The 2010 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
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
People ::Australia
Population:
21,515,754 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Age structure:
0–14 years: 18.6% (male 2,026,975/female 1,923,828)
15–64 years: 67.9% (male 7,318,743/female 7,121,613)
65 years and over: 13.5% (male 1,306,329/female 1,565,153) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.5 years
male: 36.8 years
female: 38.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.171% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Birth rate:
12.39 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Death rate:
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Net migration rate:
6.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Urbanization:
urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005–10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.055 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 192 male: 5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.72 years country comparison to the world: 9 male: 79.33 years
female: 84.25 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Nationality:
noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups:
white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions:
Catholic 25.8%, Anglican 18.7%, Uniting Church 5.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, other Christian 7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 11.3%, none 18.7% (2006 Census)
Languages:
English 78.5%, Chinese 2.5%, Italian 1.6%, Greek 1.3%, Arabic 1.2%,
Vietnamese 1%, other 8.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2006 Census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 21 years
male: 20 years
female: 21 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
4.7% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 83
Government ::Australia
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia
Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Canberra
geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 13 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April
note: Australia is divided into three time zones
Administrative divisions:
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Dependent areas:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island
Independence:
1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)
National holiday:
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)
Constitution:
9 July 1900; effective on 1 January 1901
Legal system:
based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts International Criminal Court jurisdiction with conditions
Suffrage: