Compare Spratly Islands (2008) - Australia (2002)

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) z Australia (2002)

	Spratly Islands (2008)	Australia (2002)

Administrative divisions	-	6 states and 2 territories; Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia*
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 20.4% (male 2,046,052; female 1,949,725) 15-64 years: 67% (male 6,610,840; female 6,480,354) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 1,078,506; female 1,381,315) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
Airports	3 (2007)	421 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 294 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 126 914 to 1,523 m: 134 under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	total: 150 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 116 under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Area	total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea	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
Area - comparative	NA	slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Background	The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.	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 a republic, was defeated in 1999.
Birth rate	-	12.71 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $86.8 billion expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est. )
Capital	-	Canberra
Climate	tropical	generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Coastline	926 km	25,760 km
Constitution	-	9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands	conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia
Currency	-	Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate	-	7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	-	$176.8 billion (2001 est.)
Dependent areas	-	Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER 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: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international	all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands	Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap"; Australia asserts a territorial claim to Antarctica and to its continental shelf
Economic aid - donor	-	ODA, $894 million (FY99/00 )
Economy - overview	Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.	Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003.
Electricity - consumption	-	188.49 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	-	202.68 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 90% hydro: 8% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m	lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m
Environment - current issues	NA	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, 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
Ethnic groups	-	Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Exchange rates	-	Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
Executive branch	-	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter HOLLINGWORTH (since 29 June 2001) head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999) cabinet: Cabinet Parliament nominates, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list, the governor general makes the final selections for the Cabinet 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 note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party
Exports	-	$66.3 billion (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities	-	coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Exports - partners	-	Developing countries 45.6%, Japan 19.7%, ASEAN 13.3%, EU 11.7%, US 9.7% (2001)
Fiscal year	-	1 July - 30 June
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
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $528 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 3% industry: 26% services: 71% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	3.6% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	8 38 N, 111 55 E	27 00 S, 133 00 E
Geography - note	strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs	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
Heliports	3 (2007)	-
Highways	-	total: 913,000 km paved: 353,331 km (including 1,363 km of expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 25% (1994)
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	-	$68 billion (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Imports - partners	-	Developing countries 31.7%, EU 21.6%, US 18.9%, ASEAN 14.8%, Japan 13.0% (2001)
Independence	-	1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Industrial production growth rate	-	4.3% (2002 est.)
Industries	-	mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Infant mortality rate	-	4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	2.8% (2002 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, 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	571 (2002)
Irrigated land	0 sq km	24,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	-	High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)
Labor force	-	9.2 million (December 2001 )
Labor force - by occupation	-	services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 6.88% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 93.09% (1998 est.)
Languages	-	English, native languages
Legal system	-	based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives) elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65, independent and other 3
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 80 years male: 77.15 years female: 83 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines	Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Map references	Southeast Asia	Oceania
Maritime claims	NA	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
Merchant marine	-	total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,469,362 GRT/1,869,262 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 2, United Kingdom 2, United States 14 (2002 est.)
Military - note	Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam	-
Military branches	-	Royal Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$9.3 billion (FY01/02 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	2% (FY01/02)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 5,013,406 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 4,321,387 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 142,686 (2002 est.)
National holiday	-	Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Nationality	-	noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Natural hazards	typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard	cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
Natural resources	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential	bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Net migration rate	-	4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	-	crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km
Political parties and leaders	-	Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party [Simon CREAN]; Country Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA]
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states	19,546,792 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	0.96% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios	-	25.5 million (1997)
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 est.)
Religions	-	Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%
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 (2002 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	10.05 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	8.6 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations	-	104 (1997)
Terrain	flat	mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Total fertility rate	-	1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	6.3% (2002)
Waterways	-	8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.