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consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Genta Hawkins HOLMES
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney

Flag description: 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

Economy--overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style
capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four
dominant West European economies. Rich in natural resources,
Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals,
metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value
of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can
have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for
increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in
international markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered
from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD
countries in the early 1990s, but the economy has expanded at
reasonably steady rates in recent years. Canberra's emphasis on
reforms is a key factor behind the economy's resilience to the
regional crisis and its stronger than expected growth rate that
reached 4.5% last year. After a slow start in 1998, exports
rebounded in the second half of the year because of a sharp currency
depreciation and a redirection of sales to Europe, North America,
and Latin America.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$393.9 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$21,200 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 31%
services: 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 24.8% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1998)

Labor force: 9.2 million (December 1997)

Labor force--by occupation: services 73%, industry 22%,
agriculture 5% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.1% (1998)

Budget:
re