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Länder
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Background:
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Aboriginal settlers
arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 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 in the name of Great Britain. 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 British effort in
World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself
into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted
one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a
performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s.
Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the
ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef.
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Location:
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Oceania, continent
between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean |
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Geographic coordinates:
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27 00 S, 133 00 E |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 7,686,850
sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than the
US contiguous 48 states |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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25,760 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental
margin
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Climate:
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generally arid to
semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly low plateau with
deserts; fertile plain in southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Lake
Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, coal, iron ore,
copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands,
lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum |
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Land use:
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arable land: 6.15%
(includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.81% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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24,000 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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cyclones along the coast;
severe droughts; forest fires |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
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
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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Geography - note:
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world's smallest
continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the
eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating tropical sea breeze
known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west
coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world |
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Population:
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20,264,082 (July 2006
est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 19.6%
(male 2,031,313/female 1,936,802)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 6,881,863/female 6,764,709)
65 years and over: 13.1% (male 1,170,589/female 1,478,806) (2006
est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 36.9 years
male: 36 years
female: 37.7 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.85% (2006 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.14 births/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.51 deaths/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.85 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.63
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
80.5 years
male: 77.64 years
female: 83.52 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.76 children born/woman
(2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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14,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun:
Australian(s)
adjective: Australian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%,
aboriginal and other 1% |
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Religions:
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Catholic 26.4%, Anglican
20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%,
unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census) |
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Languages:
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English 79.1%, Chinese
2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15
and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia
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Government type:
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democratic, federal-state
system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign |
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Capital:
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Canberra |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 states and 2
territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern
Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western
Australia |
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Dependent areas:
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Ashmore and Cartier
Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands,
Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island
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Independence:
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1 January 1901
(federation of UK colonies) |
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National holiday:
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Australia Day, 26 January
(1788)
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Constitution:
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9 July 1900, effective 1
January 1901
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Legal system:
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based on English common
law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state:
Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)
cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of
Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor
general to serve as government ministers
elections: none; the monarch 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
leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the
governor general
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Federal
Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six
states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of
state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve
six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three
years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by
popular preferential voting to serve terms of up to three-years; no
state can have fewer than 5 representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no
later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9 October
2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor
Party 28, Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1; House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor Party 60,
independents 3
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Judicial branch:
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High Court (the chief
justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Australian Democrats [Lyn
ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kim
BEAZLEY]; Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY]; Family First Party
[Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals
[Mark VAILE] |
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International organization participation:
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ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB,
ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles,
New York, San Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim William A. STANTON
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney |
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Flag description:
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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 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; 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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Australia has an enviable
Western-style capitalist economy with a per capita GDP on par with the
four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic
economy, robust business and consumer confidence, and rising exports of
raw materials and agricultural products are fueling the economy.
Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with
China are other key factors behind the economy's strength. The impact of
drought, weak foreign demand, and strong import demand pushed the trade
deficit up from $8 billion in 2002, to $18 billion in 2003, $13 billion
in 2004, and nearly $17 billion in 2005. Housing prices probably peaked
in 2005, diminishing the prospect that interest rates would be raised to
prevent a speculative bubble. Conservative fiscal policies have kept
Australia's budget in surplus from 2002 to 2005. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$642.1 billion (2005
est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$633.5 billion (2005
est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.6% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$32,000 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 26.4%
services: 69.6% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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10.42 million (2005 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 3.6%,
industry 21.2%, services 75.2% (2004 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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5.2% (2005 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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35.2 (1994) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.7% (2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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24.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $249.8
billion
expenditures: $240.2 billion; including capital expenditures of
$NA (2005 est.) |
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Public debt:
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16.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, sugarcane,
fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry |
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Industries:
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mining, industrial and
transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1.6% (2005 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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237 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 90.8%
hydro: 8.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.9% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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221 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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530,000 bbl/day (2005
est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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875,600 bbl/day (2003
est.)
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Oil - exports:
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523,400 bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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530,800 bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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3.664 billion bbl (1
January 2002)
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Natural gas - production:
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35.6 billion cu m (2003
est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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25.08 billion cu m (2003
est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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9.744 billion cu m (2001
est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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2.549 trillion cu m (1
January 2002)
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Current account balance:
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$-41.1 billion (2005
est.) |
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Exports:
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$103 billion (2005 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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coal, gold, meat, wool,
alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 18.7%, China 9.2%,
US 8.1%, South Korea 7.7%, New Zealand 7.4%, India 4.6%, UK 4.2% (2004)
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Imports:
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$119.6 billion (2005
est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport
equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment
and parts; crude oil and petroleum products |
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Imports - partners:
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US 14.8%, China 12.7%,
Japan 11.8%, Germany 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%, UK 4.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$39.03 billion (2005
est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$509.6 billion (30 June
2005 est.)
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $894 million
(FY99/00)
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Currency (code):
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Australian dollar (AUD)
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Currency code:
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AUD |
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Exchange rates:
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Australian dollars per US
dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002),
1.9334 (2001)
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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11.66 million (2004)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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16.48 million (2004)
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Telephone system:
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general assessment:
excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone
in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New
Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 19
(10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 262, FM 345, shortwave
1 (1998)
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Radios:
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25.5 million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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104 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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10.15 million (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.au |
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Internet hosts:
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5,351,622 (2005) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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571 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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14,189,544 (2005)
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Airports:
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450 (2005) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 308
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 133
914 to 1,523 m: 140
under 914 m: 13 (2005) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 142
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 110
under 914 m: 14 (2005)
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Heliports:
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1 (2005) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate/gas 492 km;
gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water
110 km (2004)
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Railways:
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total: 54,652 km
(3,859 km electrified)
broad gauge: 5,434 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 34,110 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,895 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)
dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2004) |
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Roadways:
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total: 811,601 km
paved: 316,524 km
unpaved: 495,077 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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2,000 km (mainly used for
recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2002) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 53 ships
(1000 GRT or over) 1,360,458 GRT/1,532,874 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 15, cargo 5, chemical
tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6,
petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 17 (Canada 1, France 3, Germany 3, Japan 1,
Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 3)
registered in other countries: 34 (The Bahamas 3, Bermuda 2, Fiji
1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 1, NZ 2, Panama 4,
Portugal 1, Singapore 6, Spain 1, Tonga 1, UK 4, US 2, Vanuatu 2) (2005)
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Ports and terminals:
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Brisbane, Dampier,
Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland,
Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney |
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Military branches:
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Australian Defense Force
(ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air
Force, Special Operations Command |
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Military service age and obligation:
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16 years of age for
voluntary service; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in
non-combat support roles (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 18-49:
4,943,676 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49:
4,092,717
females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males: 142,158
females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$17.84 billion (2005
est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.7% (2005 est.)
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Transnational Issues |
Australia |
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Disputes - international:
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East Timor and Australia
agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for fifty
years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint
Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East
Timor dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with
Indonesia (see also Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute); regional
states express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a
1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime identification zone; Australia asserts
land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004
Australia submitted its claims to UN Commission on the Limits of the
Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margin from both its
mainland and Antarctic claims
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Illicit drugs:
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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
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This page was last updated on 20 April, 2006 |
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Information |
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Här hittar du information om alla världens länder. Listan fylls på efter hand
som jag har tid. Tyvärr så är informationen på engelska. |
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-SM3VVZ |
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