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Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]

total: 7.923 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media [time series]

the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as Australia Network, a TV service that broadcasts throughout the Asia-Pacific region and is the main public broadcaster; Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a second large public broadcaster, operates radio and TV networks broadcasting in multiple languages; several large national commercial TV networks, a large number of local commercial TV stations, and hundreds of commercial radio stations are accessible; cable and satellite systems are available

Internet country code [time series]

.au

Internet users [time series]

total: 20,288,409 | percent of population: 88.2% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service; domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile telephones; 5G technologies in preparation and anticipation for 2020 (2018) | domestic: more subscribers to mobile services than there are people; 90% of all mobile device sales are now smartphones, growth in mobile traffic brisk; 36 per 100 fixed-line, 119 per 100 mobile-cellular (2018) | international: country code - 61; landing points for more than 20 submarine cables including: the SeaMeWe-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the INDIGO-Central, INDIGO West and ASC, North West Cable System, Australia-Papua New Guinea cable, CSCS, PPC-1, Gondwana-1, SCCN, Hawaiki, TGA, Basslink, Bass Strait-1, Bass Strait-2, JGA-S, with links to other Australian cities, New Zealand and many countries in southeast Asia, US and Europe; the H2 Cable, AJC, Telstra Endeavor, Southern Cross NEXT with links to Japan, Hong Kong, and other Pacific Ocean countries as well as the US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat, 2 Globalstar, 5 other (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 8.46 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total subscriptions: 27.553 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2017 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues: 490 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 496.9 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

3% (28 February 2013) | 4.35% (31 December 2010) | note: this is the Reserve Bank of Australia's "cash rate target," or policy rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

5.24% (31 December 2017 est.) | 5.42% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

-$36.01 billion (2017 est.) | -$41.45 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$1.714 trillion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.547 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

30.3 (2008) | 35.2 (1994)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India. Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector. For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth.

Exchange rates [time series]

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - | 1.311 (2017 est.) | 1.3442 (2016 est.) | 1.3442 (2015 est.) | 1.3291 (2014 est.) | 1.1094 (2013 est.)

Exports [time series]

$231.6 billion (2017 est.) | $191.7 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

iron ore, coal, gold, natural gas, beef, aluminum ores and conc, wheat, meat (excluding beef), wool, alumina, alcohol

Exports - partners [time series]

China 33.5%, Japan 14.6%, South Korea 6.6%, India 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2017)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$1.38 trillion (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$1.248 trillion (2017 est.) | $1.221 trillion (2016 est.) | $1.19 trillion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 56.9% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 18.4% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 21.5% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -21% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 3.6% (2017 est.) | industry: 25.3% (2017 est.) | services: 71.2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$50,400 (2017 est.) | $50,100 (2016 est.) | $49,600 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2.2% (2017 est.) | 2.6% (2016 est.) | 2.5% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving [time series]

21% of GDP (2017 est.) | 20.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | 21.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2% | highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Imports [time series]

$221 billion (2017 est.) | $198.7 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

motor vehicles, refined petroleum, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude petroleum, medicaments, goods vehicles, gold, computers

Imports - partners [time series]

China 22.9%, US 10.8%, Japan 7.5%, Thailand 5.1%, Germany 4.9%, South Korea 4.5% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.4% (2017 est.)

Industries [time series]

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2% (2017 est.) | 1.3% (2016 est.)

Labor force [time series]

12.91 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 3.6% | industry: 21.1% | services: 75.3% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$1.187 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.289 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.366 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

Public debt [time series]

40.8% of GDP (2017 est.) | 40.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$66.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$277.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $243.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$509.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $441.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$700.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $617.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$2.384 trillion (31 December 2017 est.) | $2.097 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$277.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $243.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

35.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.6% (2017 est.) | 5.7% (2016 est.)

