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AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE SUCK SUCK SUCK YEAEhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh YEAhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!HAAA!!!!HAA!!! VEGEMITE TASTE LIKE SHIT!!!!
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox Country or territory
| native_name = Commonwealth of Australia
| common_name = Australia
| image_flag = Flag_of_Australia.svg
| image_coat = Australian Coat of Arms.png
| image_map = Location Australia.svg
| national_anthem = '']'' <ref name="PHoCoA">{{cite book | title = Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia | edition = 29th Edition | year = 2002 (updated 2005) | chapter = National Symbols | chapterurl = http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/40thparl/national%20symbols.pdf | accessdate = 2007-06-07}}</ref> {{ref|anthem explanation|N1}}
| official_languages = ] (''de facto''&nbsp;{{ref|official languages|N2}})
| capital = ]
| Gemstone = ]
|latd=35 |latm=18 |latNS=S |longd=149 |longm=08 |longEW=E
| largest_city = ]
| government_type = {{nowrap|]}} <small>{{nowrap|(])}}
| leader_title1 = ]
| leader_title2 = ]
| leader_title3 = ]
| leader_name1 = ]
| leader_name2 = ]
| leader_name3 = ]
| area_rank = 6th
| area_magnitude = 1 E12
| area = 7,741,220
| areami² = 2,988,888 <!--Do not remove ]-->
| percent_water = 1
| population_estimate = 20,982,000<ref>Extrapolation from .</ref>
| population_estimate_year = 2007
| population_estimate_rank = 53rd
| population_census = 18,972,350
| population_census_year = 2001
| population_density = 2.6
| population_densitymi² = 6.7 <!--Do not remove ]-->
| population_density_rank = 224th
| sovereignty_type = ]
| sovereignty_note = from the ]
| established_event1 = ]
| established_event2 = ]
| established_event3 = ]
| established_date1 = ] ]
| established_date2 = ] ] (] ] ])
| established_date3 = ] ]
| currency = ]
| currency_code = AUD
| time_zone = ] {{ref|time|N3}}
| utc_offset = +8 to +10.5
| time_zone_DST = ] {{ref|time|N3}}
| utc_offset_DST = +8 to +11.5
| demonym = Australian
| cctld = ]
| calling_code = 61
| ISO_3166-1_alpha2 = AU
| ISO_3166-1_alpha3 = AUS
| ISO_3166-1_numeric = 036
| sport_code = AUS
| vehicle_code = AUS
| GDP_PPP_year = 2006
| GDP_PPP = US$674.9 billion
| GDP_PPP_rank = 17th
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = US$32,900 (World Bank)
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 14th
| GDP_nominal = US$822.1 billion
| GDP_nominal_rank = 15th
| GDP_nominal_year = 2007
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = US$39,320 (DFAT)
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 17th
| HDI_year = 2004
| HDI = 0.957
| HDI_rank = 3rd
| HDI_category = <font color=#009900>high</font><div class="noprint" style="float:right;"> </div>
}}<!--

PLEASE USE AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH THROUGHOUT,
i.e., use centre not center, neighbour not neighbor,
and maximise the use of -is- rather than -iz-.

-->
The '''Commonwealth of Australia''' is a ] in the ] comprising the ] of the world's smallest continent, the major island of ] and a number of ] in the ], ] and ]s. The neighbouring countries are ], ] and ] to the north, the ], ] and the ] dependency of ] to the north-east, and ] to the south-east.

The Australian mainland has been inhabited for more than 42,000 years by ]. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and by European explorers and merchants starting in the 17th century, the eastern half of Australia was claimed by the ] in 1770 and initially settled through ] as part of the colony of ] on ] ]. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely ] ] were established during the <!--first half of the? - not the first hald, because Vic was 1851 and Queensland was 1859-->19th century.

On ] ], the six colonies became a ], and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable ] political system and remains a ]. The capital city is ], located in the ]. The population is 20.8 million, and is concentrated in the mainland state capitals of ], ], ], ] and ].

==Etymology==

], the site where Sydney was established, taken from the South Head. (From ''A Voyage to Terra Australis''.)]]
The name "]" is derived from the ] ''Australis'', meaning "of the South". Legends of an "unknown land of the south" ('']'') dating back to Roman times were commonplace in mediæval geography, but were based on no actual knowledge of the continent. The first use of the word "Australia" in English was in 1625 — the words "A note of Australia del Espiritu Santo, written by Master Hakluyt", published by ] in ''Hakluytus Posthumus''.<ref>Purchas, vol. iv, p. 1422–32, 1625.</ref> The Dutch adjectival form ''Australische'' was used by Dutch officials in ] to refer to the newly discovered land to the south in 1638. "Australia" was used in a 1693 translation of ''Les Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le Voyage de la Terre Australe'', a 1692 French novel by Gabriel de Foigny under the pen name Jacques Sadeur.<ref>Sidney J. Baker, ''The Australian Language'', second edition, 1966.</ref> <!-- there was a 1676 version, but it was suppressed --> ] then used it in ''An Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean'' (1771), to refer to the entire South Pacific region. In 1793, ] and ] published ''Zoology and Botany of New Holland'', in which they wrote of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or ]."

The name "Australia" was popularised by the 1814 work ''A Voyage to Terra Australis'' by the navigator ], the first recorded person to circumnavigate Australia. Despite its title, which reflected the view of the ], Flinders used the word "Australia" in the book, which was widely read and gave the term general currency. Governor ] of ] subsequently used the word in his dispatches to England, and in 1817 recommended that it be officially adopted. In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as "Australia".

The word "Australia" in ] is ] {{IPA|/ə.ˈstɹæɪ.ljə, -liː.ə, -jə/}}.

==History==
{{main|History of Australia}}
The first human habitation of Australia is estimated to have occurred between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago.<ref>Gillespie, R. (2002). Dating the first Australians. ''Radiocarbon'' 44:455–72</ref> These first Australians were the ancestors of the current Indigenous Australians; they arrived via ]s and short sea-crossings from present-day ]. Most of these people were ]s, with a complex ] and spiritual values based on reverence for the land and a belief in the ]. The ], ethnically ]n, inhabited the ] and parts of far-north ]; their cultural practices were and remain distinct from those of the Aborigines.
] charted the east coast of Australia on ], claiming the land for Britain in 1770. This replica was built in ] in 1988; photographed in ] harbour where Cook spent seven weeks.]]
The first undisputed recorded European sighting of the Australian mainland was made by the Dutch navigator ], who sighted the coast of ] in 1606. During the 17th century, the Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines of what they called ], but made no attempt at settlement. In 1770, ] sailed along and mapped the east coast of Australia, which he named ] and claimed for Britain. The expedition's discoveries provided impetus for the establishment of a ] there.

The British ] of New South Wales started with the establishment of a settlement at ] by Captain ] on ] ]. This date was later to become Australia's ], ]. ], now known as ], was settled in 1803 and became a separate colony in 1825. The United Kingdom formally claimed the western part of Australia in 1829. Separate colonies were created from parts of New South Wales: ] in 1836, ] in 1851, and ] in 1859. The ] was founded in 1911 when it was excised from the Province of South Australia. South Australia was founded as a "free province" — that is, it was never a penal colony. Victoria and Western Australia were also founded "free", but later accepted transported convicts.<ref> Public Record office of Victoria</ref><ref></ref> The transportation of convicts to the colony of New South Wales ceased in 1848 after a campaign by the settlers.<ref> - The State of New South Wales</ref>

