Part 57

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

Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes: 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% permanent pastures: 54% forests and woodland: 19% other : 21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 21,070 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts

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

Environment - 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, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Desertification

Geography - 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

@Australia:People

Population: 18,438,824 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 2,018,363; female 1,921,252) 15-64 years: 66% (male 6,188,476; female 6,041,173) 65 years and over : 12% (male 987,092; female 1,282,468) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.96% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 13.73 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 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 total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.64 years male : 76.69 years female: 82.74 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%

Languages: English, native languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female : 100% (1980 est.)

@Australia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia