2022 Edition

Background

Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 60,000 years ago and developed complex hunter-gatherer societies and oral histories. Dutch navigators led by Abel TASMAN were the first Europeans to land in Australia in 1606, and they mapped the western and northern coasts. They named the continent New Holland but made no attempts to permanently settle it. In 1770, English captain James COOK sailed to the east coast of Australia, named it New South Wales, and claimed it for Great Britain. In 1788 and 1825, Great Britain established New South Wales and then Tasmania as penal colonies respectively. Great Britain and Ireland sent more than 150,000 convicts to Australia before ending the practice in 1868. As Europeans began settling areas away from the coasts, they came into more direct contact with Aboriginal Australians. Europeans also cleared land for agriculture, impacting Aboriginal Australians’ ways of life. These issues, along with disease and a policy in the 1900s that forcefully removed Aboriginal children from their parents, reduced the Aboriginal Australian population from more than 700,000 pre-European contact to a low of 74,000 in 1933.Four additional colonies were established in Australia in the mid-1800s: Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). Gold rushes beginning in the 1850s brought thousands of new immigrants to New South Wales and Victoria, helping to reorient Australia away from its penal colony roots. In the second half of the 1800s, the colonies were all gradually granted self-government, and in 1901, they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia contributed more than 400,000 troops to Allied efforts during World War I, and Australian troops played a large role in the defeat of Japanese troops in the Pacific in World War II. Australia severed most constitutional links with the UK in 1942, and in 1951 signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty, cementing its military alliance with the United States.  In 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced the AUKUS enhanced trilateral security partnership to maintain and expand the three countries’ edge in military capabilities and critical technologies. Australia’s post-war economy boomed and by the 1970s, racial policies that prevented most non-Whites from immigrating to Australia were removed, greatly increasing Asian immigration to the country. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its proximity to East and Southeast Asia.  In the early 2000s, Australian politics became unstable with frequent attempts to oust party leaders, including five changes of prime minister between 2010 and 2018. As a result, both major parties instituted rules to make it harder to remove a party leader.

Area

land

7,682,300 sq km

note

note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

total

7,741,220 sq km

water

58,920 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Climate

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

Coastline

25,760 km

Elevation

highest point

Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m

lowest point

Lake Eyre -15 m

mean elevation

330 m

Geographic coordinates

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Geography - note

note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land bordersnote 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent’s longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term "Great Dividing Range" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and southnote 3: Australia is the only continent without glaciers; it is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change; 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; Australia is home to 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world

Irrigated land

15,210 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

46.65% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.03% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.04% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 42.58% (2018 est.)

forest

17.42% (2018 est.)

other

33.42% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Great Artesian Basin, Canning Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Alexandrina - 570 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Lake Eyre - 9,690 sq km; Lake Torrens (ephemeral) - 5,780 sq km; Lake Gairdner - 4,470 sq km; Lake Mackay (ephemeral) - 3,494 sq km; Lake Frome - 2,410 sq km; Lake Amadeus (ephemeral) - 1,032 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

River Murray - 2,508 km; Darling River - 1,545 km; Murrumbidgee River - 1,485 km; Lachlan River - 1,339 km; Cooper Creek - 1,113 km; Flinders River - 1,004 km

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km)

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; forest firesvolcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands

Natural resources

alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, opals, natural gas, petroleum; note - Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports; as well, Australia is by far the world's largest supplier of opals

Population distribution

population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population

Terrain

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Age structure

0-14 years

18.72% (male 2,457,418/female 2,309,706)

15-24 years

12.89% (male 1,710,253/female 1,572,794)

25-54 years

41.15% (male 5,224,840/female 5,255,041)

55-64 years

11.35% (male 1,395,844/female 1,495,806)

65 years and over

15.88% (male 1,866,761/female 2,177,996) (2020 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

9.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.3 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.9% (2015/16)

note

note: percent of women aged 18-44

Current health expenditure

9.9% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

25.5

potential support ratio

3.9 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.7

youth dependency ratio

28.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

6.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

English 33%, Australian 29.9%, Irish 9.5%, Scottish 8.6%, Chinese 5.5%, Italian 4.4%, German 4%, Indian 3.1%, Australian Aboriginal 2.9%, Greek 1.7%, unspecified 4.7% (2021 est.)

note

note: data represent self-identified ancestry, with the option of reporting two ancestries

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2021 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.8 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

3.24 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English 72%, Mandarin 2.7%, Arabic 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, other 15.7%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)

note

note: data represent language spoken at home

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.36 years (2022 est.)

male

80.93 years

total population

83.09 years

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

5.235 million Melbourne, 5.121 million Sydney, 2.505 million Brisbane, 2.118 million Perth, 1.367 million Adelaide, 472,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

38.5 years (2020 est.)

male

36.5 years

total

37.5 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.7 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Australian

noun

Australian(s)

Net migration rate

6.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

29% (2016)

Physicians density

4.13 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

26,141,369 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population

Population growth rate

1.25% (2022 est.)

Religions

Protestant 23.1% (Anglican 13.3%, Uniting Church 3.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.3%, Baptist 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.1%, Lutheran .7%, other Protestant 0.5%), Roman Catholic 22.6%, other Christian 4.2%, Muslim 2.6%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox 0.2%), Hindu 1.9%, other 1.3%, none 30.1%, unspecified 9.6% (2016 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

22 years (2020)

male

20 years

total

21 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.72 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

11.5% (2020 est.)

male

15.6% (2020 est.)

total

13.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island

rate of urbanization

1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

86.6% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.8% (2021 est.)

male

12.6%

total

11.3%

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

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

etymology

the name is claimed to derive from either Kambera or Camberry, which are names corrupted from the original native designation for the area "Nganbra" or "Nganbira"

geographic coordinates

35 16 S, 149 08 E

name

Canberra

time difference

UTC+10 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

Australia has four time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+10:30)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

4 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state’s representation in either house or change a state’s boundaries require that state’s approval prior to Royal Assent; amended several times, last in 1977

history

approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Country name

conventional long form

Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form

Australia

etymology

the name Australia derives from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern"; the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis" or the Southern Land

Dependent areas

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Caroline KENNEDY (since 25 July 2022)

consulate(s) general

Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

email address and website

AskEmbassyCanberra@state.govhttps://au.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory 2600

FAX

[61] (02) 9373-9184

mailing address

7800 Canberra Place, Washington DC  20512-7800

telephone

[61] (02) 6214-5600

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Arthur SINODINOS (since 6 February 2020)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

https://usa.embassy.gov.au/

FAX

[1] (202) 797-3168

telephone

[1] (202) 797-3000

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019)

elections/appointments

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 majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Anthony ALBANESE (since 23 May 2022)

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

Government type

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), Quad, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); note - each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

subordinate courts: at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia;  at the state and territory level: Local Court - New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts – Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory; District Courts – New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court – Victoria; Family Court – Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions – Norfolk Island    

Legal system

common law system based on the English model

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of:Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years)House of Representatives (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years)

election results

Senate (initial results) - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 32.13%, ALP 29.81%, The Greens 13.85%, One Nation 4.38%, Lambie Network .26%; seats by party - Liberal/National coalition 29, ALP 21, The Greens 9, One Nation 1, Lambie Network 1, undecided 14House of Representatives (initial results) - percent of vote by party - ALP 32.83%, Liberal/National coalition 35.77%, The Greens 11.85%, Katter's Australian Party 0.4%, Centre Alliance 0.24%, independents 5.52%; seats by party - ALP 76, Liberal/National Coalition 57, The Greens 4, Katter's Australian Party 1, Centre Alliance 1, independent 10, undecided 2

elections

Senate - last held on 21 May 2022 (next to be held on May 2025)House of Representatives - last held on 21 May 2022 (next to be held on May 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Peter Dodds McCORMICK

name

Advance Australia Fair

note

note 1: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem was not used for all official occasions until 1984; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the King" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)note 2: the well-known and much-loved bush ballad "Waltzing Matilda" is often referred to as Australia's unofficial national anthem; the original lyrics were written in 1895 by Australian poet Banjo PATERSON, and were first published as sheet music in 1903; since 2012, a Waltzing Matilda Day has been held annually on 6 April, the anniversary of the first performance of the song in 1895

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Great Barrier Reef (n); Greater Blue Mountains Area (n); Fraser Island (n); Gondwana Rainforests (n); Lord Howe Island Group (n); Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (c); Shark Bay (n); Sydney Opera House (c); Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (m); Kakadu National Park (m)

total World Heritage Sites

20 (4 cultural, 12 natural, 4 mixed); note - includes one site on Heard Island and McDonald Islands

National holiday

Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 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)

National symbol(s)

Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree (Acacia pycnantha Benth), kangaroo, emu; national colors: green, gold

Political parties and leaders

Australian Greens Party or The Greens [Adam BANDT]Australian Labor Party or ALP [Anthony ALBANESE]Liberal Party of Australia [Peter DUTTON]The Nationals [David LITTLEPROUD]Pauline Hanson’s One Nation or PHON or ONP [Pauline HANSON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

sugar cane, wheat, barley, milk, rapeseed, beef, cotton, grapes, poultry, potatoes

Budget

expenditures

496.9 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

490 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AAA (2011)

Moody's rating

Aaa (2002)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (2003)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$29.777 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

$8.146 billion (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$2,837,818,000,000 (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$3,115,913,000,000 (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India.   Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, 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.   For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth.

