Australia
Commonwealth of Australia
federal parliamentary stateIndependence 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Australia as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Geography
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the | South Pacific Ocean
15 fieldsLand useshare of 7,686,850 sq km
Terrain
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
- lowest point:
- Lake Eyre -15 m
- highest point:
- Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m
Natural resources
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
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
- natural hazards:
- cyclones along the coast; severe 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, Wetlands;
- signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Geographic note
- 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
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 21% (male 2,009,915; female 1,912,605)
- 15-64 years:
- 66% (male 6,129,285; female 5,980,315)
- 65 years and over:
- 13% (male 967,291; female 1,261,452) (July 1996 est.)
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:
- 0.77 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Government
Federal parliamentary state; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General Sir William DEANE (since 16 February 1996) who was appointed by the queen; Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996) was appointed by the governor general
24 fieldsLegislature, 76 seatsone dot, one seat
Legislature, 148 seatsone dot, one seat
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, Norfolk Island
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General Sir William DEANE (since 16 February 1996) who was appointed by the queen
- head of government:
- Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996) was appointed by the governor general;
- Deputy Prime Minister Timothy Andrew FISCHER (since 11 March 1996)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet was selected from among the members of Federal Parliament by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Senate
- elections last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held NA 1999);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (76 total) Liberal-National 37, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 8, Greens 1, independent 1
House of Representatives
- elections last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held NA 1999);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (148 total) Liberal-National 94, Labor 49, independent 5
Judicial branch
High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general
Political parties and leaders
- government:
- coalition of Liberal Party, John Winston HOWARD and National Party, Timothy Andrew FISCHER
- opposition:
- Australian Labor Party, Kim BEAZLEY;
- Australian Democratic Party, Cheryl KERNOT;
- Green Party, Bob BROWN
Other political or pressure groups
Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)
International organization participation
AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador John Phillip MCCARTHY
- chancery:
- 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 797-3000
FAX
[1] (202) 797-3168; consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Edward J. PERKINS
- embassy:
- Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600
- mailing address:
- APO AP 96549
- telephone:
- [61] (6) 270-5000
Flag
- 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
Economy
Australia has a prosperous Western-style | capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in | highly industrialized West European countries.
21 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1994)
Installed generating capacity, 34,540,000 kW
Economic overview
Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in highly industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for more than 80% of the value of total exports, so that, as in 1983-84, a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy.
The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s. In 1992-93 the economy recovered slowly from the prolonged recession of 1990-91, a major restraining factor being weak world demand for Australia's exports.
Growth picked up so strongly in 1994 that the government felt the need for fiscal and monetary tightening by yearend. Australia's GDP grew 6.4% in 1994, largely due to increases in industrial output and business investment. A severe drought in 1994 reduced the value of Australia's net farm production, but rising world commodity prices are likely to boost commodity exports by 15% to $42.4 billion in 1995/96, according to government statistics.
Short-term economic problems include a balancing of output growth and inflationary pressures and the stimulation of exports to offset rising imports.
Labor force
8.63 million (September 1991); by occupation: finance and services 33.8%, public and community services 22.3%, wholesale and retail trade 20.1%, manufacturing and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1% (1987)
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
Exports
$51.57 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
- commodities:
- coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
- partners:
- Japan 25%, US 11%, South Korea 6%, NZ 5.7%, UK, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong (1992)
Imports
$57.41 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
- commodities:
- machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, crude oil and petroleum products
- partners:
- US 23%, Japan 18%, UK 6%, Germany 5.7%, NZ 4% (1992)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3477 (January 1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3668 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 442 in all
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 38,563 km (2,914 km electrified; 172 km dual gauge)
- broad gauge:
- 6,083 km 1.600-m gauge
- standard gauge:
- 16,752 km 1.435-m gauge
- narrow gauge:
- 15,728 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways
- total:
- 810,264 km
- paved:
- 283,592 km (including 1,200 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 526,672 km (1989 est.)
Ports
Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceton (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Merchant marine
- total:
- 76 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,547,869 GRT/3,679,534 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 30, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)
Communications
Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian | Air Force
9 fieldsTelephone system
good domestic and international service
- domestic:
- 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)
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49:
- 4,848,777
- males fit for military service:
- 4,192,250
- males reach military age (17) annually:
- 127,569 (1996 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Australia.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/australia/1996.