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 (2006 est.)

noun:

Australian(s)

adjective:

Australian

conventional long form:

Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form:

Australia

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

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 Greens [Bob BROWN];
• Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD];
• Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY];
• Family First Party [Steve FIELDING];
• Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD];
• The Nationals [Mark VAILE]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON

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, San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr.

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 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

agriculture:

3.6%

industry:

21.2%

services:

75.2% (2004 est.)

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 - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)

• condensate/gas 546 km;
• gas 31,323 km;
• liquid petroleum gas 240 km;
• oil 4,808 km;
• oil/gas/water 110 km (2006)

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)

total:

810,641 km

paved:

336,962 km

unpaved:

473,679 km (2004)

males age 18-49:

4,943,676

females age 18-49:

4,821,264

males age 16-49:

4,092,717

females age 16-49:

3,983,447 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

142,158

females age 16-49:

135,675 (2005 est.)

• East Timor and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the 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

• 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