Exchange rates

Currency

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

1.1094 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

1.3291 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1.38552 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1.46402 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.34048 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$327.32 billion (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$342.43 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$299.04 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, aluminum oxide (2019)

Exports - partners

China 39%, Japan 15%, South Korea 7%, India 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

21.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

18.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

56.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-21% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.6% (2017 est.)

industry

25.3% (2017 est.)

services

71.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1,390,790,000,000 (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1994

35.2 (1994)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

34.4 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.4% (1994)

lowest 10%

2%

Imports

Imports 2018

$310.23 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$295.46 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$249.07 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)

Imports - partners

China 25%, United States 12%, Japan 7%, Germany 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.9% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

1.9% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.6% (2019 est.)

Labor force

12.568 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

3.6%

industry

21.1%

services

75.3% (2009 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

40.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$1,227,940,000,000 (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$1,254,480,000,000 (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$1,250,900,000,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.45% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

2.77% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.84% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$49,200 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$49,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$48,700 (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$66.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

35.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

5.29% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

5.16% (2019 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.8% (2021 est.)

male

12.6%

total

11.3%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

162.26 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

96.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

158.668 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

417.87 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

99.048 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

390.808 million metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

583,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

504.051 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

149.079 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

237,388,272,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

82.517 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

12,607,778,000 kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

75.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

6.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

8.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

8.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

241.004 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

41,905,381,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

101,766,728,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports

6,295,646,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

142,104,321,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

3,228,115,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

197,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

356,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

2.446 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1,174,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

442,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

64,120 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

619,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

462,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

36 (2020 est.)

total

9,099,619 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as ABC Australia, a TV service that broadcasts in 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 (2022)

Internet country code

.au

Internet users

percent of population

90% (2020 est.)

total

23,123,940 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

24 per 100 fixed-line telephone subscriptions and 108 per 100 mobile-cellular; more subscribers to mobile services than there are people; 90% of all mobile device sales are now smartphones, growth in mobile traffic brisk (2020)

general assessment

the Australian telecom market since 2020 has been impacted by the pandemic, which forced many people to school and work from home and thus adopt fixed-line broadband services; internet traffic, both fixed and mobile, increased substantially as a result; in the fixed sector, there is an ongoing migration from copper-based platforms to fiber; the extension of fixed wireless access will mean that up to 120,000 premises currently dependent on satellite broadband will be able to access 5G-based fixed services; the fixed-line market has been falling steadily over the past five years; in the Australian fixed broadband market, there is a dynamic shift among customers to fiber networks; the DSL sector is steadily shrinking while subscribers on HFC infrastructure will continue to be provided by existing cable, with a steady migration to full fiber connectivity (2022)

international

country code - 61; landing points for more than 20 submarine cables including: the SeaMeWe-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the INDIGO-Central, INDIGO West and ASC, North West Cable System, Australia-Papua New Guinea cable, CSCS, PPC-1, Gondwana-1, SCCN, Hawaiki, TGA, Basslink, Bass Strait-1, Bass Strait-2, JGA-S, with links to other Australian cities, New Zealand and many countries in southeast Asia, US and Europe; the H2 Cable, AJC, Telstra Endeavor, Southern Cross NEXT with links to Japan, Hong Kong, and other Pacific Ocean countries as well as the US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat, 2 Globalstar, 5 other (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

24 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

6.2 million (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

108 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

27.453 million (2020 est.)

Airports

total

418 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

155

2,438 to 3,047 m

14

914 to 1,523 m

155

over 3,047 m

11

total

349

under 914 m

14 (2021)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

16

914 to 1,523 m

101

total

131

under 914 m

14 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VH

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 2, general cargo 76, oil tanker 7, other 496 (2021)

total

581

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

2,027,640,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

75,667,645 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

583

number of registered air carriers

25 (2020)

Pipelines

637 km condensate/gas, 30,054 km gas, 240 km liquid petroleum gas, 3,609 km oil, 110 km oil/gas/water, 72 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Melbourne (2,967,315), Sydney (2,572,714) (2019)

dry bulk cargo port(s)

Dampier (iron ore), Dalrymple Bay (coal), Hay Point (coal), Port Hedland (iron ore), Port Walcott (iron ore)

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Australia Pacific, Barrow Island, Burrup (Pluto), Curtis Island, Darwin, Karratha, Bladin Point (Ichthys), Gladstone, Prelude (offshore FLNG), Wheatstone

major seaport(s)

Indian Ocean: Adelaide, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, MelbournePacific Ocean: Brisbane, Cairns, Gladstone, Hobart, Newcastle, Port Port Kembla, Sydney

Railways

broad gauge

3,247 km (2015) 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified)

narrow gauge

12,318 km (2015) 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified)

standard gauge

17,446 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified)

total

33,011 km (2015)

Roadways

non-urban

727,645 km (2015)

total

873,573 km (2015)

urban

145,928 km (2015)

Transportation - note

Australia operates one PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreaker based in Tasmania in support of operations in Antarcticanote - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel: PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m); PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm)

Waterways

2,000 km (2011) (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems)

Military - note

Australia has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; Australia is also a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily Australia has a long-standing military relationship with the US; Australian and US forces first fought together in France in 1918 at the Battle of Hamel, and have fought together in every major US conflict since; Australia and the US signed an agreement in 2014 that allowed for closer bi-lateral defense and security cooperation, including annual rotations of US Marines and enhanced rotations of US Air Force aircraft to Australia; Australian military forces train often with US forces; Australia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation Australia also has long-standing defense and security ties to the UK, including a Defense and Security Cooperation Treaty signed in 2013; in 2020, Australia and the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the building of a next generation of frigates for their respective navies; the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) is their premier bilateral forum on foreign policy, defense, and security issues in 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced an enhanced trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS” which would build on existing bilateral ties, including deeper integration of defense and security-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains, as well as deeper cooperation on a range of defense and security capabilities; the first initiative under AUKUS was a commitment to support Australia in acquiring conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy (2022)

Military and security forces

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force (2022)

note

note: the Army includes a Special Operations Command, while the Navy includes a Naval Aviation Force

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 60,000 active troops (30,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force) (2022)

Military deployments

note: since the 1990s, Australia has deployed more than 30,000 personnel on nearly 100 UN peacekeeping and coalition military operations, including in Cambodia, Rwanda, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, and East Timor

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Australian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; since 2015, the US is the largest supplier of arms; the Australian defense industry produces a variety of land and sea weapons platforms; the defense industry also participates in joint development and production ventures with other Western countries, including the US and Canada (2022)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.9% of GDP (2018) (approximately $29.8 billion)

Military Expenditures 2019

2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $31.5 billion)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.1% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription (abolished 1973); women allowed to serve in all roles, including combat arms, since 2013 (2022)

note

note 1: foreign nationals who are permanent residents, particularly New Zealanders, or those who have applied for citizenship or overseas candidates who have appropriate experience and qualifications from an overseas military can apply to join the ADF note 2: in 2020-2021, women comprised nearly 20% of the military

Disputes - international

Australia-Indonesia (Maritime Boundary): All borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature. Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef. Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing.Australia-Timor-Leste (Maritime Boundary): In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary.

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

12,701 (Iran), 10,108 (Afghanistan), 5,400 (Pakistan) (mid-year 2021)

stateless persons

5,770 (mid-year 2021)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

375.91 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

105.01 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

7.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural freshwater resources; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; drought, desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; disruption of the fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions; 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; overfishing, pollution, and invasive species are also problems

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

46.65% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.03% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.04% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 42.58% (2018 est.)

forest

17.42% (2018 est.)

other

33.42% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Great Artesian Basin, Canning Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Alexandrina - 570 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Lake Eyre - 9,690 sq km; Lake Torrens (ephemeral) - 5,780 sq km; Lake Gairdner - 4,470 sq km; Lake Mackay (ephemeral) - 3,494 sq km; Lake Frome - 2,410 sq km; Lake Amadeus (ephemeral) - 1,032 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

River Murray - 2,508 km; Darling River - 1,545 km; Murrumbidgee River - 1,485 km; Lachlan River - 1,339 km; Cooper Creek - 1,113 km; Flinders River - 1,004 km

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.78% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.13% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

492 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

10.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2.662 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

3.392 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island

rate of urbanization

1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

86.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

13.345 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

5,618,245 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

42.1% (2015 est.)