Australia

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

• cyclones along the coast;
• severe droughts;
• forest fires

• 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

• world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
• 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

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 (2005 est.)

noun:

Australian(s)

adjective:

Australian

conventional long form:

Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form:

Australia

chief of state:

Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 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

• Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON];
• Australian Labor Party [Kim BEAZLEY];
• Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES];
• Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
• Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD];
• The Nationals [Mark VAILE];
• One Nation Party [Len HARRIS];
• Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY

chancery:

1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 797-3000

FAX:

[1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general:

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

chief of mission:

William A. STANTON, Charge d'Affaires ad interim

embassy:

Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600

mailing address:

APO AP 96549

telephone:

[61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX:

[61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general:

Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

• 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 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;
• 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

lowest 10%:

2%

highest 10%:

25.4% (1994)

general assessment:

excellent domestic and 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 - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

total:

54,439 km (3859 km electrified)

broad gauge:

5,434 km 1.600-m gauge

standard gauge:

34,110 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)

narrow gauge:

14,895 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)

dual gauge:

213 km dual gauge (2004)

total:

811,603 km

paved:

314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)

unpaved:

497,513 km (1999 est.)

• condensate/gas 492 km;
• gas 28,680 km;
• liquid petroleum gas 240 km;
• oil 4,773 km;
• oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)

total:

55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461 GRT/1,999,409 DWT

by type:

bulk carrier 16, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned:

16 (France 1, Germany 3, Japan 1, Philippines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 7)

registered in other countries:

35 (2005)

• East Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share unexploited petroleum resources that fall 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 indentification zone;
• Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica);
• in 2004 Australia submitted claims to UNCLOS to extend its continental margin from both its mainland and Antarctic claims

• 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