2019 Edition

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 an aging 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% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world.

Area

Land

7,682,300 sq km

Total

7,741,220 sq km

Water

58,920 sq km

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

Highest Point

Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m

Lowest Point

Lake Eyre -15 m

Mean Elevation

330 m

Environment Current Issues

soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural freshwater resources; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; drought, desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; disruption of the fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions; 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; overfishing, pollution, and invasive species are also problems

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

Geographic Coordinates

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Geography Note

note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders; the only continent without glaciers; 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 note 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent’s longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term "Great Dividing Range" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and south

Irrigated Land

25,460 sq km (2014)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

52.9% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

11.6% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.09% (2016 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

88.4% (2016 est.)

Forest

16.2% (2016 est.)

Other

30.9% (2016 est.)

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 firesvolcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands

Natural Resources

alumina, 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

Population Distribution

population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population

Terrain

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Age Structure

0 14 Years

17.75% (male 2,138,080 /female 2,027,583)

15 24 Years

12.62% (male 1,520,528 /female 1,442,461)

25 54 Years

41.35% (male 4,944,587 /female 4,760,752)

55 64 Years

11.84% (male 1,379,681 /female 1,398,177)

65 Years And Over

16.44% (male 1,786,595 /female 2,071,701) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

12 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

66.9% (2015/16)

Current Health Expenditure

9.3% (2016)

Death Rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

22.6 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

4.4 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

51.1 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

28.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

100% of population

Improved Total

100% of population

Improved Urban

100% of population

Unimproved Rural

0% of population

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population

Education Expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

English 25.9%, Australian 25.4%, Irish 7.5%, Scottish 6.4%, Italian 3.3%, German 3.2%, Chinese 3.1%, Indian 1.4%, Greek 1.4%, Dutch 1.2%, other 15.8% (includes Australian aboriginal .5%), unspecified 5.4% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

28,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

3.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English 72.7%, Mandarin 2.5%, Arabic 1.4%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.2%, Italian 1.2%, Greek 1%, other 14.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2016 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

85 years

Male

79.9 years

Total Population

82.4 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

4.870 million Melbourne, 4.859 million Sydney, 2.372 million Brisbane, 2.016 million Perth, 1.328 million Adelaide, 452,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

39.7 years

Male

38.1 years

Total

38.8 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

28.7 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Australian

Noun

Australian(s)

Net Migration Rate

5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

29% (2016)

Physicians Density

3.59 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

23,470,145 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.01% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 23.1% (Anglican 13.3%, Uniting Church 3.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.3%, Baptist 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.1%, Lutheran .7%, other Protestant .5%), Roman Catholic 22.6%, other Christian 4.2%, Muslim 2.6%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox .2%), Hindu 1.9%, other 1.3%, none 30.1%, unspecified 9.6% (2016 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

100% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

23 years (2016)

Male

23 years

Total

23 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.86 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.77 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

11.5% (2017 est.)

Male

13.6%

Total

12.6%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

1.43% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

86.1% of total population (2019)

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

Geographic Coordinates

35 16 S, 149 08 E

Name

Canberra

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia

Dual Citizenship Recognized

yes

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

4 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state&rsquo;s representation in either house or change a state&rsquo;s boundaries require that state&rsquo;s approval prior to Royal Assent; amended several times, last in 1977 (2017)

History

approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Commonwealth of Australia

Conventional Short Form

Australia

Etymology

the name Australia derives from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern"; the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis" or the Southern Land

Dependent Areas

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

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Arthur B. CULVAHOUSE (since 19 February 2019)

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 Joseph Benedict HOCKEY (since 28 January 2016)

Consulate's General

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

Fax

[1] (202) 797-3168

Telephone

[1] (202) 797-3000

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general

Chief Of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019)

Elections Appointments

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 majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Scott MORRISON (since 24 August 2018)

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 under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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), ICCt, 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), Pacific Alliance (observer), 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

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); note - each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70

Subordinate Courts

at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Magistrates' Courts of Australia; Family Court; at the state and territory level: Local Court - New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts &ndash; Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory; District Courts &ndash; New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court &ndash; Victoria; Family Court &ndash; Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions &ndash; Norfolk Island

Legal System

common law system based on the English model

Legislative Branch

Description

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of: Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years) House of Representatives (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years)

Election Results

Senate - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 37.99%, ALP 28.79%, The Greens 10.19%, One Nation 5.4%, Centre Alliance .19%, Lambie Network .21%, other 17.23%; seats by party - Liberal/National coalition 35, ALP 26, The Greens 9, One Nation 2, Centre Alliance 2, Lambie Network 1, independents 1 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 41.4%, ALP 33.3%, The Greens 10.4%, Katter's Australian Party .49%, Centre Alliance .33%, independents 3.37%, other 10.63%; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 77, ALP 68, The Greens 1, Katter's Australian Party 1, Centre Alliance 1, independent 3

Elections

Senate - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022) House of Representatives - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Peter Dodds McCORMICK

Name

Advance Australia Fair

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)

National Symbol S

Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree (Acacia pycnantha Benth), kangaroo, emu; national colors: green, gold

Political Parties And Leaders

Australian Greens Party [Richard DI NATALE] Australian Labor Party or ALP [Anthony ALBANESE] Country Liberal Party or CLP [Gary HIGGINS] Liberal National Party of Queensland or LNP [Deborah FRECKLINGTON] Liberal Party of Australia [Scott MORRISON] The Nationals [Michael MCCORMACK] Centre Alliance [Nick XENOPHON] Pauline Hanson&rsquo;s One Nation [Pauline HANSON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

496.9 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

490 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

28 February 2013

3%

31 December 2010

4.35%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

5.42%

31 December 2017

5.24%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$41.45 billion

2017

-$36.01 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$1.547 trillion

31 December 2017

$1.714 trillion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1994

35.2

2008

30.3

Economy Overview

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 WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India.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, 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.For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth.

