2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

7,682,300 sq km

total

7,741,220 sq km

water

58,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Climate

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Coastline

25,760 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

lowest point

Lake Eyre -15 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

1,193 cu m/yr (2000)

total

24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%)

Geographic coordinates

27 00 S, 133 00 E

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

Irrigated land

25,450 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland)

other

93.81% (2005)

permanent crops

0.04%

Location

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

volcanism

volcanic activity occurs on the Heard and McDonald Islands

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

Terrain

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Total renewable water resources

398 cu km (1995)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.6% (male 2,026,975/female 1,923,828) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,318,743/female 7,121,613) 65 years and over: 13.5% (male 1,306,329/female 1,565,153) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

12.39 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

6.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

18,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.67 deaths/1,000 live births

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)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.25 years (2010 est.)

male

79.33 years

total population

81.72 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (2003 est.)

male

99%

total population

99%

Median age

female

38.3 years (2010 est.)

male

36.8 years

total

37.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Australian

noun

Australian(s)

Net migration rate

6.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

21,515,754 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.171% (2010 est.)

Religions

Catholic 25.8%, Anglican 18.7%, Uniting Church 5.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, 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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

21 years (2008)

male

20 years

total

21 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.055 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

89% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April note: Australia is divided into three time zones

geographic coordinates

35 17 S, 149 13 E

name

Canberra

time difference

UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

9 July 1900; effective on 1 January 1901

Country name

conventional long form

Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form

Australia

Dependent areas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jeffrey L. BLEICH

consulate(s) general

Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

embassy

Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600

FAX

[61] (02) 6214-5970

mailing address

APO AP 96549

telephone

[61] (02) 6214-5600

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 797-3168

telephone

[1] (202) 797-3000

Executive branch

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 )

chief of state

Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008)

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

head of government

Prime Minister Julia Eileen GILLARD (since 24 June 2010); Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Maxwell SWAN (since 24 June 2010)

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

Government type

federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)

International organization participation

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general acting on the advice of the government)

Legal system

based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts International Criminal Court jurisdiction with conditions

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)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal/National Party 34, Australian Labor Party 31, Greens 9, others 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Australian Labor Party 38.1%, Liberal Party 30.4%, Greens 11.5%, Liberal National Party of Queensland 9.3%, independents 6.6%, The Nationals 3.7%, Country Liberals 0.3%; seats by party - Australian Labor Party 72, Liberal Party 44, Liberal National Party of Queensland 21, The Nationals 7, Country Liberals 1, Greens 1, independents 4

elections

half-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 2014)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Peter Dodds McCORMICK note: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem did not become official until 1984; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

name

"Advance Australia Fair"

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)

Political parties and leaders

Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Julia GILLARD]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [Tony ABBOTT]; The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other

business groups; environmental groups; social groups; trade unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Central bank discount rate

4% (31 March 2010) 4.25% (3 December 2008) note: this is the Reserve Bank of Australia's "cash rate target," or policy rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.02% (31 December 2009 est.) 8.91% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$35.23 billion (2010 est.) -$41.33 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$1.169 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.094 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30.5 (2006) 35.2 (1994)

Economy - overview

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 also has a large services sector and is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Key tenets of Australia's trade policy include support for open trade and the successful culmination of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, particularly for agriculture and services. The Australian economy grew for 17 consecutive years before the global financial crisis. Subsequently, the Rudd government introduced a fiscal stimulus package worth over US$50 billion to offset the effect of the slowing world economy, while the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates to historic lows. These policies - and continued demand for commodities, especially from China - helped the Australian economy rebound after just one quarter of negative growth. The economy grew by 1.2% during 2009 - the best performance in the OECD. Unemployment, originally expected to reach 8-10%, peaked at 5.7% in late 2009 and fell to 5.1% in 2010. As a result of an improved economy, the budget deficit is expected to peak below 4.2% of GDP and the government could return to budget surpluses as early as 2015. Australia was one of the first advanced economies to raise interest rates, with seven rate hikes between October 2009 and November 2010. The GILLARD government is focused on raising Australia's economic productivity to ensure the sustainability of growth, and continues to manage the symbiotic, but sometimes tense, economic relationship with China. Australia is engaged in the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks and ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with China, Japan, and Korea.

Electricity - consumption

222 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

239.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.1151 (2010), 1.2822 (2009), 1.2059 (2008), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006)

Exports

$210.7 billion (2010 est.) $154.8 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment

Exports - partners

China 21.81%, Japan 19.19%, South Korea 7.88%, India 7.51%, US 4.95%, UK 4.37%, NZ 4.1% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

24.8%

services

71.2% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$41,300 (2010 est.) $40,500 (2009 est.) $40,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2010 est.) 1.2% (2009 est.) 2.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.22 trillion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$889.6 billion (2010 est.) $861.1 billion (2009 est.) $850.9 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Imports

$200.4 billion (2010 est.) $160.4 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products

Imports - partners

China 17.94%, US 11.26%, Japan 8.36%, Thailand 5.81%, Singapore 5.54%, Germany 5.3% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2010 est.)

Industries

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2010 est.) 1.8% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

27.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

11.62 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

3.6%

industry

21.1%

services

75% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.258 trillion (31 December 2009) $675.6 billion (31 December 2008) $1.298 trillion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

26.59 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

22.3 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

6.56 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

42.33 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

3.115 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

946,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

311,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - imports

716,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - production

589,200 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

3.318 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

22.4% of GDP (2010 est.) 22.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$38.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $41.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.134 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) $976.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$245.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $221.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$329.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $295.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.731 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.407 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$347.1 billion (31 December 2010 est) $290.8 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

5.1% (2010 est.) 5.6% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as Australia Network, a TV service that broadcasts throughout the Asia-Pacific region and is the main public broadcaster; Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a second large public broadcaster, operates radio and TV networks broadcasting in multiple languages; several large national commercial TV networks, a large number of local commercial TV stations, and hundreds of commercial radio stations are accessible; cable and satellite systems are available (2008)

Internet country code

.au

Internet hosts

13.361 million (2010)

Internet users

15.81 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile telephones

general assessment

excellent domestic and international service

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

9.02 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

24.22 million (2009)

Airports

465 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

326 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 148 914 to 1,523 m: 140 under 914 m: 14 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

139 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 12 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 10, cargo 8, liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned

20 (Canada 7, Germany 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Singapore 2, UK 5, US 2)

registered in other countries

29 (Dominica 1, Fiji 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 1, NZ 1, Panama 5, Singapore 11, Tonga 1, UK 1, US 1, Vanuatu 2) (2010)

total

45

Pipelines

gas 27,105 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,258 km; oil/gas/water 1 km (2009)

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

Railways

broad gauge

142 km 1.600-m gauge

narrow gauge

13,304 km 1.067-m gauge (1,193 km electrified) (2008)

standard gauge

24,409 km 1.435-m gauge (1,094 km electrified)

total

37,855 km

Roadways

paved

341,448 km

total

812,972 km

unpaved

471,524 km (2004)

Waterways

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 5,275,667 females age 16-49: 5,082,543 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,377,411 females age 16-49: 4,210,442 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

136,525 (2010 est.)

male

144,232

Military branches

Australian Defense Force (ADF)

Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)

Military expenditures

3% of GDP (2009)

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 (2010)

Disputes - international

In 2007 Australia and Timor-Leste signed a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing agreement in lieu of a maritime boundary; dispute with Timor-Leste hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea; 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; in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent more than its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australia has led 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 page last updated on January 19, 2011 ======================================================================