Australia is a stable, culturally diverse and democratic society with a skilled workforce and a strong, competitive economy with a population of more than 20.6 million.

HISTORY

The Native Australians, or Aborigines, have lived in Australia for at least 40,000 years.

Australia is one of the world’s oldest landmasses and has been populated by human beings for an estimated 60, 000 years. In 1788, the British founded a prison colony on the east coast of Australia, in New South Wales. Before the arrival of European settlers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples inhabited most areas of the continent. As more Europeans moved to Australia, the Aborigines were driven from their land. Australia is still part of the British commonwealth.

Australia has 10 per cent of the world’s biodiversity and a great number of its native plants, animals and birds exist nowhere else in the world. Australia is committed to conserving its unique environment and natural heritage and has a range of protection procedures in place, including World Heritage listings and many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

GEOGRAPHY

Australia is the only nation to govern an entire continent. It is the earth’s biggest island and the sixth-largest country in the world in land area.

Australia has a very dramatic landscape. Australia is famous for its "outback," the remote lands of the interior.

The desert outback covers most of the interior. It is too hot, dry and barren to support many people.

Eastern Australia has large areas of grasslands, used primarily for sheep and cattle ranches.

Australia also has some mountainous areas and plateaus scattered throughout the country. The Blue Mountains, on the south-eastern end of Australia, get their name from the blue haze caused by oil droplets given off from the eucalyptus trees.

As an island, Australia also has many beautiful coastal beaches.

Over 70% of Australians now live in cities or towns. Most of this population lives in the eastern and southern coasts, and around Perth in the west.

PEOPLE

Migrants have brought with them language skills and other capabilities that are valuable in today’s global economy and workforce. Although English is the official language in Australia, more than 4.1 million Australians speak a second language. As a result, Australia offers the familiarity of a Western business culture with a workforce capable of operating in many different business environments.

Australia is still heavily influenced by its British and European origins. The Australian government is now making major efforts to preserve Australia's culture, including that of the Aboringines.

ECONOMY

Australia’s economy is open and innovative, with a commitment from the Australian Government to maintain the strong economic growth that has taken place since the early 1990s.

Australia is one of the few countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) where general government net debt has been eliminated. According to the OECD’s 2009 economic summary of Australia, living standards have steadily improved since the start of the 1990s and now surpass those of all the industrialised nations that form the Group of Eight except the United States.

Australian exports, which in 2005–06 totalled $196.3 billion, are a mix of traditional commodities, services and advanced manufacturing.

Australia’s aid program aims to help people in developing countries to lift themselves out of poverty and responds quickly when disaster strikes. The primary focus is the Asia–Pacific region, which has the world’s highest concentration of people living in poverty. Australia also provides aid to developing countries in Africa and the Middle East.

A 2006 report from the Economist Intelligence Unit rates five Australian cities as among the top 12 desirable venues for business travel. The rankings were Adelaide (4th), Brisbane (6th), Perth (8th), Melbourne (9th) and Sydney (12th). The survey ranked 127 cities and took into account cost-related and environmental factors.

EDUCATION SYSTEM

Australia has a well-developed education system with participation rates among the highest in the world. Each year, Australia welcomes an increasing number of international students, with current figures rating Australia 3rd among English-speaking countries as a student destination.

LIFE

The quality of life enjoyed by people in Australia is one of the highest in the world. Australia’s clean physical environment, health services, education and lifestyle combine to make it an attractive place to live. Australia’s ancient Indigenous traditions and multiculturalism are reflected in the diverse cultures and forms of artistic talent present in the country.

Australia’s spectacular natural environment, rich Indigenous history and culture, multicultural communities, and high-quality food and wine make it a popular international tourist destination. Around 5.5 million people visited Australia in 2005–06, making the tourism industry the largest contributor to Australian services export earnings.

Australia is a robust democracy that pioneered the secret ballot and the vote for women. Australia’s system of government reflects the British and North American models of liberal democracy, but has uniquely Australian features.

POINTS OF INTEREST

Australia is home to many animals not found anywhere else in the world. These include the kangaroos and the koala.

Off the northeast coast of Australia is the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is over 1,200 miles of coral. It has developed over the last million years, and is now the largest living structure in the world. It is home to many sharks and thousands of different types of tropical fish.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Australia's major industries are mining and farming. Mining includes bauxite, coal, copper, gold and iron ore. Most of the land is too dry for planting crops, although some areas do grow sugarcane, grapes and wheat. The grape vineyards help to support a growing wine industry. Australia is probably best known for its sheep farming. Large numbers of sheep are raised for their wool and meat. There is also some cattle ranching to provide meat.

In addition, Australia's climate and dramatic scenery have made tourism a major industry.

CLIMATE

Much of Australia has a continental climate. The temperatures get hot during the day, then drop considerably at night. Australia is also very arid, getting very little rain.

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