sh effort in World Wars I and II. In recent
decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally
competitive, advanced market economy. Long-term concerns include
pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management
and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier
Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth
headed by the British monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.

Geography Australia

Location:
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 7,686,850 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
land: 7,617,930 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
25,760 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
in north

Terrain:
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

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

Land use:
arable land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of
cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

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
agricultural purposes 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 shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarct