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Australia
*** Shopping-Tip: Australia
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox Australia}}
The '''Commonwealth of Australia''' is a country in the
Southern Hemisphere comprising the world's smallest
continent and a number of islands in the
Southern Ocean Southern,
Indian Ocean Indian and
Pacific Oceans. Neighbouring countries include
Indonesia,
East Timor and
Papua New Guinea to the north; the
Solomon Islands,
Vanuatu and the
France French dependency of
New Caledonia to the northeast; and
New Zealand to the southeast.
The
Australia (continent) continent of Australia has been inhabited for over 40,000 years by
Indigenous Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and by
European explorers and merchants starting in the seventeenth century, the eastern half of the continent was claimed by the
Kingdom of Great Britain British in 1770 and officially settled as the
penal colony of
New South Wales on
26 January 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing
British overseas territory Crown Colonies were successively established over the course of the nineteenth century.
On
1 January 1901, the six colonies
Federation of Australia federated and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable
liberal democracy liberal democratic political system and remains a
Commonwealth Realm. The capital city is
Canberra although the current population of around 20.5 million is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of
Sydney,
Melbourne,
Brisbane,
Perth, Western Australia Perth, and
Adelaide.
Origin and history of the name
The name Australia is derived from the
Latin language Latin ''Australis'', meaning ''of the South''. Legends of an "unknown land of the south" (''
Terra Australis terra australis incognita'') date back to the Roman times and were commonplace in mediaeval geography, but they were not based on any actual knowledge of the continent. The Dutch adjectival form ''Australische'' ("Australian", in the sense of "southern") was used by Dutch officials in
Jakarta Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land to the south as early as 1638. The first use of the word "Australia" in
English language English was a 1693 translation of ''Les Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le Voyage de la Terre Australe'', a 1692 French novel by
Gabriel de Foigny under the pen name Jacques Sadeur
[Sidney J. Baker, ''The Australian Language'', second edition, 1966.].
Alexander Dalrymple then used it in ''An Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean'', published in 1771. He used the term to refer to the entire South Pacific region, not specifically to the Australian continent. In 1793,
George Shaw and
James Edward Smith Sir James Smith published ''Zoology and Botany of New Holland'', in which they wrote of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or
New Holland (Australia) New Holland."
Image:Flinders View of Port Jackson taken from South Head.jpg Port Jackson.html" title="Meaning of 200px 200px|thumb|left|View of [[Port Jackson, taken from the South Head, from ''A Voyage to Terra Australis''.
Sydney was established on this site..html" title="Meaning of thumb|left|View of [[Port Jackson">200px|thumb|left|View of [[Port Jackson, taken from the South Head, from ''A Voyage to Terra Australis''.
Sydney was established on this site.">thumb|left|View of [[Port Jackson">200px|thumb|left|View of [[Port Jackson, taken from the South Head, from ''A Voyage to Terra Australis''.
Sydney was established on this site.
The name "Australia" was popularised by the 1814 work ''A Voyage to Terra Australis'' by the navigator
Matthew Flinders who was the first person to circumnavigate Australia. Despite its title, which reflected the view of the Admiralty, Flinders used the word "Australia" in the book, which was widely read and gave the term general currency. Governor
Lachlan Macquarie of
New South Wales subsequently used the word in his dispatches to
England. In 1817 he recommended that it be officially adopted. In 1824, the British Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia.
The word "Australia" in
Australian English is
IPA chart for English pronounced as either {{IPA|/É™.ˈstɹæɪ.ljÉ™/}}, {{IPA|/É™.ˈstɹæɪ.liË?.É™/}} or {{IPA|/É™.ˈstɹæɪ.jÉ™/}}.
History
{{main|History of Australia}}
The first human habitation of Australia is estimated to have occurred between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago.
[Gillespie, R. (2002). Dating the first Australians. ''Radiocarbon'' 44:455-472] The first Australians were the ancestors of the current
Indigenous Australians; they arrived via land bridges and short sea-crossings from present-day
Southeast Asia. Most of these people were
hunter-gatherers, with a complex oral culture and spiritual values based on reverence for the land and a belief in the
Dreamtime (mythology) Dreamtime. The
Torres Strait Islanders, ethnically
Melanesian, inhabited the
Torres Strait Islands and parts of far-north
Queensland; they possess distinct cultural practices from the Aborigines.
Image:Endeavour replica in Cooktown harbour.jpg James Cook.html" title="Meaning of 240px 240px|left|thumb|Lieutenant [[James Cook charted the East coast of Australia on
HM Bark Endeavour HM Bark ''Endeavour'', claiming the land for Britain in 1770. This replica was built in
Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle in 1988 for Australia's bicentenary..html" title="Meaning of left|thumb|Lieutenant [[James Cook">240px|left|thumb|Lieutenant [[James Cook charted the East coast of Australia on
HM Bark Endeavour HM Bark ''Endeavour'', claiming the land for Britain in 1770. This replica was built in
Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle in 1988 for Australia's bicentenary.">left|thumb|Lieutenant [[James Cook">240px|left|thumb|Lieutenant [[James Cook charted the East coast of Australia on
HM Bark Endeavour HM Bark ''Endeavour'', claiming the land for Britain in 1770. This replica was built in
Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle in 1988 for Australia's bicentenary.
The first undisputed recorded European sighting of the Australian continent was made by the Dutch navigator
Willem Jansz, who sighted the coast of
Cape York Peninsula in 1606. During the seventeenth century, the Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines of what they called
New Holland (Australia) New Holland, but made no attempt at settlement. In 1770,
James Cook sailed along and mapped the east coast of Australia, which he named
New South Wales and claimed for Britain. The expedition's discoveries provided impetus for the establishment of a
penal colony there following the loss of the American colonies that had previously filled that role.
Image:Port Arthur Seeseite.jpg Port_Arthur, Tasmania 260px|thumb|right|[[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur,
Tasmania was Australia's largest penal colony..html" title="Meaning of Port Arthur.html" title="Meaning of 260px|thumb|right|[[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur">260px|thumb|right|[[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur,
Tasmania was Australia's largest penal colony.">Port Arthur.html" title="Meaning of 260px|thumb|right|[[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur">260px|thumb|right|[[Port Arthur, Tasmania|Port Arthur,
Tasmania was Australia's largest penal colony.
The British
British overseas territory Crown Colony of New South Wales started with the establishment of a settlement at
Port Jackson by Captain
Arthur Phillip on
26 January 1788. This date was later to become Australia's national day,
Australia Day.
Van Diemen's Land, now known as
Tasmania, was settled in 1803 and became a separate colony in 1825. The United Kingdom formally claimed the western part of Australia in 1829. Separate colonies were created from parts of New South Wales:
South Australia in 1836,
Victoria (Australia) Victoria in 1851, and
Queensland in 1859. The
Northern Territory (NT) was founded in 1863 as part of the Province of South Australia. South Australia was founded as a "free province" — that is, it was never a penal colony. Victoria and Western Australia were also founded "free", but later accepted transported convicts. The transportation of convicts to Australia was phased out between 1840 and 1864.
The
Indigenous Australian population, estimated at about 350,000 at the time of European settlement,
[Smith, L. (1980), The Aboriginal Population of Australia, Australian National University Press, Canberra] declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly because of infectious disease combined with forced re-settlement and cultural disintegration. The
Stolen Generation removal of children, that some historians and Indigenous Australians have argued could be considered to constitute
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide genocide by today's understanding,
[Tatz, C. (1999). ''[http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/rsrch/rsrch_dp/genocide.htm Genocide in Australia]'', AIATSIS Research Discussion Papers No 8, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra] may have made a small contribution to the decline in the indigenous population. Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some as being exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons.
[Windschuttle, K. (2001). ''[http://www.newcriterion.com/archive/20/sept01/keith.htm# The Fabrication of Aboriginal History]'', The New Criterion Vol. 20, No. 1, September 20.] [Sheehan, P. (2002). ''[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/24/1037697982065.html Our history, not rewritten but put right]'', The Sydney Morning Herald, November 25.] This debate is known within Australia as the
History Wars. Following the
Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals) 1967 referendum, the Federal government gained the power to implement policies and make laws with respect to Aborigines. Traditional ownership of land —
native title — was not recognised until the
High Court of Australia High Court case ''
Mabo v Queensland (No 2)'' overturned the notion of Australia as ''
terra nullius'' at the time of European occupation.
Image:Anzac1.JPG Last Post.html" title="Meaning of left left|thumb|240px|The [[Last Post is played at an
ANZAC Day ceremony in
Port Melbourne, Victoria,
25 April 2005. Ceremonies such as this are held in virtually every suburb and town in Australia..html" title="Meaning of thumb|240px|The [[Last Post">left|thumb|240px|The [[Last Post is played at an
ANZAC Day ceremony in
Port Melbourne, Victoria,
25 April 2005. Ceremonies such as this are held in virtually every suburb and town in Australia.">thumb|240px|The [[Last Post">left|thumb|240px|The [[Last Post is played at an
ANZAC Day ceremony in
Port Melbourne, Victoria,
25 April 2005. Ceremonies such as this are held in virtually every suburb and town in Australia.
A
gold rush began in Australia in the early 1850s, and the
Eureka Stockade rebellion in 1854 was an early expression of nationalist sentiment. Between 1855 and 1890, the six colonies individually gained
responsible government, managing most of their own affairs while remaining part of the
British Empire. The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs, defence and international shipping. On
1 January 1901,
Federation of Australia federation of the colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, consultation and voting, and the Commonwealth of Australia was born, as a
Dominion of the
British Empire. The
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was formed from New South Wales in 1911 to provide a location for the proposed new federal capital of
Canberra (
Melbourne was the capital from 1901 to 1927). The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of the South Australian government to the Commonwealth in 1911. Australia willingly participated in
World War I;
[Bean, C. Ed. (1941). [http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/ww1/1/index.asp Volume I - The Story of Anzac: the first phase], First World War Official Histories, Eleventh Edition.] many Australians regard the defeat of the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) at
Battle of Gallipoli Gallipoli as the birth of the nation — its first major military action. Much like Gallipoli, the
Kokoda Track Campaign is regarded by many as a nation-defining battle from
World War II.
The
Statute of Westminster 1931 formally ended most of the constitutional links between Australia and the United Kingdom, but Australia did not
Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 adopt the Statute until 1942. The shock of the United Kingdom's defeat in Asia in 1942 and the threat of Japanese invasion caused Australia to turn to the
United States as a new ally and protector. Since 1951, Australia has been a formal military ally of the US under the auspices of the
ANZUS treaty. After World War II, Australia encouraged mass immigration from Europe; since the 1970s and the abolition of the
White Australia policy, immigration from Asia and other parts of the world was also encouraged. As a result, Australia's demography, culture and image of itself were radically transformed. The final constitutional ties between Australia and the United Kingdom ended in 1986 with the passing of the
Australia Act 1986, ending any British role in the Australian States, and ending judicial appeals to the UK Privy Council. Australian voters rejected a move to become a republic in 1999 by a 55% majority
[Australian Electoral Commission (2000). [http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/when/referendums/1999_report/index.htm 1999 Referendum Reports and Statistics]]. Since the election of the
Gough Whitlam Whitlam Government in 1972, there has been an increasing focus on the nation's future as a part of the Asia-Pacific region.
Politics
{{main articles|
Government of Australia and
Politics of Australia}}
Image:NewParliamentHouseInCanberra.jpg Parliament House, Canberra thumb|right|240px|New [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House in
Canberra was opened in 1988 replacing the
Old Parliament House, Canberra provisional Parliament House building opened in 1927..html" title="Meaning of Parliament House.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|240px|New [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House">thumb|right|240px|New [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House in
Canberra was opened in 1988 replacing the
Old Parliament House, Canberra provisional Parliament House building opened in 1927.">Parliament House.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|240px|New [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House">thumb|right|240px|New [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House in
Canberra was opened in 1988 replacing the
Old Parliament House, Canberra provisional Parliament House building opened in 1927.
The Commonwealth of Australia is a
constitutional monarchy and has a
parliamentary system of government.
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth II is the
Queen of Australia, a role that is distinct from her position as Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The Queen is nominally represented by the
Governor-General of Australia Governor-General at Federal level and by the Governors at State level. Although the
Constitution of Australia Constitution gives extensive
Executive (government) executive powers to the Governor-General, these are normally exercised only on the advice of the
Prime Minister of Australia Prime Minister. The most notable exercise of the Governor-General's
reserve powers outside the Prime Minister's direction was the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in the
Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 constitutional crisis of 1975.
[Parliamentary Library (1997). [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/1997-98/98rn25.htm The Reserve Powers of the Governor-General]]
There are three branches of government.
*The legislature: the
Parliament of Australia Commonwealth Parliament, comprising the Queen, the Senate, and the House of Representatives; the Queen is represented by the Governor-General, who in practice exercises little or no power over the Parliament.
*The executive: the
Federal Executive Council (the Governor-General as advised by the executive councillors); in practice, the councillors are the prime minister and ministers of state.
*The judiciary: the
High Court of Australia and other
Australian court hierarchy federal courts. The State courts became formally independent from the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council when the ''
Australia Act'' was passed in 1986.
The
Bicameralism bicameral Commonwealth Parliament consists of the Queen, the
Australian Senate Senate (the upper house) of 76 senators, and a
Australian House of Representatives House of Representatives (the lower house) of 150 members. Members of the lower house are elected from single-member constituencies, commonly known as 'electorates' or 'seats'. Seats in the House of Representatives are allocated to states on the basis of population. In the Senate, each state, regardless of population, is represented by 12 senators, with the ACT and the NT each electing two. Elections for both chambers are held every three years; typically only half of the Senate seats are put to each election, because senators have overlapping six-year terms. The party with majority support in the House of Representatives forms Government, with its leader becoming Prime Minister.
There are three major political parties: the
Australian Labor Party Labor Party, the
Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party and the
National Party of Australia National Party. Independent members and several minor parties — including the
Australian Greens Greens,
Family First Party Family First and the
Australian Democrats — have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper houses, although their influence has been marginal. Since the
Australian legislative election, 1996 1996 election, the
Coalition (Australia) Liberal/National Coalition led by the Prime Minister,
John Howard, has been in power in Canberra. In the
Australian legislative election, 2004 2004 election, the Coalition won control of the Senate, the first time that a party (or coalition of governing parties) has done so while in government in more than 20 years. The Labor Party is in power in every state and territory.
Compulsory voting Voting is compulsory in each state and territory and at the federal level.
States and territories
{{main|States and territories of Australia}}
Image:Map of Australia.png thumb|240px|States and territories of Australia
Australia consists of six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories. The states are
New South Wales,
Queensland,
South Australia,
Tasmania,
Victoria (Australia) Victoria and
Western Australia. The two major mainland territories are the
Northern Territory and the
Australian Capital Territory.
In most respects, the territories function similarly to the states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast, federal legislation overrides state legislation only with respect to certain areas as set out in
Section 51 of the Australian Constitution Section 51 of the
Constitution of Australia Constitution; all residual legislative powers are retained by the state parliaments, including powers over hospitals, education, police, the judiciary, roads, public transport and local government.
Each state and territory has its own
Parliaments of the Australian states and territories legislature (
Unicameralism unicameral in the case of the Northern Territory, the ACT and Queensland, and bicameral in the remaining states). The
lower house is known as the
Legislative Assembly (
House of Assembly in South Australia and Tasmania) and the
upper house is known as the
Legislative Council. The
head of government heads of the governments in each state and territory are called
Premiers of the Australian states premiers and
Chief Minister chief ministers, respectively. The Queen is represented in each state by a
Governors of the Australian states governor; an
Administrator of the Northern Territory administrator in the Northern Territory, and the Governor-General in the ACT, have analogous roles.
Australia also has several minor territories; the federal government administers a separate area within New South Wales, the
Jervis Bay Territory, as a naval base and sea port for the national capital. In addition Australia has the following, inhabited, external territories:
Norfolk Island,
Christmas Island,
Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and several largely uninhabited external territories:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands,
Coral Sea Islands,
Heard Island and McDonald Islands and the
Australian Antarctic Territory.
Foreign relations and military
{{main articles|
Foreign relations of Australia and
Australian Defence Force}}
Over recent decades,
Foreign relations of Australia Australia's foreign relations have been driven by a close association with the
United States, through the
ANZUS ANZUS pact and by a desire to develop relationships with
Asia and the Pacific, particularly through
Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN and the
Pacific Islands Forum. In 2005 Australia secured an inaugural seat at the
East Asia Summit following its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. Australia is a member of the
Commonwealth of Nations, in which the
Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings provide the main forum for co-operation. Much of Australia's diplomatic energy is focused on international trade liberalisation. Australia led the formation of the
Cairns Group and
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation APEC, and is a member of the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD and the
WTO. Australia has pursued several major bilateral free trade agreements, most recently the
Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. Australia is a founding member of the
United Nations, and maintains an international aid program under which some 60 countries receive assistance. The 2005–06 budget provides A$2.5 bn for development assistance;
[{{note_label|AGov2005|8|a}}Australian Government. (2005). [http://www.budget.gov.au/ Budget 2005-2006]] as a percentage of GDP, this contribution is less than that of the UN
Millennium Development Goals.
Australia's armed forces — the
Australian Defence Force (ADF) — comprise the
Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the
Australian Army, and the
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). All branches of the ADF have been involved in UN and regional peacekeeping (most recently in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and
Sudan), disaster relief, and armed conflict, including the
2003 Invasion of Iraq. The government appoints the chief of the Defence Force from one of the armed services; the current chief is Air Chief Marshal
Angus Houston. In 2005–06, the defence budget is A$17.5 bn.{{ref_label|AGov2005|8|a}}. The forces, while numerically small compared to some in the region, are all-volunteer and held in high regard as a well trained force equipped with modern weapons.
Geography and climate
{{main|Geography of Australia}}
Image:Australia-climate-map MJC01.png right|thumb|240px|Climatic zones in Australia.
Australia's 7,686,850
square kilometres (2,967,909
square mile sq. mi) landmass is on the
Indo-Australian Plate. Surrounded by the
Indian Ocean Indian,
Southern Ocean Southern and
Pacific Ocean Pacific oceans, Australia is separated from Asia by the
Arafura Sea Arafura and
Timor Sea Timor seas. Australia has a total 25,760
kilometres (16,007
mile mi) of coastline and claims an extensive
Exclusive Economic Zone of 8,148,250 square kilometres (3,146,057
square mile sq. mi). This exclusive economic zone does not include the
Australian Antarctic Territory.
The
Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest
coral reef, lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over 2,000 kilometres (1,250
mile mi). The world's largest
monolith,
Mount Augustus National Park Mount Augustus, is located in Western Australia. At 2,228
metres (7,310
foot (unit of length) ft),
Mount Kosciuszko on the
Great Dividing Range is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland, although
Mawson Peak on the remote Australian territory of
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island is taller at 2,745 metres (9,006 ft).
By far the largest part of Australia is
Deserts of Australia desert or
semi-arid. Australia is the driest inhabited continent, the flattest, and has the oldest and least fertile soils. Only the south-east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate. The northern part of the country, with a
tropics tropical climate, has a vegetation consisting of
rainforest, woodland, grassland and desert. Climate is highly influenced by ocean currents, including the
El Niño southern oscillation, which is correlated with periodic
drought, and the seasonal tropical low pressure system that produces
cyclones in northern Australia.
Flora and fauna
{{main articles|
Flora of Australia and
Fauna of Australia}}
Image:Koala climbing tree.jpg Koala.html" title="Meaning of right right|thumb|240px|The [[Koala and the ''
Eucalyptus'' make an iconic pair of Australian flora and fauna..html" title="Meaning of thumb|240px|The [[Koala">right|thumb|240px|The [[Koala and the ''
Eucalyptus'' make an iconic pair of Australian flora and fauna.">thumb|240px|The [[Koala">right|thumb|240px|The [[Koala and the ''
Eucalyptus'' make an iconic pair of Australian flora and fauna.
Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it covers a diverse range of habitats, from alpine heaths to tropical
rainforests. Because of the great age and consequent low levels of fertility of the continent, its extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's
biota (ecology) biota is unique and
biodiversity diverse. About 85% of
flowering plants, 84% of
mammals, more than 45% of
List of Australian birds birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are
Endemic (ecology) endemic.
[Department of the Environment and Heritage. [http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/about-biodiversity.html About Biodiversity]] Many of Australia's ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities and
Invasive species in Australia introduced plant and animal species. The federal ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' is a legal framework used for the protection of threatened species. Numerous
Protected areas of Australia protected areas have been created to protect and preserve Australia's unique ecosystems, 64 wetlands are registered under the
Ramsar Convention, and 16
World Heritage Sites have been established. Australia was ranked thirteenth in the World on the 2005
Environmental Sustainability Index.
Most Australian woody plant species are evergreen and many are adapted to fire and drought, including many
Eucalyptus eucalyptus and
acacias. Australia has a rich variety of endemic
legume species that thrive in nutrient-poor soils because of their symbiosis with
Rhizobia bacteria and
Mycorrhiza mycorrhizal fungi. Well-known Australian fauna include
monotremes (the
platypus and
echidna); a host of
marsupials, including the
koala,
kangaroo,
wombat; and birds such as the
emu, and
kookaburra. The
dingo was introduced by Austronesian people that traded with Indigenous Australians around 4000
Common Era BCE. Many plant and animal species became extinct soon after human settlement, including the
Australian megafauna; others have become extinct since European settlement, among them the
Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger).
Economy
{{main|Economy of Australia}}
Image:Melbourne yarra afternoon.jpg Melbourne.html" title="Meaning of 240px 240px|thumb|right|[[Melbourne's population is approximately 3.7 million, the second largest in Australia.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|
240px|thumb|right|[[Melbourne's population is approximately 3.7 million, the second largest in Australia">thumb|right|[[Melbourne">240px|thumb|right|[[Melbourne's population is approximately 3.7 million, the second largest in Australia
Australia has a prosperous, Western-style
mixed economy, with a per capita
Gross domestic product GDP slightly higher than those of the UK,
Germany and
France. The country was ranked third in the
United Nations' 2005
Human Development Index and sixth in ''
The Economist'' worldwide quality-of-life index 2005. In recent years, the Australian economy has been resilient in the face of global economic downturn. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust.
In the 1980s, the Labor Party, led by
Prime Minister of Australia Prime Minister Bob Hawke and
Treasurer of Australia Treasurer Paul Keating, started the process of economic reform by
Floating exchange rate floating the
Australian dollar in 1983, and deregulating the financial system.
[Macfarlane, I. J. (1998). [http://www.rba.gov.au/PublicationsAndResearch/Bulletin/bu_oct98/bu_1098_2.pdf Australian Monetary Policy in the Last Quarter of the Twentieth Century]. ''Reserve Bank of Australia Bulletin'', October] Since 1996, the Howard government has continued the process of micro-economic reform, including the partial deregulation of the labour market and the privatisation of state-owned businesses, most notably in the
Communications in Australia telecommunications industry.
[Parham, D. (2002). [http://www.pc.gov.au/research/confproc/mrrag/mrrag.pdf Microeconomic reforms and the revival in Australia’s growth in productivity and living standards]. ''Conference of Economists'', Adelaide, 1 October] Substantial reform of the indirect tax system was implemented in July 2000 with the introduction of a 10%
Goods and Services Tax (Australia) Goods and Services Tax, which has slightly reduced the heavy reliance on personal and company income tax that still characterises Australia's tax system.
The Australian economy has not suffered a
recession since the early 1990s. As of January 2006,
unemployment was 5.3% with 10,034,500 persons employed.
[Australian Bureau of Statistics. Labour Force Australia. Cat#6202] The service sector of the economy, including tourism, education, and financial services, comprises 69% of GDP.
[Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2003). ''Advancing the National Interest'', [http://www.dfat.gov.au/ani/appendix_one.pdf Appenidix 1]] Agriculture in Australia Agriculture and natural resources comprise 3% and 5% of GDP but contribute substantially to Australia's export performance. Australia's largest export markets include
Japan,
People's Republic of China China, the United States,
South Korea and New Zealand.
[{{note_label|ABS2005|13|a}}{{note_label|ABS2005|13|b}}{{note_label|ABS2005|13|c}}{{note_label|ABS2005|13|d}}Australian Bureau of Statistics. [http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1a79e7ae231704f8ca256f720082feb9!OpenDocument Year Book Australia 2005]] Areas of concern to some economists include the high
current account deficit and also high levels of net foreign debt.
Demographics
{{main|Demographics of Australia}}
Image:Sydney_opera_house_and_skyline.jpg Sydney.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|250px|right|Most Australians live in urban areas; [[Sydney is the most populous city in Australia. The trend towards
urbanisation is also stronger in Australia than many other parts of the world.html" title="Meaning of 250px|right|Most Australians live in urban areas; [[Sydney">thumb|250px|right|Most Australians live in urban areas; [[Sydney is the most populous city in Australia. The trend towards
urbanisation is also stronger in Australia than many other parts of the world">250px|right|Most Australians live in urban areas; [[Sydney">thumb|250px|right|Most Australians live in urban areas; [[Sydney is the most populous city in Australia. The trend towards
urbanisation is also stronger in Australia than many other parts of the world
Most of the estimated 20.4 million Australians are descended from nineteenth- and twentieth-century immigrants, the majority from
Great Britain and
Ireland. Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I
[Australian Bureau of Statistics, [http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/68180154bf128d91ca2569d000164365?OpenDocument Population Growth - Australia’s Population Growth]], spurred by an ambitious
Immigration to Australia immigration program. In 2001, the five largest groups of the 27.4% of Australians who were born overseas were from the United Kingdom,
New Zealand,
Italy,
Vietnam and China.{{ref_label|ABS2005|13|a}} Following the abolition of the
White Australia policy in 1973, numerous government initiatives have been established to encourage and promote racial harmony based on a policy of
multiculturalism[Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affiars. (2005). [http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/06evolution.htm The Evolution of Australia's Multicultural Policy]]
. Australia’s population has increased by about 60 times since European settlement.
The self-declared indigenous population — including Torres Strait Islanders, who are of Melanesian descent — was 410,003 (2.2% of the total population) in 2001, a significant increase from the 1976 census, which showed an indigenous population of 115,953.Indigenous Australians have higher rates of imprisonment and unemployment, lower levels of education and life expectancies for males and females that are 17 years lower than those of other Australians.{{ref_label|ABS2005|13|b}} Perceived racial inequality is an ongoing political and
human rights in Australia human rights issue for Australians.
