|
|
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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
its 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 1990's, a
performance due in large part to economic reforms
adopted in the 1980's. Long-term concerns include
pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer,
and management and conservation of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef. |
|
Location:
|
Oceania,
continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean |
|
Geographic coordinates:
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27 00 S,
133 00 E |
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Map references:
|
Oceania
|
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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 |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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25,760 km
|
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Maritime claims:
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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 |
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Climate:
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generally
arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly
low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
|
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite,
coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,
nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,
natural gas, petroleum |
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Land use:
|
arable
land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of
cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.41% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
|
24,000 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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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 |
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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 tropical 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 |
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Population:
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20,090,437 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 19.8% (male 2,038,809/female 1,943,563)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,815,600/female
6,695,189)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,145,274/female
1,452,002) (2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
36.56 years
male: 35.74 years
female: 37.4 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
|
0.87%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.26
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
|
7.44
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.91
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
|
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 80.39 years
male: 77.52 years
female: 83.4 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.76
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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14,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Australian(s)
adjective: Australian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Caucasian
92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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English
79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%,
unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census) |
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Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia |
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Government type:
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democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British
monarch as sovereign |
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Capital:
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Canberra
|
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Administrative divisions:
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6 states
and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New
South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South
Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia |
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Dependent areas:
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Ashmore
and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island |
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Independence:
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1 January
1901 (federation of UK colonies) |
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National holiday:
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Australia
Day, 26 January (1788) |
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Constitution:
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9 July
1900, effective 1 January 1901 |
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Legal system:
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based on
English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal and compulsory |
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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 John Winston
HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark
VAILE (since 6 July 2005)
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: none; 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
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and
National Party |
|
Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12
from each of the six states and two 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 voting to
serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have
fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004
(next to be held no later than June 2008); House of
Representatives - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be
called no later than November 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party (for session beginning on 1
July 2005) - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39,
Australian Labor Party 28, Democrats 4, Australian
Greens 4, Family First Party 1; House of Representatives
- percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian
Labor Party 60, independents 3 |
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Judicial branch:
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High
Court (the chief justice and six other justices are
appointed by the governor general) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Labor
Party [Kim BEAZLEY]; Australian Progressive Alliance
[Meg LEES]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party
[John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE]; One
Nation Party [Len HARRIS]; Family First Party [Steve
FIELDING] |
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International organization participation:
|
ANZUS,
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
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, and San Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief
of mission: William A. STANTON, Charge d'Affaires ad
interim
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
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Flag description:
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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 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; the remaining half is a
representation of the Southern Cross constellation in
white with one small five-pointed star and four larger,
seven-pointed stars |
|
Economy - overview:
|
Australia
has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy, with a
per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West
European economies. Rising output in the domestic
economy, robust business and consumer confidence, and
rising exports of raw materials and agricultural
products are fueling the economy. Australia's emphasis
on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with China
are other key factors behind the economy's strength. The
impact of drought, weak foreign demand, and strong
import demand pushed the trade deficit up from $8
billion in 2002, to $18 billion in 2003, $13 billion in
2004, and $16 billion in 2005. Housing prices probably
peaked in 2005, diminishing the prospect that interest
rates would be raised to prevent a speculative bubble.
Conservative fiscal policies have kept Australia's
budget in surplus from 2002 to 2005. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$642.7
billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$649.9
billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.7%
(2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 4%
industry: 26.4%
services: 69.6% (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force:
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10.42
million (2005 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 3.7%, industry 26.4%, services 70% (2004
est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
5.2%
(2005 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
35.2
(1994) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
2.7%
(2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
|
24.8% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $249.8 billion
expenditures: $240.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2005 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
16.2% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat,
barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry |
|
Industries:
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mining,
industrial and transportation equipment, food
processing, chemicals, steel |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
1.6%
(2005 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
215.8
billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
200.7
billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2003) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2003) |
|
Oil - production:
|
530,000
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
|
875,600
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
523,400
bbl/day (2001) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
530,800
bbl/day (2001) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
3.664
billion bbl (1 January 2002) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
33.08
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
23.33
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
9.744
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
2.407
trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$-41.1
billion (2005 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$103
billion (2005 est.) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Japan
18.7%, China 9.2%, US 8.1%, South Korea 7.8%, New
Zealand 7.4%, India 4.6%, UK 4.2% (2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$119.6
billion (2005 est.) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
US 14.8%,
China 12.7%, Japan 11.8%, Germany 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%,
UK 4.1% (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$39.03
billion (2005 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$509.6
billion (30 June 2005 est.) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $894
million (FY99/00) |
|
Currency (code):
|
Australian dollar (AUD) |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.31 (2005), 1.3598
(2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 July -
30 June |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
10.815
million (2003) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
14.347
million (2003) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: excellent domestic and
international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of
radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid
growth of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine
cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia;
satellite earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian
Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and
Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)
|
|
Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 262,
FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
104
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.au |
|
Internet hosts:
|
2,847,763
(2003) |
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Internet users:
|
9.472
million (2002) |
|
Airports:
|
448 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
308
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 133
914 to 1,523 m: 140
under 914 m: 13 (2005 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
142
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 110
under 914 m: 14 (2005 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
1 (2005
est.) |
|
Pipelines:
|
condensate/gas 492 km; gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum
gas 240 km; oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)
|
|
Railways:
|
total:
54,439 km (3859 km electrified)
broad gauge: 5,434 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 34,110 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,895 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km
electrified)
dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2004) |
|
Roadways:
|
total:
811,601 km
paved: 316,524 km
unpaved: 495,077 km (2002) |
|
Waterways:
|
2,000 km
(mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling
river systems) (2004) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461 GRT/1,999,409 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 7, chemical
tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 5,
passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off
5
foreign-owned: 16 (France 1, Germany 3, Japan 1,
Philippines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 2, United
States 7)
registered in other countries: 35 (2005) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Brisbane,
Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne,
Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott,
Sydney |
|
Military branches:
|
Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal
Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special
Operations Command |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
16 years
of age for voluntary service (2001) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 4,943,676 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 4,092,717 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males:
142,158 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$16.65
billion (2004) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
2.7%
(2004) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
East
Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree over
how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share
unexploited petroleum resources that fall 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 (see also
Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute); regional states
express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a
1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime indentification zone;
Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica
(see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia submitted claims to
UNCLOS to extend its continental margin from both its
mainland and Antarctic claims |
|
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 |
|
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