Statistical information Australia 2022

Australia in the World
top of pageBackground:
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.
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: 7,741,220 km²
Land: 7,682,300 km²
Water: 58,920 km²
Note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Comparative: slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Land boundariesTotal: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claimsTerritorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguouszone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
ElevationHighest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m
Lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
Mean elevation: 330 m
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
Land useAgricultural land: 46.65% (2018 est.)
arable land: 4.03% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.04% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 42.58% (2018 est.)
Forest: 17.42% (2018 est.)
Other: 33.42% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 15,210 km² (2020)
Major riversBy 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 km²: Indian Ocean drainage:
(Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 km²)
Internal
(endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 km²)
Total water withdrawalMunicipal: 3.392 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 2.662 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 10.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 492 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
Geographytop of pagePopulationDistribution: 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: 26,141,369 (2022 est.)
Growth rate: 1.25% (2022 est.)
NationalityNoun: Australian(s)
Adjective: Australian
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%
Languages: English 72%, Mandarin 2.7%, Arabic 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, other 15.7%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent language spoken at home
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.)
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 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.)
Dependency ratiosTotal dependency ratio: 53.7
Youth dependency ratio: 28.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 25.5
Potential support ratio: 3.9 (2020 est.)
Median ageTotal: 37.5 years
Male: 36.5 years
Female: 38.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.25% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 12.3 births/1000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (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
UrbanizationUrban population: 86.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island
Major urban areasPopulation: 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)
EnvironmentCurrent 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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsParticulate matter emissions: 7.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 375.91 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 105.01 megatons (2020 est.)
Sex ratioAt birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
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
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birth: 28.7 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rateTotal: 3.01 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 3.24 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.76 deaths/1000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 83.09 years
Male: 80.93 years
Female: 85.36 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.9% (2015/16)
Note: percent of women aged 18-44
Drinking water sourceImproved:urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
Unimproved:urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure: 9.9% of GDP (2019)
Physicians density: 4.13 physicians/1000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 3.8 beds/1000 population (2016)
Sanitation facility accessImproved:urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
Unimproved:urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Hiv/AidsAdult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2021 est.)
Major infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rate: 29% (2016)
Alcohol consumptionPer capita total: 9.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 3.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 3.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco useTotal: 13.6% (2020 est.)
Male: 15.6% (2020 est.)
Female: 11.5% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 6.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
LiteracyTotal population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationTotal: 21 years
Male: 20 years
Female: 22 years (2020)
Youth unemploymentRate ages 15-24 total: 11.3%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 12.6%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 9.8% (2021 est.)
top of pageCountry nameConventional 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
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
CapitalName: CanberraGeographic coordinates: 35 16 S, 149 08 E
Time difference: UTC+10 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April
Timezone note: Australia has four time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+10:30)
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"
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 (from the federation of UK colonies)
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)
ConstitutionHistory: approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
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
Legal system: common law system based on the English model
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
CitizenshipCitizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descentonly: at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branchChief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019)
Head of government: Prime Minister Anthony ALBANESE (since 23 May 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general
Elections and 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
Legislative branchDescription: 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)
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)
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 14
House 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
Judicial branchHighest courts: 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
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]
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
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arthur SINODINOS
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Caroline KENNEDY (since 25 July 2022)
From the us embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory 2,600
From the us mailing address: 7,800 Canberra Place, Washington DC 20,512-7,800
From the us telephone: [61] (02) 6,214-5,600
From the us FAX: [61] (02) 9,373-9,184
From the us email address and website:AskEmbassyCanberra@state.gov
[link] 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
National symbols: Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree (Acacia pycnantha Benth), kangaroo, emu; national colors: green, gold
National anthemName: Advance Australia Fair
Lyrics and music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK
National heritageTotal world heritage sites: 20 (4 cultural, 12 natural, 4 mixed); note - includes one site on Heard Island and McDonald Islands
top of pageEconomy overviewReal gdp purchasing power parity:
$1,250,900,000,000 (2020 est.)
$1,254,480,000,000 (2019 est.)
$1,227,940,000,000 (2018 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real gdp growth rate:
1.84% (2019 est.)
2.77% (2018 est.)
2.45% (2017 est.)
Real gdp per capita:
$48,700 (2020 est.)
$49,500 (2019 est.)
$49,200 (2018 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useHousehold consumption: 56.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 18.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 21.5% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -21% (2017 est.)
Gdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 3.6% (2017 est.)
Industry: 25.3% (2017 est.)
Services: 71.2% (2017 est.)
