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Australia
Physical. Australia is located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and
the South Pacific Ocean. It is slightly smaller than the contiguous 48 US
states. The country's climate is arid with temperate regions in the south and
east, and tropical conditions in the north. Its terrain is low plateaus with
deserts and a fertile plain in the southeast. Some of Australia's natural
resources are bauxite, coal, iron, copper, tin, silver, diamonds, natural gas
and petroleum.
People. Australia is home to almost 20.3 million people.
English is the official language while many inhabitants also speak a variety of
native languages. Ethnically, the country is primarily Caucasian (92%), Asian
(7%), and aboriginal/other(1%). The major religious practices in Australia are:
Anglican (21%), Roman Catholic (26%), other Christian denominations (20%),
Buddhist (2%), and Muslim (2%).
Government. The country's official name is the
Commonwealth of Australia. Its capital, Canberra, is located near the
southeastern corner of the country. Australia gained its independence from the
United Kingdom on January 1, 1901, and on the same day its current constitution
went into effect. It has a democratic, federal state system that recognizes the
British monarch as its sovereign. The governor general is appointed by the
Queen, and Parliament is elected to 6- and 3-year terms. The country is host to
six major political parties. These parties and their supporters are spread
throughout 8 administrative divisions including 6 states and 2 territories.
Economy. Australia enjoys a prosperous Western-style
capitalist economy with a high per capita gross domestic product (GDP). It is
rich in natural resources and a major exporter of agricultural products, metals,
minerals, and fossil fuels. Conservative fiscal policies—reforms, low inflation,
and trade with China—help keep the economy strong. Drought, weak foreign demand,
and strong import demand cause a fluctuating trade deficit, nearly $17 billion
in 2005. Its GDP is comprised of: services (70%), industry (26%), and
agriculture (4%).
Areas of Concern. Endangerment of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef, and the natural habitat of Australia’s unique
fauna are the nation's primary environmental concerns. Soil erosion from
overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices is
also a problem as are fresh water resources and soil quality.
For more information on Australia, you may write to the chancery
at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036; check the U.S. State
Department or World Factbook country sites; or type in the country's name on the
Internet using a broad-based World Wide Web search engine.
Australia statistics
Geography
Area: 7,686,850 sq km
Capital: Canberra (325,000)
Environmental concerns: soil erosion; soil salinity; desertification; natural
habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the largest coral reef in the
world, the Great Barrier Reef, is threatened by shipping and overuse as a
tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources
Geographical features: mostly low plateau with deserts and a fertile plain in
the southeast
Climate: generally arid to semiarid but temperate in the south and east and
tropical in the north
People
20,264,000 (July 2006 est.) Caucasian (92%), Asian (7%), aboriginal and other
(1%)
Annual growth rate: 0.85% (2006 est.)
Major languages are English (79%), Chinese (2%), Italian (2%) (2001 Census)
Religions: Catholic (26%), Anglican (21)%, other Christian (20%), Buddhist (2%),
Muslim (2%) other (1%), unspecified (13%), none (15%) (2001 Census)
Health and social issues
Life expectancies: male 78; female 84
Infant mortality: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births
Population below the poverty line: NA%
1 physician to 400 people (2004)
HIV/AIDS Rate in Adults: 0.1% (2003 est.)
99% of adults are literate
Compulsory education (Ages): 6-15; free (2004)
Communication and transportation
11.66 million (2004) main telephone lines in use
14,190,000 (2005) Internet users
811,601 km of roadways
54,652 km (3,859 km electrified) railroads
450 (2005) airports
10.7 million motor vehicles (2004)
Government
Australia is a democratic, federal-state system.
The chief of state is the Queen of Australia, Queen Elizabeth II (since 6
February 1952) represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael Jeffrey
(since 11 August 2003). The head of the government is Prime Minister John
Winston Howard (since 11 March 1996).
Universal and compulsory suffrage 18 years of age
Military
Military expenditures as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is
2.7% (2005 est.).
Current disputes: boundary dispute with East Timor which affects one with
Indonesia; disputes with nations in the area over maritime claims; claims to
Antarctica
Economy
Currency: Australian dollar
Per capita GDP: $31,900 (2005 est.)
GDP: $640.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP growth rate: 2.5% (2005 est.)
Inflation rate: 2.7% (2005 est.)
Labor force: agriculture (4%), industry (21%), services (75%)
Resources and industry
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,
nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Agriculture: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
Industry: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,
chemicals, steel
Exports: $103 billion (2005 est.)
Imports: $119.6 billion (2005 est.)
Suggested web sites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/australia
http://www.australia.gov.au
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