Background: 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.

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 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 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

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

Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation
Extremes 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 use
Arable land: 6%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 54%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 21,070 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts

Geography
Note: 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

Population: 18,438,824 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 0.96% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: 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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 22% (male 2,018,363; female 1,921,252)
15-64 years: 66% (male 6,188,476; female 6,041,173)
65 years and over: 12% (male 987,092; female 1,282,468) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.96% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 13.73 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.71 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 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 (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.64 years
Male: 76.69 years
Female: 82.74 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (1980 est.)

Country name
Conventional 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: (6) 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 (1788)

Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; 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 2 March 1996 (next to be held NA 1999); House of Representatives - last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held NA 1999)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal-National 37, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 8, Greens 1, independent 1; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is as follows - Liberal-National 37, Labor 28, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal-National 94, Labor 49, independent 5

Judicial branch: High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general

International organization participation: AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, 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, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In 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) 270-5,000
From the us FAX: [61] (6) 270-5,970
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

Economy overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP above the levels in highly industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for about 60% 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. In addition to high unemployment, short-term economic problems include a balancing of output growth and inflationary pressures and the stimulation of exports to offset rising imports.

Real gdp growth rate: 3.6% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,600 (1996 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.1%
Industry: 27.7%
Services: 69.2% (1994)

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
Total: 8.4 million (December 1996)
By occupation finance and services: 34%
By occupation public and community services: 23%
By occupation wholesaleandretailtrade: 20%
By occupation manufacturingandindustry: 17%
By occupation agriculture: 6% (1987est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.5% (1996 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $95.69 billion
Expenditures: $95.15 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY95/96 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Exports
Total value: $59.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Partners: Japan 24%, South Korea 8%, NZ 7%, US 7%, UK, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong (1994/95)

Imports
Total value: $59.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Partners: US 22%, Japan 17%, UK 6%, China 5%, NZ 5% (1994/95)

Debt external: $134 billion (June 1996)

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.2835 (January 1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3668 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992)

Electricity
Capacity: 38.83 million kW (1994)
Production: 173 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 8,278 kWh (1995 est.)

Telephones: 8.7 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: good 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)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $7.9 billion (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 1.9% (FY96/97)

Airports: 443 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 275
With paved runways over 3047 m: 9
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 13
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 106
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 116
With paved runways under 914 m: 31 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 168
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 22
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 146 (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km

Railways
Total: 38,563 km (2,914 km electrified; 172 km dual gauge)
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

Waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft

Merchant marine
Total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,282,084 GRT/3,326,092 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 30, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 14, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 1 (1996 est.)

Disputes international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)

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