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Australia - Facts & Figures

Total
Area:
  • 7,682,292 sq kms (2,966,133 sq miles)
  • 3200 kms north to south 4000 kms east to west.
  • World's sixth largest country.
  • A bit smaller than the USA
    • Population:
  • 18,338,000 people (roughly 0.3% of the world's population).
  • Nearly 23% of the population was born overseas.
  • Over 85% of the population live in cities along the coast.
  • Life Expectancy: 75 for men 81 for women.
    • Language: English
    People:
    • 94% European
    • 4.5% Asian
    • 1.5% Aboriginal
    • Australia is a country mostly of immigrates. They came from all over the world
      • Great Britain
      • Ireland
      • New Zealand (yeap)
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Turkey
      • Vietnam
      • The Middle East
      • The Philippines
      • Malaysia
      • India
      • Sri Lanka
      • China
      • and over 150 other countries
      		    
     Government:
  • Federal parliamentary democracy
  • British model
  • 3 year term of office
  • Voting is compulsory
  • Voting age is 18
  • Bi-cameral legislature (two houses of parliament)
  • House of Representatives
  • Senate
  • Head of State - The Governor General
    The representative of the Monarch - Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
  • Head of Government - The Prime Minister
    Who is the leader of the political party with the majority in the House of Representatives.
  • Responsibilities
    Taxation, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Social Security, Transportation, Immigration
    		•
    Flag: Australian flag.
    • Union Jack (the British flag) - represents the past link with England.
    • Seven Pointed Star- represents the six states and the territories.
    • The Southern Cross - the small stars represent the southern cross a group of stars that can be see in the Australian night sky.
    Location
  • The climate in Australia is the opposite of that in the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, the US etc). Summer in Australia starts in December and Winter in June.
  • Over 90% of Australia is dry, flat and arid. The north has tropical weather and the southeast parts are temperate.
    		•
    Major Cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra , Darwin, Hobart
    Currency: Decimal Currency (Dollars and Cents)
    Australian notes are made of a special plastic. They are each of a different colour and size. They also have a special "see-thru" window to make then hard to counterfeit. The colours below are the approximate colours of the currency:
    • Notes $5, $10, $20, $50, $100
    • Coins: 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2 (1c and 2c coins are no longer used)
     Economy:
    • Capitalist (based on minerals and agriculture)
    • Trading Position: 20th
    • Major Exports: meat (largest exporter), wool (30% of worlds' supply), wheat (9th largest exporter), machinery, alumina (largest producer) , coal, gold, iron, industrial diamonds (largest producer)
    • Major Imports: computers and office equipment, aircraft, transport equipment, crude oil and petroleum products.
    • Major Trading Partners: Japan, USA, ASEAN, European Union, New Zealand, Korea.
     Employment:
    • Job Type: 
      • 80% service sector
      • 14% manufacturing
      • 5% rural
      • other
    • Average Yearly Earning: A$27,675
    • Females in Workforce: 42%
     Lifestyle:  Ownership (per household):
    • Refrigerator - 99.7%
    • Washing Machine - 90%
    • Telephone - 95%
    • Freezer - 47%
    • Dishwasher - 20%
    • Car
      • One - 85%
      • Two - 32%
      • Three - 12%
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

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