Australia

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

total:

24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%)

per capita:

1,193 cu m/yr (2000)

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

volcanism:

volcanic activity occurs on the Heard and McDonald Islands

• 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 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:

1.055 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.84 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

noun:

Australian(s)

adjective:

Australian

conventional long form:

Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form:

Australia

name:

Canberra

geographic coordinates:

35 17 S, 149 13 E

time difference:

UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time:

+1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April

note: Australia is divided into three time zones

• based on English common law;
• accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations;
• accepts International Criminal Court jurisdiction with conditions

chief of state:

Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008)

head of government:

Prime Minister Julia Eileen GILLARD (since 24 June 2010); Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Maxwell SWAN (since 24 June 2010)

cabinet:

prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• the monarchy 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

• Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
• Australian Labor Party [Julia GILLARD];
• Family First Party [Steve FIELDING];
• Liberal Party [Tony ABBOTT];
• The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]

other:

• business groups;
• environmental groups;
• social groups;
• trade unions

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY

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 Jeffrey L. BLEICH

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:

21.1%

services:

75% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%:

2%

highest 10%:

25.4% (1994)

general assessment:

excellent domestic and international service

domestic:

• domestic satellite system;
• significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density;
• rapid growth of mobile telephones

international:

• country code - 61;
• landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe;
• the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States;
• satellite earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2007)

• the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as Australia Network, a TV service that broadcasts throughout the Asia-Pacific region and is the main public broadcaster;
• Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a second large public broadcaster, operates radio and TV networks broadcasting in multiple languages;
• several large national commercial TV networks, a large number of local commercial TV stations, and hundreds of commercial radio stations are accessible;
• cable and satellite systems are available (2008)

• gas 27,105 km;
• liquid petroleum gas 240 km;
• oil 3,258 km;
• oil/gas/water 1 km (2009)

total:

37,855 km

country comparison to the world: 7

broad gauge:

142 km 1.600-m gauge

standard gauge:

24,409 km 1.435-m gauge (1,094 km electrified)

narrow gauge:

13,304 km 1.067-m gauge (1,193 km electrified) (2008)

total:

812,972 km

country comparison to the world: 9

paved:

341,448 km

unpaved:

471,524 km (2004)

• 17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent);
• no conscription;
• women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2010)

males age 16-49:

5,275,667

females age 16-49:

5,082,543 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

4,377,411

females age 16-49:

4,210,442 (2010 est.)

male:

144,232

female:

136,525 (2010 est.)

• In 2007 Australia and Timor-Leste signed a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing agreement in lieu of a maritime boundary;
• dispute with Timor-Leste hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea;
• regional states continue to 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;
• in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent more than its claimed exclusive economic zone;
• since 2003, Australia has led the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security

• 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;
• major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines