from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Australia
Introduction
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 pollution, particularly
depletion of the ozone layer, and management and
conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great
Barrier Reef.
Geography
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the
South Pacific Ocean
Geographic 27 00 S, 133 00 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
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 - slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m
Natural bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver,
resources: uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc,
diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares
of cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.81% (2005)
Irrigated 25,450 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
hazards:
Environment - soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
current urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity
issues: 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 - party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
international Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
agreements: 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 - world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
note: 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
People
Population: 20,264,082 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.6% (male 2,031,313/female 1,936,802)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 6,881,863/female 6,764,709)
65 years and over: 13.1% (male 1,170,589/female
1,478,806) (2006 est.)
Median age: total: 36.9 years
male: 36 years
female: 37.7 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.85% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 12.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.51 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 80.5 years
expectancy at male: 77.64 years
birth: female: 83.52 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 14,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions: Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%,
Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified
12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Languages: English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%,
unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia
Government federal parliamentary democracy
type:
Capital: name: Canberra
geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 08 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in
October; ends last Sunday in March (ended first Sunday
in April 2006)
note: Australia is divided into three time zones
Administrative 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital
divisions: Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*,
Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria,
Western Australia
Dependent Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
areas: (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and
McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island
Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
holiday:
Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since
branch: 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 bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76
branch: seats - 12 from each of the six states and 2 from each
of the two mainland territories; one-half of state
members are elected every three years by popular vote
to serve six-year terms while all territory members are
elected every three years) and the House of
Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular
preferential voting to serve terms of up to
three-years; no state can have fewer than 5
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 - 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
Judicial High Court (the chief justice and six other justices
branch: are appointed by the governor general)
Political Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens
parties and [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kim BEAZLEY];
leaders: Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY]; Family First
Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [John Winston
HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE]
International ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
organization Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA,
participation: IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW,
Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON
representation chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los
Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr.
representation embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian
from the US: Capital Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Flag blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
description: quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower
hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or
Federation Star, representing the federation of the
colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one
point for each of the six original states and one
representing all of Australia's internal and external
territories; on the fly half is a representation of the
Southern Cross constellation in white with one small
five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars
Economy
Economy - Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist
overview: 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 nearly $17
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.
GDP $635.5 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $612.8 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 2.7% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $31,600 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 3.8%
composition by industry: 26.2%
sector: services: 70% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 10.42 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 3.6%
by occupation: industry: 21.2%
services: 75.2% (2004 est.)
Unemployment 5.1% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2%
income or highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 35.2 (1994)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 2.7% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 25.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $249.8 billion
expenditures: $240.2 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 16.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep,
products: poultry
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial 1.1% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 237 billion kWh (2004)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 90.8%
production by hydro: 8.3%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0.9% (2001)
Electricity - 221 billion kWh (2004)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 530,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 875,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 523,400 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 530,800 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved 3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 35.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 25.08 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 9.744 billion cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 2.549 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-42.09 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $103 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,
commodities: machinery and transport equipment
Exports - Japan 20.3%, China 11.5%, South Korea 7.9%, US 6.7%, NZ
partners: 6.5%, India 5% (2005)
Imports: $119.6 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and transport equipment, computers and office
commodities: machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude
oil and petroleum products
Imports - US 13.9%, China 13.7%, Japan 11%, Singapore 5.6%,
partners: Germany 5.6% (2005)
Reserves of $43.26 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $323.4 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)
donor:
Currency Australian dollar (AUD)
(code):
Currency code: AUD
Exchange Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005),
rates: 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications
Telephones - 11.46 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 18.42 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: excellent domestic and
system: 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 AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 25.5 million (1997)
Television 104 (1997)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 10.15 million (1997)
Internet .au
country code:
Internet 7,772,888 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 571 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 14,663,622 (2006)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 455 (2006)
Airports - total: 311
with paved over 3,047 m: 10
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 133
914 to 1,523 m: 143
under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Airports - total: 144
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 111
under 914 m: 15 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: condensate/gas 546 km; gas 31,323 km; liquid petroleum
gas 240 km; oil 4,808 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2006)
Railways: total: 47,738 km
broad gauge: 4,015 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 28,662 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,831 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km
electrified)
dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 810,641 km
paved: 336,962 km
unpaved: 473,679 km (2004)
Waterways: 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and
Murray-Darling river systems) (2002)
Merchant total: 53 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,361,000 GRT/
marine: 1,532,874 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 17, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3,
container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/
cargo 7, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 17 (Canada 1, France 3, Germany 3, Japan
1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 3)
registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda
1, Bahamas 2, Bermuda 3, Fiji 1, Hong Kong 1, Liberia
2, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 1, NZ 2, Panama 3,
Portugal 1, Singapore 7, Tonga 1, UK 3, US 2, Vanuatu
2) (2006)
Ports and Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point,
terminals: Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port
Walcott, Sydney
Military
Military Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal
branches: Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special
Operations Command
Military 16 years of age for voluntary service; women allowed to
service age serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles
and (2001)
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 4,943,676
available for females age 18-49: 4,821,264
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 16-49: 4,092,717
for military females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 142,158
reaching females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $17.84 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2.7% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - East Timor and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the
international: disputed portion of the boundary for fifty years and to
split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint
Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor
Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute hampers creation of a
revised maritime boundary with Indonesia (see also
Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute); regional states
express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a
1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime identification zone;
Australia asserts land and maritime claims to
Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia
submitted its claims to UN Commission on the Limits of
the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental
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