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

439.1 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports [time series]

192,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - imports [time series]

341,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - production [time series]

284,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

1.821 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption [time series]

229.4 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

72% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

17% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

65.56 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

243 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access [time series]

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

45.25 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

67.96 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

5.776 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

105.2 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

1.989 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

1.175 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

64,120 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

619,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

462,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 7,741,220 sq km | land: 7,682,300 sq km | water: 58,920 sq km | note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: Australia Print Image Description slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Climate [time series]

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Coastline [time series]

25,760 km

Elevation [time series]

mean elevation: 330 m | lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m | highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural freshwater resources; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; drought, desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; disruption of the fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; overfishing, pollution, and invasive species are also problems

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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; the only continent without glaciers; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most consistent winds in the world 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

Irrigated land [time series]

25,460 sq km (2014)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 52.9% (2016 est.) | arable land: 11.6% (2016 est.) / permanent crops: 0.09% (2016 est.) / permanent pasture: 88.4% (2016 est.) | forest: 16.2% (2016 est.) | other: 30.9% (2016 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards [time series]

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands

Natural resources [time series]

alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum; note - Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports

Population distribution [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Capital [time series]

name: Canberra | geographic coordinates: 35 16 S, 149 08 E | time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April | etymolgy: the name is claimed to derive from either Kambera or Camberry, which are names corrupted from the original native designation for the area "Nganbra" or "Nganbira" note: Australia has four time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+10:30)

Citizenship [time series]

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 [time series]

history: approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 | amendments: 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; amended several times, last in 1977 (2017)

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Arthur B. CULVAHOUSE (since 19 February 2019) | telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 | embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 | mailing address: APO AP 96549 | FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 | consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

Ambassador Joseph Benedict HOCKEY (since 28 January 2016) | chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 | telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 | FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 | consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019) | head of government: Prime Minister Scott MORRISON (since 24 August 2018) | cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small, five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Government type [time series]

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence [time series]

1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)

International law organization participation [time series]

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

highest courts: High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); note - each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts | judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70 | subordinate courts: at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Magistrates' Courts of Australia; Family Court; 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 [time series]

common law system based on the English model

Legislative branch [time series]

description: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of: Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years) House of Representatives (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years) | elections: Senate - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022) House of Representatives - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 37.99%, ALP 28.79%, The Greens 10.19%, One Nation 5.4%, Centre Alliance .19%, Lambie Network .21%, other 17.23%; seats by party - Liberal/National coalition 35, ALP 26, The Greens 9, One Nation 2, Centre Alliance 2, Lambie Network 1, independents 1 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 41.4%, ALP 33.3%, The Greens 10.4%, Katter's Australian Party .49%, Centre Alliance .33%, independents 3.37%, other 10.63%; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 77, ALP 68, The Greens 1, Katter's Australian Party 1, Centre Alliance 1, independent 3

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: Advance Australia Fair | lyrics/music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK | note: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem was not used for all official occasions until 1984; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

National holiday [time series]

Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)

National symbol(s) [time series]

Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree (Acacia pycnantha Benth), kangaroo, emu; national colors: green, gold

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Australian Greens Party [Richard DI NATALE] Australian Labor Party or ALP [Anthony ALBANESE] Country Liberal Party or CLP [Gary HIGGINS] Liberal National Party of Queensland or LNP [Deborah FRECKLINGTON] Liberal Party of Australia [Scott MORRISON] The Nationals [Michael MCCORMACK] Centre Alliance [Nick XENOPHON] Pauline Hanson’s One Nation [Pauline HANSON]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Introduction

Background [time series]

Prehistoric settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession of the east coast in the name of Great Britain (all of Australia was claimed as British territory in 1829 with the creation of the colony of Western Australia). Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the Allied effort in World Wars I and II. 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 location in one of the fastest growing regions of the world economy. Long-term concerns include an aging population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as floods, droughts, and bushfires. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change. Australia is home to 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world.

