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AUSTRALIA

Area:
total: 7,741,220 sq km
country comparison to the world: 6
land: 7,682,300 sq km
water: 58,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Coastline:
25,760km

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel,tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports

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 agriculturalpurposes 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 shippingand its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources

Population:
21,515,754 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Urbanization:
urban population: 89% oftotal population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Ethnic groups:
white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:
Catholic 25.8%, Anglican 18.7%,Uniting Church 5.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, other Christian 7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 11.3%, none 18.7% (2006 Census)

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

Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:
name: Canberra
note:Australia is divided into three time zones

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New...