] was Australia's largest penal colony.]]
The Indigenous Australian population, estimated at 350,000 at the time of European settlement,<ref>Smith, L. (1980), The Aboriginal Population of Australia, ] Press, Canberra</ref> declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly because of ] combined with forced re-settlement and cultural disintegration. The ] from their families, which some historians and Indigenous Australians have argued could be considered to constitute ] by some definitions,<ref>Tatz, C. (1999). '''', ] Research Discussion Papers No 8, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra</ref> may have contributed to the decline in the indigenous population. Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some as being exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons.<ref>Windschuttle, K. (2001). '''', ] Vol. 20, No. 1, ].</ref> This debate is known within Australia as the ]. Following the ], the Federal government gained the power to implement policies and make laws with respect to Aborigines. Traditional ownership of land — ] — was not recognised until 1992, when the ] case '']'' overturned the notion of Australia as '']'' ("empty land") at the time of European occupation.
] is played at an ] ceremony in ], ] ]. Such ceremonies are held in virtually every suburb and town in Australia.]]
A ] began in Australia in the early 1850s, and the ] rebellion against mining licence fees in 1854 was an early expression of ]. Between 1855 and 1890, the six colonies individually gained ], managing most of their own affairs while remaining part of the ]. The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs, defence and international shipping. On ] ], ] of the colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, consultation and voting, and the Commonwealth of Australia was born as a ] of the ]. The ] (ACT) was formed from a part of New South Wales in 1911 to provide a location for the proposed new federal capital of Canberra (Melbourne was the capital from 1901 to 1927). The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of the South Australian government to the Commonwealth in 1911. Australia willingly participated in ].<ref>Bean, C. Ed. (1941). , First World War Official Histories, Eleventh Edition.</ref> Many Australians regard the defeat of the ] (ANZACs) at ] as the birth of the nation — its first major military action. The ] is regarded by many as an analogous nation-defining event during ].

The ] formally ended most of the constitutional links between Australia and the United Kingdom when Australia ] in 1942. The shock of the United Kingdom's defeat in Asia in 1942 and the threat of Japanese invasion caused Australia to turn to the United States as a new ally and protector. Since 1951, Australia has been a formal military ally of the US under the auspices of the ] treaty. After World War II, Australia encouraged mass immigration from Europe; since the 1970s and the abolition of the ], immigration from Asia and other non-European parts of the world was also encouraged. As a result, Australia's demography, culture and self-image have been radically transformed. The final constitutional ties between Australia and the UK were severed in 1986 with the passing of the ], ending any British role in the government of the Australian States, and ending judicial appeals to the UK ]<ref>Australia Act text </ref> In 1999, Australian voters rejected by a 55% majority a move to become a republic with a president appointed by Parliament.<ref>Australian Electoral Commission (2000).</ref> Since the election of the ] in 1972, there has been an increasing focus on the nation's future as a part of the ].

==Politics==
{{main|Government of Australia|Politics of Australia|Monarchy in Australia}}
] in ] was opened in 1988 replacing the ] opened in 1927.]]
The Commonwealth of Australia is a ] with a ] of government. ] is the ], a role that is distinct from her position as monarch of the other ]s. The Queen is represented by the ] at Federal level and by the Governors at State level. Although the ] gives extensive ] to the Governor-General, these are normally exercised only on the advice of the ]. The most notable exercise of the Governor-General's ]s outside the Prime Minister's direction was the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in the ].<ref>Parliamentary Library (1997). </ref>

There are ]:
* The legislature: the ], comprising the Queen, the Senate, and the House of Representatives; the Queen is represented by the Governor-General, whose powers are limited to assenting to laws.
* The executive: the ] (the Governor-General as advised by the Executive Councillors); in practice, the councillors are the Prime Minister and Ministers of State.
* The judiciary: the ] and other ]. The State courts became formally independent from the ] when the '']'' was passed in 1986.

The ] Commonwealth Parliament consists of the Queen, the ] (the upper house) of 76 senators, and a ] (the lower house) of 150 members. Members of the lower house are elected from single-member constituencies, commonly known as 'electorates' or 'seats'. Seats in the House of Representatives are allocated to states on the basis of population, with each original state guaranteed a minimum of five seats. In the Senate, each state is represented by 12 senators, and the territories (the ACT and the NT) by two. Elections for both chambers are held every three years; Senators have overlapping six-year terms, and only half of the seats are put to each election unless the cycle is interrupted by a ]. The party with majority support in the House of Representatives forms government, and its leader becomes Prime Minister.

There are three major political parties: the ], the ] and the ]. Independent members and several minor parties — including the ] and the ] — have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper houses. Since the ], the ] led by the Prime Minister, ], has been in power in Canberra. In the ], the Coalition won control of the Senate - the first time in more than 20 years that a party (or coalition) has done so while in government. The Labor Party is in power in every state and territory. ] for all enrolled citizens 18 years and over in each state and territory and at the federal level; such enrolment is compulsory in all jurisdictions but South Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aec.gov.au/_content/What/voting/faq_general.htm#2 |title=What happens if I do not vote? |work=Voting within Australia - Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=] |accessdate=2006-10-21}}</ref>

==States and territories==
{{main|States and territories of Australia}}
{| align="right" style="margin-left:1em;"
|{{Australia Labelled Map}}
|}
Australia consists of six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories. The states are ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The two major mainland territories are the ] and the ].
In most respects, the territories function similarly to the states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast, federal legislation overrides state legislation only with respect to certain areas as set out in ] of the ]; all residual legislative powers are retained by the state parliaments, including powers over hospitals, education, police, the judiciary, roads, public transport and local government.

