Australia is a country located in the southern hemisphere, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area, with a land area of approximately 7.7 million square kilometers. The capital city is Canberra, and the largest city is Sydney. English is the official language.

Australia has a population of around 25 million people, and the majority of the population is of European descent, with significant numbers of Indigenous Australians and immigrants from Asia and other parts of the world. The country has a diverse landscape, ranging from the vast deserts of the interior to the tropical rainforests of the north.

Australia has a developed economy, with a mix of industries including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and services. The country is known for its production of natural resources such as coal, iron ore, and gold, as well as its exports of wine and wool. Australia also has a growing technology sector, particularly in areas such as fintech and artificial intelligence.

Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch serving as the ceremonial head of state. The country is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, and the G20, among other international organizations.

Australia has a rich cultural heritage, influenced by its Indigenous history and the waves of immigration that have shaped the country over time. The country has a variety of festivals and celebrations throughout the year, including Australia Day on January 26th and the Vivid Sydney festival in May and June.

Australia is known for its unique wildlife, including kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies, as well as its iconic landmarks such as the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru (Ayers Rock). The country is also renowned for its love of sports, particularly cricket, rugby, and Australian Rules Football.

Despite its many strengths, Australia faces challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and political polarization. The country has taken steps to address these issues, including implementing carbon pricing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increasing support for Indigenous communities.

National holiday
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)

Telephone Code
61

Local Emergency Phone
000 (112 on cell phone)

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations.

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

Currency (Code)
Dollars (AUD)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): I

Major Languages
English 72.7%, other minority languages

Major Religions
Protestant 23.1%, Roman Catholic 22.6%, other Christian 4.2%, other minority religions

Potable Water
Yes

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Left

Tourist Destinations
Sydney (includes Opera House & Harbour Bridge); Great Barrier Reef Marine Park; Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (aka Ayers Rock-the Olgas); Blue Mountains National Park; Bondi Beach; Daintree National Park; Fraser Island; Kakadu National Park; Darling Harbour; Australian National Maritime Museum; the Outback; Port Campbell National Park

Major Sports
Australian football

Cultural Practices
Australians often greet each other with "G' day," or "G' day, mate," but if a foreigner were to use this phrase it might come across as patronizing.

Tipping Guidelines
Restaurant prices are required by law to include tax and service charges. Rounding up the bill to the nearest $5-10 (AUD) would be appropriate for exceptional service. Try to leave cash, since it is common for servers not to receive credit card tips. Round up the fare for taxi driver's tip.

Souvenirs
Boomerangs and other indigenous carved items, stuffed toy native animals (such as kangaroo, koala, wombat, and platypus), jewelry, woolen goods, vegemite

Traditional Cuisine
Meat Pie — a fist-sized baked pie filled with ground meat, gravy, and cheese and topped with ketchup; the gravy often contains onions and/or mushrooms

Country code top-level domain
.au

Geography
Area
total: 7,741,220 sq km
land: 7,682,300 sq km
water: 58,920 sq km

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

Natural resources
alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, lithium, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, opals, natural gas, petroleum;

People and Society
Population
26,461,166 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
English 33%, Australian 29.9%, Irish 9.5%, Scottish 8.6%, Chinese 5.5%, Italian 4.4%, German 4%, Indian 3.1%, Australian Aboriginal 2.9%, Greek 1.7%, unspecified 4.7%


(2021 est.)

Languages
English 72%, Mandarin 2.7%, Arabic 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, other 15.7%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)

Religions
Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant 18.1% (Anglican 9.8%, Uniting Church 2.6%, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6%, Baptist 1.4%, Pentecostal 1%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 3.5%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 2.7%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox 0.2%), other 2.1%, none 38.4%, unspecified 7.3% (2021 est.)

Population growth rate
1.19% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
name: Canberra

Economy
Economic overview
Asian and global economic leader and partner for 3 decades; strong financial sector and highly traded domestic currency support best credit ratings; aging workforce; export-led model; reduced consumer spending offset by government and business; energy investor

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.279 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$49,800 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
sugar cane, wheat, barley, milk, rapeseed, beef, cotton, grapes, poultry, potatoes

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

Exports
$389.794 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
China 39%, Japan 15%, South Korea 7%, India 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities
iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, aluminum oxide (2019)

Imports
$298.712 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
China 25%, United States 12%, Japan 7%, Germany 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)