Australia
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 60,000 years ago and developed complex hunter-gatherer societies and oral histories. Dutch navigators led by Abel TASMAN were the first Europeans to land in Australia in 1606, and they mapped the western and northern coasts. They named the continent New Holland but made no attempts to permanently settle it. In 1770, Englishman James COOK sailed to the east coast of Australia, named it New South Wales, and claimed it for Great Britain. In 1788 and 1825 respectively, Great Britain established New South Wales and then Tasmania as penal colonies. Great Britain and Ireland sent more than 150,000 convicts to Australia before ending the practice in 1868. As Europeans began settling areas away from the coasts, they came into more direct contact with Aboriginal Australians. Europeans also cleared land for agriculture, impacting Aboriginal Australians’ ways of life. These issues, along with disease and a policy in the 1900s that forcefully removed Aboriginal children from their parents, reduced the Aboriginal Australian population from more than 700,000 pre-European contact to a low of 74,000 in 1933. Four additional colonies were established in Australia in the mid-1800s: Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). Gold rushes beginning in the 1850s brought thousands of new immigrants to New South Wales and Victoria, helping to reorient Australia away from its penal colony roots. In the second half of the 1800s, the colonies were all gradually granted self-government, and in 1901, they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia contributed more than 400,000 troops to Allied efforts during World War I, and Australian troops played a large role in the defeat of Japanese troops in the Pacific in World War II. Australia severed most constitutional links with the UK in 1942 but remained part of the British Commonwealth. Australia’s post-war economy boomed and by the 1970s, racial policies that prevented most non-Whites from immigrating to Australia were removed, greatly increasing Asian immigration to the country. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its proximity to East and Southeast Asia. In the early 2000s, Australian politics became unstable with frequent attempts to oust party leaders, including five changes of prime minister between 2010 and 2018. As a result, both major parties instituted rules to make it harder to remove a party leader.
Location
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
25,760 km
Geography - note
note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders note 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent’s longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term "Great Dividing Range" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and south note 3: Australia is the only continent without glaciers; it is the driest inhabited continent on earth; Perth on the west coast is home to the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor," one of the most consistent winds in the world; Australia hosts 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world
Irrigated land
19,450 sq km (2022)
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Major aquifers
Great Artesian Basin, Canning Basin
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lake Alexandrina - 570 sq km salt water lake(s): Lake Eyre - 9,690 sq km; Lake Torrens (ephemeral) - 5,780 sq km; Lake Gairdner - 4,470 sq km; Lake Mackay (ephemeral) - 3,494 sq km; Lake Frome - 2,410 sq km; Lake Amadeus (ephemeral) - 1,032 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
River Murray - 2,508 km; Darling River - 1,545 km; Murrumbidgee River - 1,485 km; Lachlan River - 1,339 km; Cooper Creek - 1,113 km; Flinders River - 1,004 km
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Great Australian Bight) Murray-Darling (1,050,116 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Eyre (1,212,198 sq km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural hazards
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands
Natural resources
Terrain
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
9.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
54% (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 53.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 26.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.8 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
5.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.7% national budget (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
0.73 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
10.5% of GDP (2021) 20.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
3.8 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Major urban areas - population
5.235 million Melbourne, 5.121 million Sydney, 2.505 million Brisbane, 2.118 million Perth, 1.367 million Adelaide, 472,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
28.7 years (2019 est.)