Each state and territory has its own ] (] in the case of the Northern Territory, the ACT and Queensland, and bicameral in the remaining states). The ] is known as the ] (] in South Australia and Tasmania) and the ] is known as the ]. The ] in each state and territory are called ] and ], respectively. The Queen is represented in each state by a ]; an ] in the Northern Territory, and the Governor-General in the ACT, have analogous roles.

Australia also has several minor territories; the federal government administers a separate area within New South Wales, the ], as a naval base and sea port for the national capital. In addition Australia has the following, inhabited, external territories: ], ], ], and several largely uninhabited external territories: ], ], ] and the ].

==Foreign relations and the military==
{{main|Foreign relations of Australia|Australian Defence Force}}
Over recent decades, ] have been driven by a close association with the United States through the ], and by a desire to develop relationships with Asia and the Pacific, particularly through ] and the ]. In 2005 Australia secured an inaugural seat at the ] following its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. Australia is a member of the ], in which the ] meetings provide the main forum for co-operation. Australia has energetically pursued the cause of international trade liberalisation. Australia led the formation of the ] and ], and is a member of the ] and the ]. Australia has pursued several major bilateral free trade agreements, most recently the ]. Australia is a founding member of the ], and maintains an international aid program under which some 60 countries receive assistance. The 2005–06 budget provides A$2.5&nbsp;bn for development assistance;<ref name = "budget">Australian Government. (2005). </ref> as a percentage of GDP, this contribution is less than that of the UN ].

Australia's armed forces — the ] (ADF) — comprise the ] (RAN), the ], and the ] (RAAF), numbering about 51,000.<ref name="military">Nation Master </ref> All branches of the ADF have been involved in UN and regional peacekeeping (most recently in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and ]), disaster relief, and armed conflict, including the ]. The government appoints the ] from one of the armed services; the current Chief of the Defence Force is Air Chief Marshal ]. In the 2006–07 Budget, defence spending is $22 billion.<ref>Australian Department of Defence (2006).Page 19.</ref>

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Australia|Climate of Australia}}
].]]
Australia's 7,617,930&nbsp;square kilometres (2,941,299&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi) landmass<ref name="Size">{{cite web | url = http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/compare.htm | title = Australia's Size Compared| publisher = Geoscience Australia| accessdate = 2007-05-19 }}</ref> is on the ]. Surrounded by the ], ] and ] oceans, Australia is separated from Asia by the ] and ] seas. Australia has a total 34,218&nbsp;kilometres (21,262&nbsp;mi) of coastline (excluding all offshore islands)<ref name="Coast">{{cite web | url = http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/drs/indicator/142/index.html | title = State of the Environment 2006| publisher = Department of the Environment and Water Resources| accessdate = 2007-05-19 }}</ref> and claims an extensive ] of 8,148,250&nbsp;square kilometres (3,146,057&nbsp;sq.&nbsp;mi). This exclusive economic zone does not include the ].

The ], the world's largest coral reef,<ref name = UNEP>{{cite web|author=UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre |year=1980|title=Protected Areas and World Heritage - Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area|url=http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/gbrmp.html|publisher=]|accessdate=2007-05-19}}</ref> lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over 2,000&nbsp;kilometres (1,250&nbsp;mi). ] claimed to be the world's largest ],<ref name="Monolith">{{cite web | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/Western-Australia/Mount-Augustus/2005/02/17/1108500208314.html | title = Mount Augustus| publisher = The Sydney Morning Herald| accessdate = 2007-05-19 }}</ref> is located in Western Australia. At 2,228&nbsp;metres (7,310&nbsp;ft), ] on the ] is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland, although ] on the remote Australian territory of ] is taller at 2,745&nbsp;metres (9,006&nbsp;ft).

