Statistical information Australia 1999

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. Sydney will host the 2000 summer Olympics.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Map reference:
OceaniaAreaTotal: 7,686,850 km²
Land: 7,617,930 km²
Water: 68,920 km²
Note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Comparative: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claimsContiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m
Natural 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%
Permanent pastures: 54%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 21,070 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts
GeographyNote: 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
top of pagePopulation: 18,783,551 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.9% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Australian(s)
Adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Languages: English, native languages
Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 21% (male 2,023,569; female 1,926,901)
15-64 years: 66% (male 6,317,045; female 6,172,735)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,022,485; female 1,320,816) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.9% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 13.21 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
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, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 5.11 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 80.14 years
Male: 77.22 years
Female: 83.23 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1999 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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (1980 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
Conventional short form: Australia
Government type: democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign
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:
(6) Ashmore and Cartier Islands,
Christmas Island,
Cocos (Keeling) Islands,
Coral Sea Islands,
Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Norfolk IslandIndependence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
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 branchChief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (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 monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; 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
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 3 October 1998 (next to be held by October 2001); House of Representatives_last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held by October 2001)
Election results: Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_Liberal-National 35, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 9, Greens 1, One Nation 1, independent 1; House of Representatives_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_Liberal-National 80, Labor 67, independent 1
Judicial branch: High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Sharp PEACOCK
In the us chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 797-3,000
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 797-3,168
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Genta Hawkins HOLMES
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) 6,214-5,600
From the us FAX: [61] (6) 6,214-5,970
From the us consulates 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. 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. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the economy's resilience to the regional crisis and its stronger than expected growth rate that reached 4.5% last year. After a slow start in 1998, exports rebounded in the second half of the year because of a sharp currency depreciation and a redirection of sales to Europe, North America, and Latin America.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $21,200 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 4%
Industry: 31%
Services: 65% (1997 est.)
Agriculture products: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (1995)
Labor force: 9.2 million (December 1997)
By occupation services: 73%
By occupation industry: 22%
By occupation agriculture: 5% (1997est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.1% (1998)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $90.73 billion
Expenditures: $89.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY98/99 est.)
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: $56 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Partners: Japan 20%, ASEAN 16%, EU 10%, South Korea 9%, US 9%, NZ 8%, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China (1997)
Imports: $61 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Partners: EU 25%, US 23%, Japan 13%, China, NZ (1997)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $156 billion (June 1997)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1: 1.56 (February 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3668 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 166.683 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 91.14%
Production by source hydro: 8.84%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0.02% (1996)
Consumption: 166.683 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 8.7 million (1987 est.)
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)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $6.9 billion (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: 1.9% (FY97/98)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 408 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 262
With paved runways over 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 112
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 120
With paved runways under 914 m: 8 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 146
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 19
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 114
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 13 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km
RailwaysTotal: 38,563 km (2,914 km electrified)
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
Dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges
RoadwaysWaterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft
Merchant marineTotal: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,767,387 GRT/2,426,710 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 3, chemical tanker 4, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 8, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4 (1998 est.)
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