Nationality
noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
29% (2016)
Physician density
4.09 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Population distribution
population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the states and territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback," has a very sparse population
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 21 years (2023 est.) male: 20 years (2023 est.) female: 21 years (2023 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 11.4% (2025 est.) male: 13.6% (2025 est.) female: 9.2% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 86.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 13.345 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 52.9% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
blue, with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower-left quadrant; on the right half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white, with one small five-pointed star and four larger seven-pointed stars
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years
Constitution
history: approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state’s representation in either house or change a state’s boundaries require that state’s approval prior to Royal Assent
Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia etymology: the name Australia derives from the Latin australis meaning "southern;" the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis," or the Southern Land
Dependent areas
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Jervis Bay, Norfolk Island (7)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: subordinate courts: at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia; at the state and territory level: Local Court - New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts – Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory; District Courts – New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court – Victoria; Family Court – Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions – Norfolk Island
Legal system
common law system based on the English model
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 21 (5 cultural, 12 natural, 4 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Great Barrier Reef (n); Greater Blue Mountains Area (n); Fraser Island (n); Gondwana Rainforests (n); Lord Howe Island Group (n); Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (c); Shark Bay (n); Sydney Opera House (c); Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (m); Kakadu National Park (m); Murujuga Cultural Landscape (c) note: includes one site on Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Political parties
Australian Greens Party or The Greens Australian Labor Party or ALP Australia's Voice Centre Alliance (formerly known as the Nick Xenophon Team or NXT) Jacqui Lambie Network or JLN Katter's Australian Party (KAP) Liberal Party of Australia The Nationals Pauline Hanson's One Nation or ONP United Australia Party note: the Labor Party is Australia’s oldest political party, established federally in 1901; the present Liberal Party was formed in 1944; the Country Party was formed in 1920, renamed the National Country Party in 1975, the National Party of Australia in 1982, and since 2003 has been known as the Nationals; since the general election of 1949, the Liberal Party and the Nationals (under various names) when forming government have done so as a coalition
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Economic Overview
high-income and globally integrated economy; strong mining, manufacturing, and service sectors driving slow but steady growth; net exporter, driven by commodities to East Asian trade partners; weak productivity and aging population straining labor force participation
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$34.402 billion (2024 est.) -$5.186 billion (2023 est.) $5.707 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.515 (2024 est.) 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
0.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.2% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 6.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Public debt
58% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Remittances
0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$60.404 billion (2024 est.) $61.703 billion (2023 est.) $56.702 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
23.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 60,000 active ADF personnel (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force (2025) note: the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is an independent agency of the Attorney-General’s Department; the AFP, state, and territorial police forces are responsible for internal security; the Australian Border Force (ABF) is under the Department of Home Affairs
note: the number of Australian military forces varies by mission; since the 1990s, Australia has deployed more than 30,000 personnel on nearly 100 UN peacekeeping and coalition military operations around the World
the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems; in recent years, the US has been the largest supplier of arms; the Australian defense industry produces a variety of land and sea weapons platforms; the defense industry also participates in joint development and production ventures with other Western countries, including the US and Canada (2025) note: in 2023, the Australian defense ministry announced a new strategic review that called for the acquisition of more long-range deterrence capabilities, including missiles, submarines, and cyber tools; in early 2024, Australia announced a 10-year plan to more than double the number of the Navy's major surface combatant ships
the ADF's missions include protecting Australia’s borders and maritime interests, responding to domestic natural disasters, and deploying overseas for humanitarian, peacekeeping, and other security-related missions; in 2024, it established a cyber command; the ADF regularly participates in bilateral and multilateral exercises with foreign militaries Australia has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; Australia is also a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK Australia has long-standing bilateral defense and security ties to the UK, including defense and security cooperation treaties in 2024 and 2013; the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) is their premier bilateral forum on foreign policy, defense, and security issues Australia also has a long-standing military relationship with the US; Australian and US forces first fought together in France in 1918 and have fought together in every major US conflict since; Australia and the US signed an agreement in 2014 that allowed for closer bilateral defense and security cooperation, including rotations of US military forces and equipment to Australia; Australian military forces train often with US forces; Australia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation in 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced an enhanced trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS” which would build on existing bilateral ties, including deeper integration of defense and security-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains, as well as deeper cooperation on a range of defense and security capabilities (2025)
17 years of age (with parental consent; 18 years of age to deploy) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (abolished 1972) (2025) note 1: as of July 2024, New Zealanders who are permanent residents and have lived in Australia for at least 12 months could apply to join the ADF; from January 2025, eligible permanent residents from Canada, the UK, and the US were also to be allowed to apply note 2: women have served in all roles, including combat arms, since 2013; in 2024, they comprised slightly more than 20% of the military
Space Agency
Australian Space Agency (ASA; established 2018; headquarters opened in 2020) (2025) note: Australia established a Defense Space Command in 2022