By far the largest part of Australia is ] or semi-arid. Australia is the flattest continent, has the oldest and least fertile soils, and is the driest inhabited continent. Only the south-east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate. Most of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline. The landscapes of the northern part of the country, with a tropical climate, consist of rainforest, woodland, grassland, mangrove swamps and desert. The climate is significantly influenced by ocean currents, including the ] southern oscillation, which is correlated with periodic drought, and the seasonal tropical low pressure system that produces cyclones in northern Australia.

==Flora and fauna==
{{main|Flora of Australia|Fauna of Australia}}
] and the '']'' forming an iconic Australian pair.]]
Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it covers a diverse range of habitats, from alpine heaths to tropical ]s, and is recognised as a ]. Because of the great age and consequent low levels of fertility of the continent, its extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's ] is unique and ]. About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of ], and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are ].<ref>Department of the Environment and Heritage. </ref> Many of Australia's ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities and ] plant and animal species. The federal ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' is a legal framework for the protection of threatened species. Numerous ] have been created under the national ] to protect and preserve unique ecosystems; 64 wetlands are registered under the ], and 16 ]s have been established. Australia was ranked 13th in the world on the 2005 ].<ref name="ESI">{{cite web | url = http://www.yale.edu/esi/b_countryprofiles.pdf | title = 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index (pg.112)| publisher = Yale University| accessdate = 2007-05-20 }}</ref>

Most Australian woody plant species are evergreen and many are adapted to fire and drought, including many ] and ]s. Australia has a rich variety of endemic ] species that thrive in nutrient-poor soils because of their symbiosis with ] bacteria and ]l fungi. Well-known Australian fauna include ]s (the ] and ]); a host of ]s, including the ], ], ]; and birds such as the ] and ]. The ] was introduced by Austronesian people who traded with Indigenous Australians around 3000 ].<ref name="savolainen2004">Savolainen, P. et al. 2004. A detailed picture of the origin of the Australian dingo, obtained from the study of mitochondrial DNA. ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America''. 101:12387–12390 PMID<br/></ref> Many plant and animal species became extinct soon after human settlement, including the ]; others have become extinct since European settlement, among them the ].<ref name="NW">{{cite web|url=http://www.naturalworlds.org/thylacine/additional/persecution/image_6.htm|title=Additional Thylacine Topics: Persecution|publisher=The Thylacine Museum|date=2006|accessdaymonth=27 November |accessyear=2006}}</ref><ref name="TSD">{{cite web|url=http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/ts-day/index.html|title=National Threatened Species Day|publisher=Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government|date=2006|accessdaymonth=21 November |accessyear=2006}}</ref>

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Australia}}
] in ], Australia's largest ] gold mine]]

Australia has a prosperous, Western-style ], with a per capita ] slightly higher than those of the UK, Germany and France in terms of ]. The country was ranked third in the ]' 2006 ] and sixth in '']'' worldwide quality-of-life index 2005. The absence of an export-oriented manufacturing industry has been considered a key weakness of the Australian economy. More recently, rising prices for Australia's commodity exports and increasing tourism have made this criticism less relevant. Nevertheless, Australia has the world's fourth largest ] in absolute terms (in relative terms it is more than 7% of GDP). This is considered problematic by some economists, especially as it has coincided with the high terms of trade and low interest rates that make the cost of servicing the foreign debt low.<ref>Colebach, T. , ] ], ''The Age''</ref>

The ] started the process of economic reform by ] the ] in 1983, and partially deregulating the financial system.<ref>Macfarlane, I. J. (1998). . ''Reserve Bank of Australia Bulletin'', October</ref> The Howard government has continued the process of microeconomic reform, including a ] and the privatisation of state-owned businesses, most notably in the ] industry.<ref>Parham, D. (2002). . ''Conference of Economists'', Adelaide, ]</ref> The indirect tax system was substantially reformed in July 2000 with the introduction of a 10% ], which has slightly reduced the heavy reliance on personal and company income tax that characterises Australia's tax system.

