nic divisions: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, Aboriginal and other
1%

_#_Religion: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26.0%, other Christian
24.3%

_#_Language: English, native languages

_#_Literacy: 100% (male 100%, female 100%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1980 est.)

_#_Labor force: 7,700,000; finance and services 33.8%, public and
community services 22.3%, wholesale and retail trade 20.1%, manufacturing
and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1% (1987)

_#_Organized labor: 42% of labor force (1988)

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Commonwealth of Australia

_#_Type: federal parliamentary state

_#_Capital: Canberra

_#_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, Norfolk Island

_#_Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

_#_Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

_#_Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

_#_National holiday: Australia Day (last Monday in January), 29
January 1990

_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime
minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of an
upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

_#_Judicial branch: High Court

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since February 1952),
represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since NA February
1989);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Robert James Lee HAWKE (since
11 March 1983); Deputy Prime Minister Paul KEATING (since 3 April 1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders:

government--Australian Labor Party, Robert James Lee HAWKE;

opposition--Liberal Party, John HEWSON;
National Party, Timothy FISCHER;
Australian Democratic Party, Janet POWELL

_#_Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18

_#_Elections:

Senate--last held 11 July 1987 (next to be held by July 1993);
results--Labor 43%, Liberal-National 42%, Australian Democrats 8%,
independents 2%;
seats--(76 total) Labor 32, Liberal-National 34, Australian
Democrats 7, independents 3;

House of Representatives--last