Exchange Rates

2013

1.1094

2014

1.3291

2015

1.3442

2016

1.3442

2017

1.311

Currency

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$191.7 billion

2017

$231.6 billion

Exports Commodities

iron ore, coal, gold, natural gas, beef, aluminum ores and conc, wheat, meat (excluding beef), wool, alumina, alcohol

Exports Partners

China 33.5%, Japan 14.6%, South Korea 6.6%, India 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

21.5% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

18.4% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

56.9% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-21% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

24.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

3.6% (2017 est.)

Industry

25.3% (2017 est.)

Services

71.2% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$1.38 trillion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$49,600

2016

$50,100

2017

$50,400

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$1.19 trillion

2016

$1.221 trillion

2017

$1.248 trillion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

2.5%

2016

2.6%

2017

2.2%

Gross National Saving

2015

21.5% of GDP

2016

20.5% of GDP

2017

21% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

25.4% (1994)

Lowest 10

2%

Imports

2016

$198.7 billion

2017

$221 billion

Imports Commodities

motor vehicles, refined petroleum, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude petroleum, medicaments, goods vehicles, gold, computers

Imports Partners

China 22.9%, US 10.8%, Japan 7.5%, Thailand 5.1%, Germany 4.9%, South Korea 4.5% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

1.3%

2017

2%

Labor Force

12.91 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

3.6%

Industry

21.1%

Services

75.3% (2009 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2013

$1.366 trillion

31 December 2014

$1.289 trillion

31 December 2015

$1.187 trillion

Public Debt

2016

40.6% of GDP

2017

40.8% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$55.07 billion

31 December 2017

$66.58 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$243.6 billion

31 December 2017

$277.7 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$441.4 billion

31 December 2017

$509.7 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$617.7 billion

31 December 2017

$700.6 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$2.097 trillion

31 December 2017

$2.384 trillion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$243.6 billion

31 December 2017

$277.7 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

35.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

5.7%

2017

5.6%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

439.1 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

192,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

341,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

284,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

1.821 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

229.4 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

72% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

17% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

65.56 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

243 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

45.25 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

67.96 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

5.776 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

105.2 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

1.989 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

1.175 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

64,120 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

619,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

462,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

34 (2017 est.)

Total

7.923 million

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

Internet Country Code

.au

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

88.2% (July 2016 est.)

Total

20,288,409

Telephone System

Domestic

more subscribers to mobile services than there are people; 90% of all mobile device sales are now smartphones, growth in mobile traffic brisk; 36 per 100 fixed-line, 119 per 100 mobile-cellular (2018)

General Assessment

excellent domestic and international service; domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile telephones; 5G technologies in preparation and anticipation for 2020 (2018)

International

country code - 61; landing points for more than 20 submarine cables including: the SeaMeWe-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the INDIGO-Central, INDIGO West and ASC, North West Cable System, Australia-Papua New Guinea cable, CSCS, PPC-1, Gondwana-1, SCCN, Hawaiki, TGA, Basslink, Bass Strait-1, Bass Strait-2, JGA-S, with links to other Australian cities, New Zealand and many countries in southeast Asia, US and Europe; the H2 Cable, AJC, Telstra Endeavor, Southern Cross NEXT with links to Japan, Hong Kong, and other Pacific Ocean countries as well as the US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat, 2 Globalstar, 5 other (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

36 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

8.46 million

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

119 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

27.553 million

Airports

480 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

155 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

14 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

155 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

11 (2017)

Total

349 (2017)

Under 914 M

14 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

16 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

101 (2013)

Total

131 (2013)

Under 914 M

14 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

VH (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 4, general cargo 84, oil tanker 7, other 468 (2018)

Total

563

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

1,887,295,820 mt-km (2018)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

69,294,187 (2018)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

583 (2018)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

25 (2018)

Pipelines

637 km condensate/gas, 30054 km gas, 240 km liquid petroleum gas, 3609 km oil, 110 km oil/gas/water, 72 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

Container Port's Teus

Melbourne (2,806,436), Sydney (2,530,122) (2017)

Dry Bulk Cargo Port S

Dampier (iron ore), Dalrymple Bay (coal), Hay Point (coal), Port Hedland (iron ore), Port Walcott (iron ore)

Lng Terminal's Export

Australia Pacific, Barrow Island, Burrup (Pluto), Curtis Island, Darwin, Karratha, Bladin Point (Ichthys), Gladstone, Prelude (offshore FLNG), Wheatstone

Major Seaport S

Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Gladstone, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Kembla, Sydney

Railways

Broad Gauge

3,247 km 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified) (2015)

Narrow Gauge

12,318 km 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified) (2015)

Standard Gauge

17,446 km 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified) (2015)

Total

33,343 km (2015)

Roadways

Non Urban

727,645 km (2015)

Total

873,573 km (2015)

Urban

145,928 km (2015)

Waterways

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems) (2011)

Military And Security Forces

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army (includes Special Operations Command), Royal Australian Navy (includes Naval Aviation Force), Royal Australian Air Force, Joint Operations Command (JOC) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

1.8% of GDP

2015

1.98% of GDP

2016

2% of GDP

2017

2.09% of GDP

2018

1.89% of GDP

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 (2018)

Disputes International

In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica; Australia's 2004 submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf extends its continental margins over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent beyond its claimed EEZ; all borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing

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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees Country Of Origin

11,932 (Afghanistan), 10,702 (Iran), 5,061 (Pakistan) (2018)

Stateless Persons

132 (2018)