Image:Tanunda.jpg Barossa Valley.html" title="Meaning of left left|thumb|240px|Fewer than 15% of Australians live in rural areas. This picture shows the [[Barossa Valley wine producing region of
South Australia..html" title="Meaning of thumb|240px|Fewer than 15% of Australians live in rural areas. This picture shows the [[Barossa Valley">left|thumb|240px|Fewer than 15% of Australians live in rural areas. This picture shows the [[Barossa Valley wine producing region of
South Australia.">thumb|240px|Fewer than 15% of Australians live in rural areas. This picture shows the [[Barossa Valley">left|thumb|240px|Fewer than 15% of Australians live in rural areas. This picture shows the [[Barossa Valley wine producing region of
South Australia.
In common with many other developed countries, Australia is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. A large number of Australians (759,849 for the period 2002–03
[Parliament of Australia, Senate (2005). [http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/expats03/ Inquiry into Australian Expatriates]]) live outside their home country. Australia has maintained one of the most active
Immigration to Australia immigration programs in the world to boost population growth. Most immigrants are skilled; the quota includes categories for family members and
refugees.
English language English is the
official language,
[Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affiars. (1995). [http://www.immi.gov.au/multicultural/_inc/publications/confer/04/speech18b.htm Pluralist Nations: Pluralist Language Policies?]] and is spoken and written in a distinct variety known as
Australian English. According to the 2001 census, English is the only language spoken in the home for around 80% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home are
Chinese language Chinese (2.1%),
Italian language Italian (1.9%) and
Greek language Greek (1.4%). A considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are
Multilingualism bilingual. It is believed that there were between 200 and 300
Australian Aboriginal languages at the time of first European contact. Only about 70 of these languages have survived, and all but 20 of these are now
endangered languages endangered. An indigenous language remains the main language for about 50,000 (0.02%) people. Australia has a
sign language known as
Auslan, which is the main language of about 6,500
deaf people.
Australia has no
state religion. The 2001 census identified that 68% of Australians call themselves Christian: 27% identifying themselves as
Roman Catholic Church in Australia Roman Catholic and 21% as
Anglican Communion Anglican. Australians that identify themselves as followers of non-Christian religions number 5%. A total of 16% were categorised as having "No Religion" (which includes non theistic beliefs such as
secular humanism Humanism,
atheism,
agnosticism and
rationalism) and a further 12% declined to answer or did not give a response adequate for interpretation. As in many Western countries, the level of active participation in church worship is much lower than this; weekly attendance at church services is about 1.5 million, about 7.5% of the population.
[[http://www.ncls.org.au/default.aspx?docid=2250&track=82083 NCLS releases latest estimates of church attendance], National Church Life Survey, Media release, 28 February 2004]
School attendance is compulsory throughout Australia between the ages of 6–15 years (16 years in South Australia and Tasmania, and 17 years in Western Australia), contributing to an adult literacy rate that is assumed to be 99%. Government grants have supported the establishment of Australia's 38 universities, and although several private universities have been established, the majority receive government funding. There is a state-based system of vocational training colleges, known as
Technical and Further Education TAFE Institutes, and many trades conduct
apprenticeships for training new tradespeople. Approximately 58% of Australians between the ages of 25 and 64 have vocational or tertiary qualifications.{{ref_label|ABS2005|13|c}}
Culture
{{main|Culture of Australia}}
Image:Golden Summer Eaglemont Arthur Streeton.jpg Eaglemont, Victoria.html" title="Meaning of right right|thumb|240px|''Golden Summer, Eaglemont'' ([[Eaglemont, Victoria) by
Arthur Streeton (1889) is an early example of the rich tradition of Australian
landscape painting..html" title="Meaning of thumb|240px|''Golden Summer, Eaglemont'' ([[Eaglemont, Victoria">right|thumb|240px|''Golden Summer, Eaglemont'' ([[Eaglemont, Victoria) by
Arthur Streeton (1889) is an early example of the rich tradition of Australian
landscape painting.">thumb|240px|''Golden Summer, Eaglemont'' ([[Eaglemont, Victoria">right|thumb|240px|''Golden Summer, Eaglemont'' ([[Eaglemont, Victoria) by
Arthur Streeton (1889) is an early example of the rich tradition of Australian
landscape painting.
The primary basis of Australian culture up until the mid-20th century was
Anglo-Celtic, although distinctive Australian features had been evolving from the environment and
Australian Aborigine indigenous culture. Over the past 50 years, Australian culture has been strongly influenced by American popular culture (particularly television and cinema), large-scale immigration from non-English-speaking countries, and Australia's Asian neighbours. The vigour and originality of the arts in Australia—films, opera, music, painting, theater, dance, and crafts—are achieving international recognition.
