Australia Population: 22,262,501
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| Background | |
| Prehistoric settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 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 of the east coast in the name of Great Britain (all of Australia was claimed as British territory in 1829 with the creation of the colony of Western Australia). 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 Allied effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its location in one of the fastest growing regions of the world economy. Long-term concerns include ageing of the population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as floods, droughts, and bushfires. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change. Australia is home to 10 per cent of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world. |
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| Geography | |
| World's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the only continent without glaciers; 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 | |
| Location: | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean |
| Geographic coordinates: | 27 00 S, 133 00 E |
| Area: | total: 7,741,220 sq km land: 7,682,300 sq km water: 58,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island Size comparison: 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, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports |
| Land use: | arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland) permanent crops: 0.04% other: 93.81% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 25,500 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands |
| Current Environment 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 freshwater resources |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 22,262,501 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,061,973/female 1,957,558) 15-24 years: 13.4% (male 1,531,325/female 1,453,940) 25-54 years: 42% (male 4,748,667/female 4,598,259) 55-64 years: 11.8% (male 1,308,660/female 1,326,220) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,509,460/female 1,766,439) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 37.9 years male: 37.1 years female: 38.6 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.126% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 12.28 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 5.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 81.9 years male: 79.48 years female: 84.45 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.77 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 20,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 100 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian |
| Ethnic groups: | white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% |
| Religions: | Protestant 27.4% (Anglican 18.7%, Uniting Church 5.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 3%), Catholic 25.8%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, other Christian 7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 11.3%, none 18.7% (2006 Census) |
| Languages: | English 78.5%, Chinese 2.5%, Italian 1.6%, Greek 1.3%, Arabic 1.2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2006 Census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia |
| Government type: | federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm |
| Capital: | name: Canberra geographic coordinates: 35 16 S, 149 08 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April 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, Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island |
| Independence: | 1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies) |
| National holiday: | Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates 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: | common law system based on the English model |
| 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 Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Julia Eileen GILLARD (since 24 June 2010); Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Maxwell SWAN (since 24 June 2010) cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy 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 vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives) elections: Senate - last held on 21 August 2010; House of Representatives - last held on 21 August 2010 (the latest a simultaneous half-Senate and House of Representative elections can be held is 30 November 2013) election results: Senate (effective 1 July 2011) - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 34, Australian Labor Party 31, Australian Greens Party 9, others 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Australian Labor Party 38.1%, Liberal Party 30.4%, Greens Party 11.5%, Liberal National Party of Queensland 9.3%, independents 6.6%, National Party of Australia 3.7%, Country Liberals 0.3%; seats by party - Australian Labor Party 72, Liberal Party 44, Liberal National Party of Queensland 21, National Party of Australia 7, Country Liberals 1, Australian Greens Party 1, independents 4 |
| Judicial branch: | High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general acting on the advice of the government) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Australian Greens Party [Christine MILNE]; Australian Labor Party [Julia GILLARD]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [Tony ABBOTT]; National Party of Australia [Warren TRUSS] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | other: business groups; environmental groups; social groups; trade unions |
| International organization participation: | ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY 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 Jeffrey L. BLEICH 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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| Economy | |
| The Australian economy has experienced continuous growth and features low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. By 2012, Australia had experienced more than 20 years of continued economic growth, averaging 3.5% a year. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China has grown rapidly, creating a channel for resources investments and growth in commodity exports. The high Australian dollar has hurt the manufacturing sector, while the services sector is the largest part of the Australian economy, accounting for around three quarters of GDP and four out of five jobs. Australia was comparatively unaffected by the global financial crisis as the banking system has remained strong and inflation is under control. Australia has benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade in recent years, stemming from rising global commodity prices. Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron ore, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas project, will significantly expand the resources sector. Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the World Trade Organization, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia has bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, has a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand, is negotiating agreements with China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and is also working on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement with Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US, and Vietnam. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $960.7 billion (2012 est.) $930 billion (2011 est.) $910.5 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $1.542 trillion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.3% (2012 est.) 2.3% (2011 est.) 2.4% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $42,400 (2012 est.) $41,500 (2011 est.) $41,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4% industry: 26.6% services: 69.4% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 12.27 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 3.6% industry: 21.1% services: 75% (2009 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 5.2% (2012 est.) 5.1% (2011 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: | 30.3 (2008) 35.2 (1994) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2012 est.) 3.4% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 28.2% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $516.3 billion expenditures: $528.3 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 26.9% of GDP (2012 est.) 26.7% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry |
| Industries: | mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel |
| Industrial production growth rate: | -0.1% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 241.5 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 228.8 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 44.99 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 27.56 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 25.53 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 8.102 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 788.6 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$47.1 billion (2012 est.) -$29.5 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $263.9 billion (2012 est.) $271.1 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment |
| Exports - partners: | China 29.41%, Japan 19.4%, South Korea 8.3%, India 5%, US 3.7% (2012) |
| Imports: | $239.7 billion (2012 est.) $242.2 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products |
| Imports - partners: | China 18.1%, US 12.8%, Japan 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%, Germany 4.7% (2012) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $47.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $46.83 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.466 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.367 trillion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $598.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $549 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $496.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $442.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.4 trillion (31 January 2013) $1.198 trillion (31 December 2011) $1.455 trillion (31 December 2010) |
| Exchange rates: | Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 0.963 (2012 est.) 0.9695 (2011 est.) 1.0902 (2010) 1.2822 (2009) 1.2059 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 10.57 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 20 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 24.49 million (2011) |
| 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 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: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .au |
| Internet hosts: | 17.081 million (2012) |
| Internet users: | 15.81 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 467 (2012) country comparison to the world: 18 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 333 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 146 914 to 1,523 m: 149 under 914 m: 14 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 134 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 101 under 914 m: 14 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 27,900 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,257 km; oil/gas/water 1 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 38,445 km broad gauge: 3,355 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 21,674 km 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified) narrow gauge: 9,539 km 1.067-m gauge (2,067 km electrified); 3,877 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 823,217 km paved: 356,343 km unpaved: 466,874 km (2011) |
| Waterways: | 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2011) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 41 by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 7, liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 17 (Canada 5, Germany 2, Singapore 2, South Africa 1, UK 5, US 2) registered in other countries: 25 (Bahamas 1, Dominica 1, Fiji 2, Liberia 1, Netherlands 1, Panama 4, Singapore 12, Tonga 1, UK 1, US 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Brisbane, Cairns, Dampier, Darwin, Fremantle, Gladstone, Geelong, Hay Point, Hobart, Jervis Bay, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Dalrymple, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Lincoln, Port Walcott, Sydney |
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| Military | |
| 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 most combat roles, being only precluded from Army special forces (2013) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 5,316,464 females age 16-49: 5,116,722 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,411,958 females age 16-49: 4,239,985 (2010 est.) |
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