|
|
 |
|
Quick
Facts About Australia
|
 |
| Geographic Facts |
- Location: Oceania,
continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean
- Geographic Co-ordinates:
27 00 S, 133 00 E
- Area: slightly smaller
than the US contiguous 48 states
- 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
- lowest point: Lake Eyre
-15 m
- highest point: Mount Kosciuszko
2229 m
- Land boundaries: 0
km Coastline: 25 760 km
- Climate: generally
arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
in north
- Terrain: mostly
low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
- Natural Resources:
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,
nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural
gas, petroleum
|
|
| Facts About the Nation |
- Population: 20 090
437 (July 2005 est.)
- Country Name:
- conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Australia
- conventional short form:
Australia
- Capital: Canberra
- Government: Democratic
- Languages: English
79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified
5.8% (2001 Census)
- Religions: 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)
- Ethnic Groups: Caucasian
92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
- Life Expectancy: 80.39
years
- Independence: 1
January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
- National Holiday: Australia
Day, 26 January (1788)
- Flag: 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
|
|
| Economy |
- Currency: Australian
dollar (AUD)
- Currency Exchange: Australian
dollars per US dollar - 1.31 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
(2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)
- Labour force by Occupation:
agriculture 3.7%, industry 26.4%, services 70% (2004 est.)
- Agriculture: wheat,
barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
- Industries: mining,
industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,
chemicals, steel
- All information provided
by The World Fact Book.
|
|
