Australia
Commonwealth of Australia
federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Australia as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 152 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession of the east coast in the name of Great Britain (all of Australia was claimed as British territory in 1829 with the creation of the colony of Western Australia). Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include ageing of the population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as frequent droughts.
Geography
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
20 fieldsLand useshare of 7,741,220 sq km
Natural resources
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%)
- per capita:
- 1,193 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
- cyclones along the coast;
- severe droughts;
- forest fires
- volcanism:
- volcanic activity occurs on the Heard and McDonald Islands
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 freshwater resources
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
- 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
People and Society
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Languages
English 78.5%, Chinese 2.5%, Italian 1.6%, Greek 1.3%, Arabic 1.2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2006 Census)
Sex ratio
- 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 (2011 est.)
Government
Federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm; Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Prime Minister Julia Eileen GILLARD (since 24 June 2010)
22 fieldsSenate (effective 1 July 2011), 150 seatsone dot, one seat
Capital
- 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
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, Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island
National holiday
Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- 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
Legislative branch
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives)
- elections:
- Senate - last held on 21 August 2010; House of Representatives - last held on 21 August 2010 (the latest a simultaneous half-Senate and House of Representative elections can be held is 30 November 2013)
- election results:
- Senate (effective 1 July 2011) - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - Liberal/National Party 34, Australian Labor Party 31, Greens 9, others 2;
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Australian Labor Party 38.1%, Liberal Party 30.4%, Greens 11.5%, Liberal National Party of Queensland 9.3%, independents 6.6%, The Nationals 3.7%, Country Liberals 0.3%;
- seats by party - Australian Labor Party 72, Liberal Party 44, Liberal National Party of Queensland 21, The Nationals 7, Country Liberals 1, Greens 1, independents 4
Judicial branch
High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general acting on the advice of the government)
Political parties and leaders
- Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
- Australian Labor Party [Julia GILLARD];
- Family First Party [Steve FIELDING];
- Liberal Party [Tony ABBOTT];
- The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- other:
- business groups;
- environmental groups;
- social groups;
- trade unions
International organization participation
ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- 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
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 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
National anthem
- name:
- "Advance Australia Fair"
- lyrics/music:
- Peter Dodds McCORMICK
note: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem did not become used for all official occasions until 1984; as a Commonwealth country,
in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" is also played at Royal functions (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron ore, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources.
53 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron ore, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas project, will significantly expand the resources sector.
Australia also has a large services sector and is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Key tenets of Australia's trade policy include support for open trade and the successful culmination of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, particularly for agriculture and services.
The Australian economy grew for 17 consecutive years before the global financial crisis. Subsequently, the Rudd government introduced a fiscal stimulus package worth over US$50 billion to offset the effect of the slowing world economy, while the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates to historic lows.
These policies - and continued demand for commodities, especially from China - helped the Australian economy rebound after just one quarter of negative growth. The economy grew by 1.2% during 2009 - the best performance in the OECD - and by 3.3% in 2010. Unemployment, originally expected to reach 8-10%, peaked at 5.7% in late 2009 and fell to 5.1% in 2010.
As a result of an improved economy, the budget deficit is expected to peak below 4.2% of GDP and the government could return to budget surpluses as early as 2015. Australia was one of the first advanced economies to raise interest rates, with seven rate hikes between October 2009 and November 2010.
The GILLARD government is focused on raising Australia's economic productivity to ensure the sustainability of growth, and continues to manage the symbiotic, but sometimes tense, economic relationship with China. Australia is engaged in the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks and ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with China, Japan, and Korea.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
30.5 (2006) · 35.2 (1994) country comparison to the world: 115
Central bank discount rate
4.35% (31 December 2010 est.) · 3.28% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 note: this is the Reserve Bank of Australia's "cash rate target," or policy rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
7.279% (31 December 2010 est.) · 6.021% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Stock of narrow money
$421.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $334.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Stock of broad money
$1.392 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.123 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Stock of domestic credit
$1.927 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.618 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Natural gas - proved reserves
3.115 trillion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Current account balance
-$30.4 billion (2010 est.) · -$43.89 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Exports - commodities
coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$42.27 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $41.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Debt - external
$1.302 trillion (30 June 2011 est.) · $1.265 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$514.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $425.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$400.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $338.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.0902 (2010) · 1.2822 (2009) · 1.2059 (2008) · 1.2137 (2007) · 1.3285 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- 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)
Broadcast media
- 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)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 45 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 38,445 km
country comparison to the world: 7
- broad gauge:
- 3,355 km 1.600-m gauge
- standard gauge:
- 21,674 km 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified)
- narrow gauge:
- 9,539 km 1.067-m gauge (2,067 km electrified); 3,877 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)
Waterways
2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2006) country comparison to the world: 44
Ports and terminals
Brisbane, Cairns, Dampier, Darwin, Fremantle, Gladstone, Geelong, Hay Point, Hobart, Jervis Bay, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Dalrymple, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Lincoln, Port Walcott, Sydney
Military
Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)
Military service age and obligation
- 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)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 5,316,464
- females age 16-49:
- 5,116,722 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste signed agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary;
- Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica;
- Australia's 2004 submission to Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) extends its continental margins over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent beyond its claimed exclusive economic zone;
- a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but some outstanding issues, especially around Timor Leste, remain;
- Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef;
- Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing
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;
- major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Australia.” The World Factbook 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/australia/2011.