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NAVIGATION
Commonwealth of Australia
GOVERNMENT
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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 |
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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 ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter HOLLINGWORTH (since 29 June 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999) cabinet: Cabinet Parliament nominates, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list, the governor general makes the final selections for the Cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed 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 two from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65, independent and other 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 [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party [Simon CREAN]; Country Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA] |
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International organization participation:
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ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
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; 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
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Economy - overview:
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Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $528 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.6% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 26% services: 71% (2001 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% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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35 (1994) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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9.2 million (December 2001 ) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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6.3% (2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $86.8 billion
expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est. ) |
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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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4.3% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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202.68 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 90%
hydro: 8% other: 2% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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188.49 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry |
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Exports:
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$66.3 billion (2002 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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Developing countries 45.6%, Japan 19.7%, ASEAN 13.3%, EU 11.7%, US 9.7% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$68 billion (2002 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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Developing countries 31.7%, EU 21.6%, US 18.9%, ASEAN 14.8%, Japan 13.0% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$176.8 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $894 million (FY99/00 ) |
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Currency:
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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 - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |