Australia
Country Guide

Explore Australia

Australia with its capital Canberra is located in Oceania (Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 7,741,221 square kilometers (slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states) with 23,232,400 citizens. English is the official language used in Australia. Thiscountry has no land-based border with any other country.

Australia is the only country that has a whole continent itself. World famous for its natural wonders and wide open spaces, its beaches, deserts, the bush, and the Outback, Australia is actually one of the world's most highly urbanised countries. It is also well known for the cosmopolitan attractions of its large cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. As a large continent a wide variation of climates are found across Australia. The north is hot and tropical, while south tends to sub-tropical and temperate. Most rainfall is around the coast.

Popular Destinations in Australia

Administrative regions of Australia

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

About the country

The topography is mostly low plateau with deserts with fertile plain in southeast. The average density of population is about 3 per km². The climate in Australia can be described as generally arid to semiaridtemperate in south and east, tropical in north. Potential natural disasters are cyclones along the coast, forest fires, severe droughts and volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands.

To reach someone Australia dial +61 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".au". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: I). The sign for the locally used currency Dollar is AUD.

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.

Prehistoric settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 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 Allied effort in World Wars I and II. 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 location in one of the fastest growing regions of the world economy. Long-term concerns include an aging population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as floods, droughts, and bushfires. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change. Australia is home to 10 per cent of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 7)	7,741,220	sq km
Land (World Rank: 7)	7,682,300	sq km
Water (World Rank: 13)	58,920	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 22)	47.10	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Note	includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Coastline
25760
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 53)	-15	m
Highest point (World Rank: 116)	2,228	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 63)	53.40	%
Arable (World Rank: 143)	6.20	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 179)	0.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 22)	47.10	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 23)	25,500	sq km
Map reference
Oceania
Environment
Issues	- and poor farming practices - clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species - desertification - industrial development - is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site - limited natural freshwater resources - soil erosion from overgrazing - soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water - the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast - the largest coral reef in the world - urbanization
Agreement party	- Antarctic Seals - Antarctic Treaty - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources - 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
Hazzards	- cyclones along the coast - forest fires - severe droughts - volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands
Location
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Climate
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 56)	23,232,400
Deathrate (World Rank: 121)	0.73	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 163)	1.21	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 109)	1.03	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 20)	0.55	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 153)	1.77	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 52)	37.90
Female (World Rank: 58)	39.50
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 75)	2,122,140
0 14 female (World Rank: 75)	2,012,670
15 24 male (World Rank: 64)	1,524,370
15 24 female (World Rank: 67)	1,446,660
25 54 male (World Rank: 49)	4,903,130
25 54 female (World Rank: 52)	4,725,980
55 64 male (World Rank: 36)	1,363,330
55 64 female (World Rank: 36)	1,384,040
65 x male (World Rank: 28)	1,736,950
65 x female (World Rank: 30)	2,013,150
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 184)	0.43	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 15)	82	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 15)	85	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 15)	80	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 28)	3.37
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 53)	3.90
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 10)	100.00	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 27)	29.00	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 41)	100.00	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 19)	237,900,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 17)	223,600,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 99)	72.90	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 111)	10.90	%
Source renew (World Rank: 42)	16.10	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 32)	289,700	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 29)	213,600	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 26)	339,500	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 38)	1,821,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 33)	472,100	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 20)	1,100,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 48)	60,290	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 13)	564,300	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 12)	67,200,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 23)	46,990,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 10)	34,060,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 54)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
385000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 52)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 49)	2	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 32)	9	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 85)	-2	% of GDP
National symbol
Southern Cross constellation
National colours
green
Adjective
Australian
Noun
Australian(s)
Background
Prehistoric settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 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 Allied effort in World Wars I and II. 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 location in one of the fastest growing regions of the world economy. Long-term concerns include an aging population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as floods, droughts, and bushfires. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change. Australia is home to 10 per cent of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 19)	1,188,000,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 110)	2.50	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 28)	48,700	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 145)	3.60	%
Source industry (World Rank: 106)	26.50	%
Source service (World Rank: 66)	69.90	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 42)	12,740,000
Products
Industries	- chemicals - food processing - industrial - mining - steel - transportation equipment
Agriculture	- barley - cattle - fruits - poultry - sheep - sugarcane - wheat
Exports	- alumina - coal - gold - iron ore - machinery - meat - transport equipment - wheat - wool
Imports	- computers - crude oil - machinery - office machines - parts - petroleum products - telecommunication equipment - transport equipment

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 22)	8,180,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 49)	36.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 92)	115.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 33)	20,288,400
Population (World Rank: 28)	88.20	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 6)	349
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 30)	131.00
Heliports (World Rank: 79)	1.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 7)	36,968
Road
Total length (World Rank: 9)	823,217
Paved length (World Rank: 11)	356,343
Unpaved length (World Rank: 6)	466,874
Water
Total length (World Rank: 44)	2,000

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