Statistical information Australia 1993

Australia in the World
top of pageBackground: Australia became a British commonwealth in 1901. Blessed by rich natural resources, the country enjoyed rapid gains in herding, agriculture, and manufacturing and made a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Australia subsequently developed its minerals, metals, and fossil fuel markets, all of which have become key Australian exports. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, between Indonesia and New Zealand
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Southeast Asia, Oceania, Antarctic Region, Standard Time
Zones of the World
AreaTotal: 7,686,850 km²
Land: 7,617,930 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Contiguous zone: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
ElevationNatural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land useArable land: 6%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 58%
Other: 22%
Irrigated land: 18,800 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 17,827,204 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 1.41% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Australian(s)
Adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, Aboriginal and other 1%
Languages: English, native languages
Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.41% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 14.43 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 7.38 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.01 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to severe droughts and floods; cyclones along coast; limited freshwater availability; irrigated soil degradation; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along west coast in summer; desertification
Current issues note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 77.36 years
Male: 74.24 years
Female: 80.63 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
Conventional short form: Australia
Government type: federal parliamentary state
Capital: Canberra
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,
Norfolk Island
Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January
Government: Australian Labor Party, Paul John KEATING
Opposition:Liberal Party, John HEWSON; National Party, Timothy FISCHER;
Australian Democratic Party, John COULTER
Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS,
C, CCC, COCOM, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, G-8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, SPARTECA,
SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. COOK
In the us chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: (202) 797-3,000
In the us consulates general:Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York,
Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: (vacant)
From the us embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2,600
From the us mailing address: APO AP 96,549
From the us telephone: 61 (6) 270-5,000
From the us fax: 61 (6) 270-5,970
From the us consulates general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney
From the us consulate: Brisbane
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Of the top 25 exports, 21 are primary products, so that, as happened during 1983-84, 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 2.5% (1992)
Real gdp per capita: $16,700 (1992)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 5% of GDP and 37% of export revenues; world's largest exporter of beef and wool, second-largest for mutton, and among top wheat exporters; major crops - wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruit; livestock - cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%; accounts for 32% of GDP
Labor force: 8.63 million (September 1991)
By occupation finance and services: 33.8%
By occupation public and community services: NA
Unemployment rate: 11.3% (December 1992)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $68.5 billion; expenditures $78.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $41.7 billion (f.o.b., FY91)
Commodoties: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Partners:Japan 26%, US 11%, NZ 6%, South Korea 4%, Singapore 4%, UK,
Taiwan, Hong Kong
Imports: $37.8 billion (f.o.b., FY91)
Commodoties: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, crude oil and petroleum products
Partners: US 24%, Japan 19%, UK 6%, FRG 7%, NZ 4% (1990)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 40,000,000 kW capacity; 150,000 million kWh produced, 8,475 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $7.1 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY92/93)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 481
Usable: 439
With permanentsurface runways: 243
With runways over 3659 m: 1
With runways 2440-3659 m: 20
With runways 1220-2439 m: 268
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft
Merchant marine:
82 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,347,271
GRT/3,534,926 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 8 cargo, 7 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 1 vehicle carrier, 17 oil tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 30 bulk, 2 combination bulk
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international:
territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian
Antarctic Territory)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit 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