Part 42

Flag ----

Description: 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; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

Geography ---------

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

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total area: 7,686,850 sq km land area: 7,617,930 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than the US note: includes Macquarie Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 25,760 km

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

International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)

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

Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m

Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 58% forest and woodland: 14% other: 22%

Irrigated land: 18,800 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; 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; limited natural fresh water resources natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer

People ------

Population: 18,260,863 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 2,009,915; female 1,912,605) 15-64 years: 66% (male 6,129,285; female 5,980,315) 65 years and over: 13% (male 967,291; female 1,261,452) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.99% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 13.99 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.39 years male: 76.44 years female: 82.5 years (1996 est.)