About Australia
Australia is a large nation with an extremely advanced and competitive economy. In recent years Australian development has been fueled with the nations many abundant resources in conjunction with innovative trade agreements with many Asian nations, including China .
To help you further understand Australia we have provided some general information about the country below. Please be advised that all the information on this page is meant for reference purposes only and is liable to change without warning, please consult an expert to learn more.
Official Name: Commonwealth of Australia , also known simply as Australia or Aus (OZ).
Capital: The capital of Australia is Canberra , located in the south east of the country below Sydney .
Location : Australia is situated in Oceania between the Indian ocean and the South Pacific Ocean . The country does not share a land border with any other nations, however it is within close proximity of Papua New Guinea , New Guinea , Indonesia , East Timor, The Solomon Islands and New Zealand .
Size: The Commonwealth of Australia comprises a total area of 7,686,850 square kilometers. This means that Australia is the 6 th largest country in the world and comparatively only just smaller that the lower 48 American states.
Climate: The interior of the country experiences an arid, or semi arid, climate year round, while northern parts of the country can experience tropical weather and the south can be classified as temperate.
Population: Australia has a total estimated population of 20,434,176. Australia is currently ranked 53 rd in the world for total population and is ranked 197 th in the world for population density, making the country one of the least densely populated places in the world.
Life expectancy at birth: There is an average life expectancy at birth of 80.62 years in Australia . This is one of the highest average life expectancies in the world and is a testament to the high standards of medical treatment available throughout Australia .
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: Australia has a relatively low rate of HIV/Aids infection with only 0.1% of the population (approximately 14,000 people) living with the disease.
Major illnesses: While Australia is known to be an extremely healthy and athletic nation there are still a number of major disease concerns. Potential health threats include Dengue fever, Ross Fever, and Murray Valley Encephalitis. The major health threats in Australia are all vector borne illnesses and as such it is advised that you take all due precautions against mosquitoes and other insects.
Ethnic Groups: Australia is a fairly homogenous country with over 92% of the country boasting Caucasian ethnicity. Asians account for 7% of the total population while Aboriginal inhabitants account for the last 1%.
Languages: The official language of Australia is English and approximately 79.1% of the population speaks this as their first language. Other languages spoken throughout the country include Chinese (2.1%), Italian (1.9%), Other (11.1%), Unspecified (5.8%).
Religion: There are a large number of religions practiced throughout Australia , the religions and faiths observed in the country. The major religions observed in Australia are Catholic (26.4%), Anglican (20.5%), other Christian (20.5%), Buddhist (1.9%), Muslim (1.5%), Other (1.2%), Unspecified (12.7%), and None (15.3%).
Government: Australia is a Federal Parliamentary Democracy, this means that the leader of the country (Prime Minister) is not directly elected by voters, but is, rather, the leader of the party that controls the majority of seats in the nation's parliament. As a federal country each Australian “state” has its own government and has the freedom to enact its own laws underneath any applicable federal laws. As is implied here all government legislative bodies are elected by the general public and there are strict rules regarding an individuals right to vote.
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II represented by Governor General Major general Michael Jeffery. This status is nominal and Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth holds no actual political power in Australia .
Head of Government: Prime Minister John Howard is the head of the Australian Government and the Australian Liberal Party.
Military: Australia has an extremely well developed military and has troops serving in Army, Navy, and Air force divisions. Women are allowed to serve in army units, however they are limited in their duties to non-combatant support roles. The minimum age of enlistment into the Australian armed forces is 16 years of age, and currently the Australian government spends 2.4% of the country's total GDP on the military.
Economy : Australia boast a fairly formidable economy based on a free market system. Australia has an abundance of natural resources and it is these resources (coal, steel, timber) that have driven the local economy. Strong private business and high consumer confidence have also served to make Australia an economic powerhouse, and in conjunction with a number of innovative trade agreements with China , these are fueling the Australian economy to create one of the worlds new investment hotspots.
GDP: Australia has a purchasing power parity of US$ 674.6 billion, and an actual GDP of US$ 644.7 billion with a real growth rate of 2.7% per year.
For more information about Australia , or to receive a free comprehensive international health insurance quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.
For more information about Australia, the international health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.
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