]! ^! 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. 
]" ^" Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean ^# 27 00 S, 133 00 E ^$ Oceania ^% `! 7,686,850 sq km `" 7,617,930 sq km `# 68,920 sq km `* includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island ^& slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states ^' 0 km ^( 25,760 km ^) `$ 12 nm `M 24 nm `N 200 nm `O 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin ^* generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north ^+ mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast ^, `% Lake Eyre -15 m `& Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m ^- bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum ^. `' 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland) `( 0.04% `) 93.81% (2005) ^/ 25,450 sq km (2003) ^0 cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires ^1 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 _P `P 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 `Q Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol ^2 world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating 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 
]# ^3 20,434,176 (July 2007 est.) ^4 `+ 19.3% (male 2,023,375/female 1,929,229) `, 67.4% (male 6,945,068/female 6,831,653) `- 13.2% (male 1,197,494/female 1,507,357) (2007 est.) ^5 `! 37.1 years `. 36.3 years `/ 38 years (2007 est.) ^6 0.824% (2007 est.) ^7 12.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^8 7.56 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^9 3.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^: `0 1.05 male(s)/female `1 1.049 male(s)/female `, 1.017 male(s)/female `- 0.794 male(s)/female `2 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.) ^; `! 4.57 deaths/1,000 live births `. 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births `/ 4.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) ^< `2 80.62 years `. 77.75 years `/ 83.63 years (2007 est.) ^= 1.76 children born/woman (2007 est.) ^> 0.1% (2003 est.) ^? 14,000 (2003 est.) ^@ less than 200 (2003 est.) ^A `3 Australian(s) `4 Australian ^B white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% ^C 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) ^D English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census) ^E `5 age 15 and over can read and write `2 99% `. 99% `/ 99% (2003 est.) 
]$ ^F `6 Commonwealth of Australia `7 Australia ^H federal parliamentary democracy ^I `8 Canberra `9 35 17 S, 149 08 E `: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) `p +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March `* Australia is divided into three time zones ^J 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia _f Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island ^K 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) ^L Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as 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) ^M 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 ^N based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations ^O 18 years of age; universal and compulsory ^P `; Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003) `< Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005) `= prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers `> 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 `* government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party ^Q 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) `> 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) `? Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Greens 4, Democrats 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 ^R High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general) ^S Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE] ^U ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC ^V `R Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON `S 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 `T [1] (202) 797-3000 `U [1] (202) 797-3168 `V Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco ^W `R Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr. `_ Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 `` APO AP 96549 `T [61] (02) 6214-5600 `U [61] (02) 6214-5970 `V Melbourne, Perth, Sydney ^X 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 
]% ^Y Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Robust business and consumer confidence and high export prices for 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. Drought and strong import demand pushed the trade deficit up in recent years, although the trade balance improved in 2006. 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 since 2002. ^Z $666.3 billion (2006 est.) ^[ $645.3 billion (2006 est.) ^\ 2.8% (2006 est.) ^] $32,900 (2006 est.) ^^ `@ 3.8% `A 26.2% `B 70% (2005 est.) ^_ 10.66 million (2006 est.) ^` `@ 3.6% `A 21.2% `B 75.2% (2004 est.) ^a 4.9% (2006 est.) _! NA% _" `C 2% `D 25.4% (1994) _d 35.2 (1994) _# 3.8% (2006 est.) _V 26.8% of GDP (2006 est.) _$ `E $267 billion `F $258 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) _% 14.1% of GDP (2006 est.) _& wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry _' mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel _( -3.5% (2006 est.) _) 225.3 billion kWh (2004) _* 209.5 billion kWh (2004) _+ 0 kWh (2004) _, 0 kWh (2004) _- 530,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) _. 877,300 bbl/day (2004 est.) _/ 523,400 bbl/day (2001) _0 530,800 bbl/day (2001) _W 3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002) _1 37.03 billion cu m (2004 est.) _2 26.37 billion cu m (2004 est.) _X 10.66 billion cu m (2004 est.) _Y 0 cu m (2004 est.) _Z 821.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) _Q $-41.62 billion (2006 est.) _3 $117 billion (2006 est.) _4 coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment _5 Japan 20.3%, China 11.5%, South Korea 7.9%, US 6.7%, NZ 6.5%, India 5% (2005) _6 $127.7 billion (2006 est.) _7 machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products _8 US 13.9%, China 13.7%, Japan 11%, Singapore 5.6%, Germany 5.6% (2005) _[ $48.25 billion (2006 est.) _9 $585.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.) _\ ODA, $894 million (FY99/00) _; Australian dollar (AUD) _< Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) _= 1 July - 30 June 
]& _> 11.46 million (2005) _? 18.42 million (2005) _@ `G excellent domestic and international service `H domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones `I 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) _A AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) _B 104 (1997) _C .au _D 7.773 million (2006) _E 14.664 million (2006) 
]' _F 455 (2006) _G `! 311 `a 10 `J 12 `b 133 `c 143 `W 13 (2006) _R `! 144 `b 18 `c 111 `W 15 (2006) _] 1 (2006) _^ condensate/gas 546 km; gas 31,323 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,808 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2006) _e `! 47,738 km `r 4,015 km 1.600-m gauge `m 28,662 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified) `n 14,831 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified) `t 230 km dual gauge (2005) _H `! 810,641 km `K 336,962 km `L 473,679 km (2004) _b 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2002) _S `! 53 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,361,000 GRT/1,532,874 DWT by type: bulk carrier 17, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 5 `X 17 (Canada 1, France 3, Germany 3, Japan 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 3) `d 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 2, Bermuda 3, Fiji 1, Hong Kong 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 1, NZ 2, Panama 3, Portugal 1, Singapore 7, Tonga 1, UK 3, US 2, Vanuatu 2) (2006) _I Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney 
]( _J Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006) _T 16 years of age for voluntary service; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2001) _K males age 18-49: 4,943,676 females age 18-49: 4,821,264 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 4,092,717 females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.) _L males age 18-49: 142,158 females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.) _U 2.5% (2006 est.) 
]) _N 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 in the Timor Sea; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore and Cartier Islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catch; regional states continue to 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 margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers or roughly thirty percent of its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security _O 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 