exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)
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, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten,
mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use:
arable land:
6%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
58%
forest and woodland:
14%
other:
22%
Irrigated land:
18,800 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
subject to severe droughts and floods; cyclones along coast; limited
freshwater availability; irrigated soil degradation; regular, tropical,
invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along west coast in
summer; desertification
Note:
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country

*Australia, People

Population:
17,827,204 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.41% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
14.43 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
7.38 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
7.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
77.36 years
male: 74.24 years
female:
80.63 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Australian(s)
adjective:
Australian
Ethnic divisions:
Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, Aboriginal and other 1%
Religions:
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%
Languages:
English, native languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%
Labor force:
8.63 million (September 1991)
by occupation:
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)

*Australia, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form:
Australia
Digraph:
AS
Type:
federal parliamentary state
Capital:
Canberra
Administrative divisions:
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales,, Northern
Territory*, Queensland, Sout