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Country name: Commonwealth of Australia
Geography:
World's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular,
tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor"
occurs along the west coast in the summer
Location:
Oceania continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Economy:
Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy,
with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West
European economies. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a
major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and
fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total
exports.
Nationality: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, Aboriginal and
other 1%
Religions:
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian
11%
Languages:
English
Literacy: 100% male, 100% female
Population:
19,169,083 (July 2000)
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,052,095; female 1,954,543)
15-64 years: 67% (male 6,458,083; female 6,322,475)
65 years and over: 12% (male 1,040,950; female 1,340,937)
Life expectancy: Male: 76.9 years, female: 82.74 years
Climate:
Generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
in north
Area:
Total: 7,686,850 sq. km (larger than mainland USA)
Land: 7,617,930 sq. km
Water: 68,920 sq. km
Coastline: 25,760 km
State Divisions:
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New
South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland
(the sunshine state), South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western
Australia
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
Highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m (7,313 ft.)
Natural resources:
Bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel,
tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use:
Arable land: 6%
Permanent pastures: 54%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 21%
Irrigated land: 21,070 sq. km
Natural hazards:
Cyclones along the coast; droughts
International agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling, Desertification, Signed, but not ratified, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol.
Population growth rate:
Birth rate: 13.08 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 7.12 deaths/1,000 population
Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman
Infant mortality rate: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate: 4.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Government type: democratic, federal-state system recognising
the British monarch as sovereign
Chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), the monarch is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor
general for a three-year term.
Legal system: based on English common law
Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Dependent areas:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Norfolk Island
National holidays: Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Constitution:
9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
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;
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
Economic breakdown:
GDP: purchasing power parity - $416.2 billion (1999)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (1999)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $22,200 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (1999)
Labour force: 8.9 million (December 1999)
Budget revenues: $90.73 billion
Exports: $58 billion (1999)
Exports (commodities): Coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron
ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Export partners: Japan 20%, EU 14%, ASEAN 11%, US 10%, South
Korea, NZ, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China
Imports: $67 billion (1999 est)
Imports (commodities): machinery and transport equipment, computers
and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude
oil and petroleum products
Import partners: EU 24%, US 22%, Japan 14%, ASEAN 12%
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communication systems: Excellent domestic and international
service
Domestic: Satellite system
International: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
and Indonesia; satellite earth stations, 10 Intelsat (4 Indian
Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean
regions)
Railways:
Total: 33,819 km (2,540 km electrified)
Broad gauge: 3,719 km 1.600-m gauge
Standard gauge: 15,422 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 14,506 km 1.067-m gauge
Dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges (1999)
Highways: Total: 913,000 km
Ports and harbours:
Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle,
Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne,
Sydney, Townsville
Military:
Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air
Force
Military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - fit for military service, 4,282,821 (2000)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually, males: 135,434
(2000)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: Approx 2% |
