1998 Edition

Area

total: 7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than the US

Climate

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

Coastline

25,760 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m

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 fresh water resources

Environment-international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geographic coordinates

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Geography-note

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer

Irrigated land

21,070 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 54% forests and woodland: 19% other: 21% (1993 est.)

Location

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts

Natural resources

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

Terrain

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Age structure

0-14 years: 21% (male 2,023,147; female 1,926,206) 15-64 years: 66% (male 6,251,159; female 6,105,381) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,005,196; female 1,301,998) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

13.47 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

6.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Infant mortality rate

5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English, native languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.89 years male: 76.95 years female: 82.98 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian

Net migration rate

2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

18,613,087 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.93% (1998 est.)

Religions

Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Constitution

9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Country name

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia

Data code

AS

Dependent areas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir William DEANE (since 16 February 1996) head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Timothy Andrew FISCHER (since 11 March 1996) cabinet: Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term

FAX

[1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Genta Hawkins HOLMES embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000

[61] (6) 270-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, and 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; 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

Government type

democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign

Independence

1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

International organization participation

AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINUGUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Sharp PEACOCK chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

Judicial branch

High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general Political parties and leaders: government: coalition of Liberal Party, John Winston HOWARD, and National Party, Timothy Andrew FISCHER opposition: Australian Labor Party, Kim BEAZLEY; Australian Democratic Party, Meg LEES; Green Party, Bob BROWN Political pressure groups and leaders: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)

Legal system

based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats-12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives) elections: Senate-last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held by March 1999); House of Representatives-last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held by March 1999) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Liberal-National 37, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 8, Greens 1, independent 1; note-subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is as follows-Liberal-National 37, Labor 28, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 2; House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Liberal-National 94, Labor 49, independent 5 note: it is widely anticipated that the prime minister will call elections in late 1998

National capital

Canberra

National holiday

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture-products

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Budget

revenues: $89.35 billion expenditures: $91.92 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Currency

1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$150 billion (December 1996)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $1.43 billion (FY97/98)

Economy-overview

Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the highly industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s, but the economy has expanded at reasonably steady rates in recent years. In addition to high unemployment, short-term economic problems include a balancing of output growth and inflationary pressures and the stimulation of exports to offset rising imports, especially given the economic crisis in Asia.

Electricity-capacity

38.83 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

8,901 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

163.082 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.4865 (February 1998), (1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3668 (1994), 1.4704 (1993)

Exports

total value: $68 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment partners: Japan 20%, ASEAN 16%, South Korea 9%, US 9%, NZ 8%, UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China (1997)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$394 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 31% services: 65% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$21,400 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

3.3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $67 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products partners: US 22%, Japan 17%, UK 6%, China 5%, NZ 5% (1994/95)

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (1995)

Industries

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Inflation rate-consumer price index

1% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 9.2 million (December 1997) by occupation: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 258, FM 67, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system international: 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)

Telephones

8.7 million (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

134 (1987 est.)

Televisions

9.2 million (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.4% (1997)

Airports

419 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 259 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 111 914 to 1,523 m: 119 under 914 m: 8 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 160 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 123 under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 913,000 km paved: 353,331 km (including 1,3630 km of expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,122,604 GRT/3,045,417 DWT ships by type: bulk 31, cargo 3, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 10, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km Ports and harbors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Railways

total: 38,563 km (2,914 km electrified; 172 km dual gauge) broad gauge: 6,083 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 16,752 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 15,728 km 1.067-m gauge

Waterways

8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft

Military branches

Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$8.2 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.9% (FY97/98)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 4,873,392 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 4,206,104 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

17 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 128,524 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)

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