Australia has a long history of visual arts, starting with the
Cave painting cave and bark paintings of its indigenous peoples. From the time of European settlement, a common theme in
Art of Australia Australian art has been the Australian landscape, seen in the works of
Arthur Streeton,
Arthur Boyd and
Albert Namatjira, among others. The traditions of indigenous Australians are largely transmitted orally and are closely tied to ceremony and the telling of the stories of the
Dreamtime (mythology) Dreamtime.
Australian Aboriginal music, dance and
Australian Aboriginal art art have a palpable influence on contemporary Australian visual and performing arts. Australia has an active tradition of
music,
ballet and
theatre; many of its performing arts companies receive public funding through the federal government's
The Australia Council Australia Council. There is a
Orchestra symphony orchestra in each capital city, and a national
opera company,
Opera Australia, first made prominent by the renowned diva
Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Sutherland;
Music of Australia Australian music includes classical, jazz, and many popular music genres.
Australian literature has also been influenced by the landscape; the works of writers such as
Banjo Paterson and
Henry Lawson captured the experience of the Australian bush. The character of colonial Australia, as embodied in early literature, resonates with modern Australia and its perceived emphasis on
egalitarianism, mateship, and anti-authoritarianism. In 1973,
Patrick White was awarded the
Nobel Prize in Literature, the only Australian to have achieved this; he is recognised as one of the great English-language writers of the twentieth century.
Australian English is a major variety of the language; its grammar and spelling are largely based on those of British English, overlaid with a rich vernacular of unique lexical items and phrases, some of which have found their way into standard English.
Australia has two public broadcasters (the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC and
Special Broadcasting Service SBS), three commercial
television networks, three pay TV services, and numerous public, non-profit television and radio stations.
Cinema of Australia Australia's film industry has achieved critical and commercial successes. Each major city has daily newspapers, and there are two national daily newspapers, ''
The Australian'' and ''
The Australian Financial Review''. According to
Reporters Without Borders in 2005, Australia is in thirty first position on a list of countries ranked by
freedom of the press press freedom, behind
New Zealand (9th) and the
United Kingdom (28th) but ahead of the
United States. This ranking is primarily due to the limited diversity of commercial media ownership in Australia. Most Australian
Publishing print media in particular is under the control of either
News Corporation or
John Fairfax Holdings.
Image:Aussie rules wikipedia.jpg Australian_rules football.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|240px|right|[[Australian rules football was developed in Australia and is played at amateur and professional levels..html" title="Meaning of 240px|right|[[Australian rules football">thumb|240px|right|[[Australian rules football was developed in Australia and is played at amateur and professional levels.">240px|right|[[Australian rules football">thumb|240px|right|[[Australian rules football was developed in Australia and is played at amateur and professional levels.
Sport in Australia Sport is an important part of Australian culture, assisted by a climate that favours outdoor activities; 23.5% Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organised sporting activities{{ref_label|ABS2005|13|d}}. At an international level, Australia has particularly strong teams in
cricket,
field hockey hockey,
netball,
rugby league,
rugby union, and performs well in
cycling and
swimming. Australia has participated in every summer
Olympic Games of the modern era, and every
Commonwealth Games. Australia has hosted the
1956 Summer Olympics 1956 and
2000 Summer Olympics 2000 Summer Olympics, and has ranked among the top five medal-takers since 2000. Australia has also hosted the
1938 British Empire Games 1938,
1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games 1962,
1982 Commonwealth Games 1982 and
2006 Commonwealth Games 2006 Commonwealth Games. Other major international events held regularly in Australia include the
Australian Open, one of the four
Grand Slam (tennis) Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and the Formula One
Australian Grand Prix. Nationally, other popular sports include
Australian rules football,
football soccer, and
motor racing. Corporate and government sponsorship of many sports and elite athletes is common in Australia. Televised sport is popular; some of the highest rating television programs include the summer Olympic Games and the grand finals of local and international football competitions.
[Australian Film Commission. What are Australians Watching?, [http://www.afc.gov.au/gtp/freetv.html Free-to-Air, 1999-2004 TV]]
See also
{{Template:Australian Topics}}
References
External links
{{portal}}
{{Spoken -2|2006-01-17|AustraliaPart1.ogg|AustraliaPart2.ogg|}}
{{sisterlinks|Australia}}
-
Wikitravel guide to Australia
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Commonwealth Government Online
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Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): Country Information
-
Satellite images of Australia (Google Maps)
-
National Library of Australia
-
National Museum of Australia
-
Official Australia Tourism Website
-
Bureau of Meteorology
-
Official website of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
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States and territories of Australia States and territories of Australia .html">Image:Flag of Australia.svg 50px|Flag of Australia
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| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" colspan="2" | '''States and mainland territories'''
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