought, robust import demand, and a strong currency have pushed the trade deficit up in recent years, while infrastructure bottlenecks and a tight labor market are constraining growth in export volumes and stoking inflation. Australia's budget has been in surplus since 2002 due to strong revenue growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $760.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $908.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 3.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $36,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3% industry: 26.4% services: 70.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 10.95 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 3.6% industry: 21.2% services: 75.2% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 30.5 (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.3% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 27.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $321.3 billion expenditures: $309.1 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 15.4% of GDP note: The Commonwealth government eliminated its net debt in 2006, but continues a gross debt issue to support the market for risk-free securities. (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries: | mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate: | 3.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 236.7 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption: | 219.8 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 572,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 903,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 333,200 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 611,400 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 1.437 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 38.62 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 25.72 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 12.9 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 750.6 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | -$56.2 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $141.7 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Exports - partners: | Japan 19.6%, China 12.3%, South Korea 7.5%, US 6.2%, India 5.5%, NZ 5.5%, UK 5% (2006)
Imports: | $159.4 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Imports - partners: | China 14.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 9.6%, Singapore 6%, Germany 5.1% (2006)
Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $2.123 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $26.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $824.9 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $279 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $257.9 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $804.1 billion (2005)
Currency (code): | Australian dollar (AUD)
Exchange rates: | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June

| Communications | Australia | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 9.94 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 19.76 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States; satellite earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 104 (1997)
Internet country code: | .au
Internet hosts: | 9.458 million (2007)
Internet users: | 15.3 million (2006)

| Transportation | Australia | Top of Page

Airports: | 461 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 317 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 138 914 to 1,523 m: 143 under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 144 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 16 (2007)
Heliports: | 1 (2007)
Pipelines: | condensate/gas 469 km; gas 26,719 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,720 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2007)
Railways: | total: 38,550 km broad gauge: 3,727 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 20,519 km 1.435-m gauge (1,877 km electrified) narrow gauge: 14,074 km 1.067-m gauge (2,453 km electrified) dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2006)
Roadways: | total: 812,972 km paved: 341,448 km unpaved: 471,524 km (2004)
Waterways: | 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2006)
Merchant marine: | total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,322,527 GRT/1,501,865 DWT by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 16 (Canada 2, France 1, Germany 2, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 5) registered in other countries: 29 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 3, Bermuda 4, Fiji 1, The Gambia 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 4, Singapore 6, Tonga 1, UK 1, US 2, Vanuatu 2, unknown 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

| Military | Australia | Top of Page

Military branches: | Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)
Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,999,988 females age 16-49: 4,870,043 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,137,176 females age 16-49: 4,022,588 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 146,248 females age 16-49: 139,697 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.4% (2006)

| Transnational Issues | Australia | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | Timor-Leste and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for fifty years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore and Cartier Islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catch; regional states continue to express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime identification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers or roughly thirty percent of its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security
Illicit drugs: | Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008