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
frequest droughts, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef.
Geography
Australia
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)
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,
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: Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol
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
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:
less 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
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]
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
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.
15.2% 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.)
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:
$152.7 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:
$71.15 billion (31 December
2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$757.9 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$246.2 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$226.8 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$804.1 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
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
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)
Radios:
25.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
104 (1997)
Televisions:
10.15 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.au
Internet hosts:
9.458 million (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
571 (2002)
Internet users:
15.3 million (2006)
Transportation
Australia
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: 810,641 km
paved: 336,962 km unpaved: 473,679 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 (Australia 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
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 18-49:
4,943,676 females age 18-49: 4,821,264 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49:
4,092,717 females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 142,158
females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.4% (2006)
Transnational Issues
Australia
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
