Australia (2001) | Holy See (Vatican City) (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
20.64% (male 2,045,892; female 1,948,949) 15-64 years: 66.86% (male 6,538,096; female 6,405,014) 65 years and over: 12.5% (male 1,059,107; female 1,360,536) (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry | - |
Airports | 411 (2000 est.) | none (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
271 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 118 914 to 1,523 m: 122 under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
140 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 112 under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island |
total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than the contiguous 48 states of the US | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. 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 an independent republic, was defeated in 1999. | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
Birth rate | 12.86 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$94 billion expenditures: $103 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
revenues: $209.6 million
expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Canberra | Vatican City |
Climate | generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
Coastline | 25,760 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 | Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia |
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL) |
Death rate | 7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $220.6 billion (2000) | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward W. GNEHM, Jr. embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 consulate(s) general: Sydney consulate(s): Melbourne and Perth |
chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael THAWLEY chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco |
chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
Disputes - international | territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory) | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.43 billion (FY97/98) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. While Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s and during the recent financial problems in East Asia, the economy has expanded at a solid 4% annual growth pace in the last five years. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the economy's resilience to the regional crisis and its stronger than expected growth rate. Growth in 2001 will depend on key international commodity prices, the extent of recovery in nearby Asian economies, and the strength of US and European markets. | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
Electricity - consumption | 178.306 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Electricity - production | 191.727 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
89.93% hydro: 8.36% nuclear: 0% other: 1.71% (1999) |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
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 | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% | Italians, Swiss, other |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican started using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Rev. Peter HOLLINGSWORTH (since 29 June 2001) head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party |
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
Exports | $69 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | - |
Exports - commodities | coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment | - |
Exports - partners | Japan 19%, EU 14%, ASEAN 12%, US 9%, South Korea, NZ, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China (1999) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $445.8 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3% industry: 26% services: 71% (1999 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.7% (2000 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 27 00 S, 133 00 E | 41 54 N, 12 27 E |
Geography - note | world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer | urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total:
913,000 km paved: 353,331 km (including 1,363 km of expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996) |
none; all city streets |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
2% highest 10%: 25.4% (1994) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate | - |
Imports | $77 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products | - |
Imports - partners | EU 24%, US 22%, Japan 14%, ASEAN 13% (1999) | - |
Independence | 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) | 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century |
Industrial production growth rate | 1.5% (1999 est.) | - |
Industries | mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel | printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
Infant mortality rate | 4.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.4% (2000 est.) | - |
International organization participation | ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 264 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | 21,070 sq km (1993 est.) | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general) | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946 |
Labor force | 9.5 million (December 1999) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.) | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 54% forests and woodland: 19% other: 21% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.) |
Languages | English, native languages | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
Legal system | based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on canon law and revisions to it |
Legislative branch | bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held by October 2001); House of Representatives - last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held by October 2001) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 29, Australian Democratic Party 9, Green Party 1, One Nation Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 80, Australian Labor Party 67, independent 1 |
unicameral Pontifical Commission |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
79.87 years male: 77.02 years female: 82.87 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,558,371 GRT/2,038,776 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6 (2000 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope |
Military branches | Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force | Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6.9 billion (FY98/99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (FY98/99) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
4,990,107 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
4,303,966 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
138,971 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) |
Nationality | noun:
Australian(s) adjective: Australian |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts | NA |
Natural resources | bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum | none |
Net migration rate | 4.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Pipelines | crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Australian Democratic Party [Meg LEES]; Australian Labor Party [Kim BEAZLEY]; Green Party [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group) | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
Population | 19,357,594 (July 2001 est.) | 900 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.99% (2001 est.) | 1.15% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 25.5 million (1997) | NA |
Railways | total:
33,819 km (2,540 km electrified) broad gauge: 3,719 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 15,422 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 14,506 km 1.067-m gauge dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges (1999) |
total: 0.86 km
standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station (2001 est.) |
Religions | Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11% | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
Telephone system | general assessment:
excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998) |
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 9.58 million (1998) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 6.4 million (1998) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 104 (1997) | 1 (1996) |
Terrain | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast | low hill |
Total fertility rate | 1.77 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 6.4% (2000) | - |
Waterways | 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft) | none |