Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the
invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the
city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent
winds in the world

People
Australia

Population:

21,007,310 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.8% (male 2,022,151/female 1,919,002)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,233,555/female 7,038,722)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,266,166/female 1,527,714) (2008
est.)

Median age:

total: 37.1 years
male: 36.4 years
female: 37.9 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.221% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

12.55 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

6.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.53 years
male: 79.16 years
female: 84.02 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:

white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:

Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist
1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001
Census)

Languages:

English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified
5.8% (2001 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
femal