Military and Security

Military and security forces [time series]

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army (includes Special Operations Command), Royal Australian Navy (includes Naval Aviation Force), Royal Australian Air Force, Joint Operations Command (JOC) (2019)

Military expenditures [time series]

1.89% of GDP (2018) | 2.09% of GDP (2017) | 2% of GDP (2016) | 1.98% of GDP (2015) | 1.8% of GDP (2014)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in most combat roles (2018)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 17.75% (male 2,138,080 /female 2,027,583) | 15-24 years: 12.62% (male 1,520,528 /female 1,442,461) | 25-54 years: 41.35% (male 4,944,587 /female 4,760,752) | 55-64 years: 11.84% (male 1,379,681 /female 1,398,177) | 65 years and over: 16.44% (male 1,786,595 /female 2,071,701) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: Australia Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Australia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate [time series]

12 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

66.9% (2015/16) | note: percent of women aged 18-45

Current health expenditure (Current Health Expenditure) [time series]

9.3% (2016)

Death rate [time series]

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 51.1 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 28.5 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 22.6 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

5.3% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic groups [time series]

English 25.9%, Australian 25.4%, Irish 7.5%, Scottish 6.4%, Italian 3.3%, German 3.2%, Chinese 3.1%, Indian 1.4%, Greek 1.4%, Dutch 1.2%, other 15.8% (includes Australian aboriginal .5%), unspecified 5.4% (2011 est.) | note: data represent self-identified ancestry, over a third of respondents reported two ancestries

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

<200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

28,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital bed density [time series]

3.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages [time series]

English 72.7%, Mandarin 2.5%, Arabic 1.4%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.2%, Italian 1.2%, Greek 1%, other 14.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2016 est.) | note: data represent language spoken at home

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 82.4 years (2018 est.) | male: 79.9 years | female: 85 years

Major urban areas - population [time series]

4.870 million Melbourne, 4.859 million Sydney, 2.372 million Brisbane, 2.016 million Perth, 1.328 million Adelaide, 452,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2019)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 38.8 years (2018 est.) | male: 38.1 years | female: 39.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

28.7 years (2014 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Australian(s) | adjective: Australian

Net migration rate [time series]

5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

29% (2016)

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

3.59 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population [time series]

23,470,145 (July 2018 est.)

Population distribution [time series]

Population growth rate [time series]

1.01% (2018 est.)

Religions [time series]

Protestant 23.1% (Anglican 13.3%, Uniting Church 3.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.3%, Baptist 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.1%, Lutheran .7%, other Protestant .5%), Roman Catholic 22.6%, other Christian 4.2%, Muslim 2.6%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox .2%), Hindu 1.9%, other 1.3%, none 30.1%, unspecified 9.6% (2016 est.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 23 years | male: 23 years | female: 23 years (2016)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.77 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 12.6% | male: 13.6% | female: 11.5% (2017 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 86.1% of total population (2019) | rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica; Australia's 2004 submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf extends its continental margins over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent beyond its claimed EEZ; all borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing

Illicit drugs [time series]

Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 11,932 (Afghanistan), 10,702 (Iran), 5,061 (Pakistan) (2018) | stateless persons: 132 (2018)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

480 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 349 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 11 (2017) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 155 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 155 (2017) | under 914 m: 14 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 131 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 101 (2013) | under 914 m: 14 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

VH (2016)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 563 | by type: bulk carrier 4, general cargo 84, oil tanker 7, other 468 (2018)

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 25 (2018) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 583 (2018) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 69,294,187 (2018) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,887,295,820 mt-km (2018)

Pipelines [time series]

637 km condensate/gas, 30054 km gas, 240 km liquid petroleum gas, 3609 km oil, 110 km oil/gas/water, 72 km refined products (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Gladstone, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Kembla, Sydney | container port(s) (TEUs): Melbourne (2,806,436), Sydney (2,530,122) (2017) | LNG terminal(s) (export): Australia Pacific, Barrow Island, Burrup (Pluto), Curtis Island, Darwin, Karratha, Bladin Point (Ichthys), Gladstone, Prelude (offshore FLNG), Wheatstone | dry bulk cargo port(s): Dampier (iron ore), Dalrymple Bay (coal), Hay Point (coal), Port Hedland (iron ore), Port Walcott (iron ore)

Railways [time series]

total: 33,343 km (2015) | standard gauge: 17,446 km 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified) (2015) | narrow gauge: 12,318 km 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified) (2015) | broad gauge: 3,247 km 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified) (2015)

Roadways [time series]

total: 873,573 km (2015) | urban: 145,928 km (2015) | non-urban: 727,645 km (2015)

Waterways [time series]

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems) (2011)