World Atlas: Australia. On this page you can see the map, country flag and many detailed information about the people, history and economy of Australia.
Here you can find online selected information about the geography, inhabitants, government, economy and history of Australia. Included are selected statistics, an overview map and the detailed map of Australia. But let's start with the flag of Australia here:
Australia - Overview:
What you should know about Australia? Let's start with this: 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 per cent of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world.
Geography of Australia
Where on the globe is Australia? The location of this country is Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Total area of Australia is 7,741,220 sq km, of which 7,682,300 sq km is land. This is one of the largest countries in the World. How could we describe the terrain of the country? This way: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast. The lowest point of Australia is Lake Eyre -15 m, the highest point Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m. And the climate is generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north.
Inhabitants of Australia
Let's take a look how many people live in Australia. The number is: 23,232,413 (July 2017 est.). So quite a lot people live here. Who lives here? 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%. What are the languages in Australia? English 76.8%, Mandarin 1.6%, Italian 1.4%, Arabic 1.3%, Greek 1.2%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.1%, other 10.4%, unspecified 5% (2011 est.). And the religions: 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.). How old are the people in average? 38.7 years. We have to add that this number is the median - so one half of the people is older than this, one half is younger. And what is their life expectancy (at birth)? This: 82.3 years. Where the people live in Australia? Here: population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the 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. The major urban areas of Australia are: Sydney 4.505 million; Melbourne 4.203 million; Brisbane 2.202 million; Perth 1.861 million; Adelaide 1.256 million; Canberra (capital) 423,000 (2015).
Government and Economy of Australia
The capital of Australia is Canberra and the government type parliamentary democracy (Federal Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm. Let's take a look at the administrative divisions - 6 states and 2 territories; Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia. Regarding the economy of Australia, important industrial products are mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel. Important agricultural products are wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry. The most important export commodities are coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment and the most important export partners are China 30.5%, Japan 12.4%, US 6.5%, South Korea 6.1% (2016). The most important import commodities are machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products and the most important import partners are China 23.4%, US 11.5%, Japan 7.8%, Thailand 5.6%, Germany 5.3%, South Korea 4.3% (2016). How rich is Australia and how rich are people in this country? The most important number here is GDP per capita (PPP): $49,900 (2017 est.). This means the people are rich on average here. Let's add that this means Gross Domestic Product per person, which is recalculated with respect to the relative cost of local goods and services. And one more important number - population below poverty line: NA%.