Theme: Australia General Information Plan: 1 Australia General Information

Australia Population & Economy
Australia is ranked 52nd in the world in terms of population with 20.11 million people residing there in mid 2004. All the people are Australia enjoy access to an improved water source. Gross primary enrollment, which denotes the percent of school-age population, is 102%, with both male and female enrolled equitably. Literacy rate is 99%. Australia is maintaining a decent standard of living, health and education for its people. Most of the people of Australia live in towns and cities as it is Australia Culture. In fact, about 91 percent of the population lives in cities, about two-thirds in cities with 100,000 or more residents. Only
about four out of five Australians live in the coastal plains.
Australia has had one of the most outstanding economies of the world in recent years. Australian Economy is ranked 3rd in 177 countries of the world in terms of human development index. As a high-growth, low-inflation, low interest rate economy, it is more vibrant than ever before. There is an efficient government sector, a flexible labour market and a very competitive business sector. Australia's geographic position and its topography have had an impact on its economy.
The country is located relatively far from most world population centers and markets. Australia's immediate neighbors, with the exception of New Zealand, are developing countries. The Australian continent is generally dry and contains poor soils, limiting agricultural potential and requiring imports of water and fertilizers. Most of the continent's interior, the Outback, is unsuitable for agriculture except for limited cattle grazing.
The Australian economy developed rapidly in the twentieth century to become relatively stable and prosperous in world terms. Australia is characterized by an abundance of resources and a diverse yet predominantly primary sector-oriented economy. Grains, livestock, minerals, processed metals, and coal have been the mainstays of economic growth since European settlement in 1788 and continue to play the dominant role in export revenue.
With its abundant physical resources, Australia has enjoyed a high standard of living since the nineteenth century. It has made a comparatively large investment in social infrastructure, including education, training, health and transport. The Australian workforce has seen many improvements over the last decade, leading to the surge in productivity in the 1990s.
The complex and centralised award based industrial relations system has given way to a more decentralised one with many employees working under workplace agreements tailored to meet enterprise needs. The gross domestic product (GDP) per capita continues to be high, with Australia ranked 17th out of 191 countries, with a GDP per capita of about US$17,575 in 1998. Australia's standard of living and lifestyle are similar to those of the United States and Europe.
Chief Exports:
Coal, wheat, gold, meat, wool, aluminum, iron ore, machinery, and transport equipment.
Chief Imports:
Machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts, crude oil, and petroleum products.