Agriculture products: sugar cane, wheat, barley, milk, rapeseed, beef, cotton, grapes, poultry, potatoes
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 12.568 million (2020 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 3.6%
By occupation industry: 21.1%
By occupation services: 75.3% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.16% (2019 est.)
5.29% (2018 est.)
Youth unemploymentRate ages 15-24 total: 11.3%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 12.6%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 9.8% (2021 est.)
Population below poverty lineGini indexCoefficient distribution of family income:34.4 (2014 est.)
35.2 (1994)
Household income or consumption by percentage shareLowest 10: 2%
Highest 10: 25.4% (1994)
Distribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $490 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $496.9 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 35.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt:
40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
40.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
RevenueFrom forest resources forest revenues: 0.13% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0.78% of GDP (2018 est.)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer prices:
1.6% (2019 est.)
1.9% (2018 est.)
1.9% (2017 est.)
Central bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balance:
$8.146 billion (2019 est.)
-$29.777 billion (2018 est.)
Exports:
$299.04 billion (2020 est.)
$342.43 billion (2019 est.)
$327.32 billion (2018 est.)
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: China 39%, Japan 15%, South Korea 7%, India 5% (2019)
Commodities: iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, aluminum oxide (2019)
Imports:
$249.07 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$295.46 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$310.23 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Partners: China 25%, United States 12%, Japan 7%, Germany 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$66.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt external:
$3,115,913,000,000 (2019 est.)
$2,837,818,000,000 (2018 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar
1.34048 (2020 est.)
1.46402 (2019 est.)
1.38552 (2018 est.)
1.3291 (2014 est.)
1.1094 (2013 est.)
top of pageElectricityAccess electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Installed generating capacity: 82.517 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 237,388,272,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission distribution losses: 12,607,778,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 75.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 8.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 8.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
CoalProduction: 504.051 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 99.048 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 390.808 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 583,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 149.079 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
PetroleumTotal petroleum production: 442,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 1,174,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)
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.)
Crude oilRefined petroleumProducts production: 462,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports: 64,120 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports: 619,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gasProduction: 142,104,321,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
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.)
Proven reserves: 3,228,115,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 417.87 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 162.26 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 158.668 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 96.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 241.004 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
top of pageTelephonesFixed lines total subscriptions: 6.2 million (2020 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 27.453 million (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2020 est.)
Telephone systemBroadcast 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)
InternetCountry code: .au
Users total: 23,123,940 (2020 est.)
Users percent of population: 90% (2020 est.)
Broadband fixed subscriptionsTotal: 9,099,619 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2020 est.)
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
2% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2021)
2.1% of GDP (2020)
2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $31.5 billion)
1.9% of GDP (2018) (approximately $29.8 billion)
Military and security forces: Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force (2022)
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)
Space programTerrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
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 Ttop of pageNational air transport systemNumber of registered air carriers: 25 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 583
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 75,667,645 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,027,640,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VH
AirportsTotal: 418 (2021)
With paved runways total: 349
With paved runways over 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 14
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 155
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 155
With paved runways under 914 m: 14 (2021)
With unpaved runways total: 131
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 101
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 14 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
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)
RailwaysTotal: 33,011 km (2015)
Standard gauge: 17,446 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified)
Narrowgauge: 12,318 km (2015) 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified)
Broadgauge: 3,247 km (2015) 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified)
RoadwaysTotal: 873,573 km (2015)
Urban: 145,928 km (2015)
Non-urban: 727,645 km (2015)
Waterways: 2,000 km (2011) (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems)
Merchant marineTotal: 581
By type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 76, oil tanker 7, other 496 (2021)
Ports and terminalsMajor seaport:
Indian Ocean: Adelaide, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Melbourne
Pacific Ocean: Brisbane, Cairns, Gladstone, Hobart, Newcastle, Port Port Kembla, Sydney
Container ports teus: Melbourne (2,967,315), Sydney (2,572,714) (2019)
Lng terminals export: Australia Pacific, Barrow Island, Burrup (Pluto), Curtis Island, Darwin, Karratha, Bladin Point (Ichthys), Gladstone, Prelude (offshore FLNG), Wheatstone
Drybulkcargoport(s): Dampier (iron ore), Dalrymple Bay (coal), Hay Point (coal), Port Hedland (iron ore), Port Walcott (iron ore)
top of pageDisputes 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.
Refugees and internally displaced personsRefugees country of origin: 12,701 (Iran), 10,108 (Afghanistan), 5,400 (Pakistan) (mid-year 2021)
Stateless persons: 5,770 (mid-year 2021)
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