As of January 2007, unemployment was 4.6%, with 10,033,480 people employed.<ref>Australian Bureau of Statistics. Labour Force Australia. Cat#6202.0</ref> Over the past decade, inflation has typically been 2–3% and base interest rates 5–6%. The service sector of the economy, including tourism, education, and financial services, comprises 69% of GDP.<ref>Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2003). ''Advancing the National Interest'', </ref> ] and natural resources comprise 3% and 5% of GDP but contribute substantially to ]. Australia's largest export markets include Japan, China, the US, South Korea and New Zealand.<ref name = "Year Book 2005">Australian Bureau of Statistics. </ref>

==Demography==
{{main|Demography of Australia}}
] is the most populous city in the country.]]

Most of the estimated 20.6 million Australians are descended from nineteenth- and twentieth-century European settlers, the majority from ] and ]. Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of ],<ref>Australian Bureau of Statistics, </ref> spurred by an ambitious ] program. Following ] and through to 2000, almost 5.9 million of the total population settled in the country as new immigrants, meaning that nearly two out of every seven Australians were born overseas.<ref name="Immigration">{{cite web | url = http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2698.htm | title = Background note: Australia| publisher = US Department of State| accessdate = 2007-05-19}}</ref> Most immigrants are skilled, but the immigration quota includes categories for family members and ]s. In 2001, the five largest groups of the 23.1% of Australians who were born overseas were from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam and China.<ref name = "Year Book 2005">Australian Bureau of Statistics. </ref> Following the abolition of the ] in 1973, numerous government initiatives have been established to encourage and promote racial harmony based on a policy of ].<ref>Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. (2005). </ref>

The indigenous population — mainland ] and ] — was 410,003 (2.2% of the total population) in 2001, a significant increase from the 1976 census, which showed an indigenous population of 115,953. Indigenous Australians have higher rates of imprisonment and unemployment, lower levels of education and life expectancies for males and females that are 17 years lower than those of other Australians.<ref name = "Year Book 2005">Australian Bureau of Statistics. </ref>

] wine producing region of South Australia.]]
In common with many other developed countries, Australia is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. A large number of Australians (759,849 for the period 2002&ndash;03<ref>Parliament of Australia, Senate (2005). </ref>) live outside their home country.

English is the national language,<ref>Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. (1995). </ref> and is spoken and written in a distinct variety known as ]. According to the 2001 census, ] is the only language spoken in the home for around 80% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home are Chinese language (2.1%), Italian (1.9%) and Greek (1.4%). A considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are ]. It is believed that there were between 200 and 300 ] at the time of first European contact. Only about 70 of these languages have survived, and all but 20 of these are now ]. An indigenous language remains the main language for about 50,000 (0.25%) people. Australia has a ] known as ], which is the main language of about 6,500 deaf people.

Australia has no ]. The 2001 census identified that 68% of Australians call themselves ]: 27% identifying themselves as ] and 21% as ]. Australians who identify themselves as followers of non-Christian religions number 5%. A total of 16% were categorised as having "No Religion" (which includes non-theistic beliefs such as ], ], ] and ]) and a further 12% declined to answer or did not give a response adequate for interpretation. As in many Western countries, the level of active participation in church worship is much lower than this; weekly attendance at church services is about 1.5 million, about 7.5% of the population.<ref>, National Church Life Survey, Media release, ] ]</ref>

School attendance is compulsory throughout Australia between the ages of 6&ndash;15 years (16 years in South Australia and Tasmania, and 17 years in Western Australia), contributing to an adult literacy rate that is assumed to be 99%. Government grants have supported the establishment of Australia's 38 universities, and although several private universities have been established, the majority receive government funding. There is a state-based system of vocational training colleges, known as ], and many trades conduct apprenticeships for training new tradespeople. Approximately 58% of Australians between the ages of 25 and 64 have vocational or tertiary qualifications<ref name = "Year Book 2005">Australian Bureau of Statistics. </ref> and the tertiary graduation rate of 49% is highest of OECD countries. The ratio of international to local students in tertiary education in Australia is the highest in the OECD countries.<ref> by ]: Percentage of foreign students in tertiary education.</ref>

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Australia}}
] in Melbourne was the first building in Australia to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.]]
Since 1788, the primary basis of Australian culture until the mid-20th century has been ], although distinctive Australian features had been evolving from the environment and ] culture. Over the past 50 years, Australian culture has been strongly influenced by American popular culture (particularly television and cinema), large-scale immigration from non-English-speaking countries, and Australia's Asian neighbours. The vigour and originality of the arts in Australia — literature, cinema, opera, music, painting, theatre, dance, and crafts — have achieved international recognition.

Australia has a long history of visual arts, starting with the ] and bark paintings of its indigenous peoples. From the time of European settlement, a common theme in ] has been the Australian landscape, seen in the works of ], ] and ], among others. The traditions of indigenous Australians are largely transmitted orally and are closely tied to ceremony and the telling of the stories of the ]. ], dance and ] have a palpable influence on contemporary Australian visual and performing arts. Australia has an active tradition of music, ballet and theatre; many of its performing arts companies receive public funding through the federal government's ]. There is a ] in each capital city, and a national opera company, ], first made prominent by the renowned diva ]; ] includes classical, jazz, and many popular genres.

] has also been influenced by the landscape; the works of writers such as ] and ] captured the experience of the Australian bush. The character of colonial Australia, as embodied in early literature, resonates with modern Australia and its perceived emphasis on ], mateship, and anti-authoritarianism. In 1973, ] was awarded the ], the only Australian to have achieved this; he is recognised as one of the great English-language writers of the 20th century. ] is a major variety of the language; its grammar and spelling are largely based on those of British English, overlaid with a rich vernacular of unique lexical items and phrases, some of which have found their way into standard English.

] was developed in Victoria in the late 1850s and is played at amateur and professional levels. It is the most popular spectator sport in Australia, in terms of annual attendances and club memberships.]]
Australia has two public broadcasters (the ] and the multicultural ]), three commercial ]s, several pay TV services, and numerous public, non-profit television and radio stations. ] has achieved critical and commercial successes. Each major city has daily newspapers, and there are two national daily newspapers, '']'' and '']''. According to ] in 2006, Australia was in 35th position on a list of countries ranked by ], behind New Zealand (19th) and the United Kingdom (27th) but ahead of the United States. This low ranking is primarily because of the limited diversity of commercial media ownership in Australia; in particular, most Australian ] are under the control of ] and ].

Sport plays an important part in Australian culture, assisted by a climate that favours outdoor activities; 23.5% Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organised sporting activities.<ref name = "Year Book 2005">Australian Bureau of Statistics. </ref> At an international level, Australia has particularly strong teams in ], ], ], ], ], and performs well in cycling, rowing and swimming. Nationally, other popular sports include ], horse racing, soccer and motor racing. Australia has participated in every summer Olympic Games of the modern era, and every ]. Australia has hosted the ] and ], and has ranked among the top five medal-takers since 2000. Australia has also hosted the ], ], ] and ]. Other major international events held regularly in Australia include the ], one of the four ] tennis tournaments, annual international cricket matches and the Formula One ]. Corporate and government sponsorship of many sports and elite athletes is common in Australia. Televised sport is popular; some of the highest rating television programs include the summer Olympic Games and the ]s of local and international football (various codes) competitions.<ref>Australian Film Commission. What are Australians Watching?, </ref>

==See also==
{{Topics in Australia}}

==Notes==
1. {{note|anthem explanation}} Australia also has a ], '']'', which is played only in the presence of a member of the ] when they are in Australia. In all other appropriate contexts, the ] of Australia, '']'', is played.<ref> and </ref><br>
2. {{note|official languages}} English does not have ''de jure'' official status.<br>
3. {{note|time}}There are minor variations from these three time zones, see ]

==References==
<div class="references-small">
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
<references/>
</div>

==External links==
{{portal|Australia|Flag of Australia.svg}}
{{sisterlinks|Australia}}
{{Spoken Misplaced Pages-2|2006-01-17|AustraliaPart1.ogg|AustraliaPart2.ogg|}}
{{wikiatlas|Australia}}
{{wikimapia|135703125|26115986|4|Australia}}
* from the ]
* {{CIA_World_Factbook_link|as|Australia}}
* (Federal, State & Territory)
*
*
*
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* {{wikitravel|Australia}}
* (Google Maps)
* {{dmoz|Regional/Oceania/Australia/}}
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{{Countries and territories of Oceania}}

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Revision as of 17:40, 9 June 2007

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