This article is about the country. For the continent, seeAustralia (continent). For other uses, seeAustralia (disambiguation).

Commonwealth of Australia

FlagCoat of arms

Anthem:"Advance Australia Fair"[N 1]

MENU0:00

CapitalCanberra3518.48S1497.47E

Largest citySydney

Official languagesNone[N 2]

National languageEnglish[N 2]

Demonym Australian Aussie[3][4]

GovernmentFederalparliamentaryconstitutional monarchy

-MonarchElizabeth II

-Governor-GeneralSir Peter Cosgrove

-Prime MinisterTony Abbott

-Chief JusticeRobert French

LegislatureParliament

-Upper houseSenate

-Lower houseHouse of Representatives

Independencefrom the United Kingdom

-Federation,Constitution1 January 1901

-Statute of Westminster Adoption Act9 October 1942(with effectfrom 3 September 1939)

-Australia Act3 March 1986

Area

-Total7,692,024km2(6th)2,969,907sqmi

Population

-2015estimate23,774,300[5](51st)

-2011census21,507,717[6]

-Density2.8/km2(233rd)7.3/sqmi

GDP(PPP)2014estimate

-Total$1.100 trillion[7](19th)

-Per capita$46,631[7](15th)

GDP(nominal)2014estimate

-Total$1.483 trillion[7](12th)

-Per capita$62,822[7](5th)

Gini(2012)33.6[8]medium19th

HDI(2013)0.933[9]very high2nd

CurrencyAustralian dollar(AUD)

Time zonevarious[N 3](UTC+8 to +10.5)

-Summer(DST)various[N 3](UTC+8 to +11.5)

Date formatdd-mm-yyyy

Drives on theleft

Calling code+61

ISO 3166 codeAU

Internet TLD.au

Australia(/streli/,/-/, or colloquially/-j/),[10][11]officially theCommonwealth of Australia,[12]is anOceaniancountry comprising the mainland of theAustralian continent, the island ofTasmania, and numeroussmaller islands. It is the world'ssixth-largest country by total area. Neighbouring countries includeIndonesia,East TimorandPapua New Guineato the north; theSolomon IslandsandVanuatuto the north-east; andNew Zealandto the south-east.For at least 40,000 years[13]before the firstBritish settlementin the late 18th century,[14][15]Australia was inhabited byindigenous Australians,[16]who spoke languages grouped into roughly250 language groups.[17][18]After the European discovery of the continent byDutchexplorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed byGreat Britainin 1770 and initially settled throughpenal transportationto the colony ofNew South Walesfrom 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governingcrown colonieswere established.On 1 January 1901, the six coloniesfederated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stableliberal democraticpolitical system that functions as afederalparliamentary democracyandconstitutional monarchycomprisingsix states and several territories. The population of 23.6 million[5]is highlyurbanisedand heavily concentrated in theeastern statesand on the coast.[19]Australia is adeveloped countryand one of the wealthiest in the world, with theworld's 12th-largest economy. In 2012 Australia had the world'sfifth-highest per capita income.[20]Australia's military expenditure is theworld's 13th-largest. With thesecond-highest human development index globally, Australiaranks highlyin many international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, health, education,economic freedom, and the protection ofcivil libertiesand political rights.[21]Australia is a member of theUnited Nations,G20,Commonwealth of Nations,ANZUS,Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD),World Trade Organization,Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and thePacific Islands Forum.Contents[hide] 1Etymology 2History 3Government 4States and territories 5Foreign relations and military 6Geography and climate 7Environment 7.1Environmental issues 8Economy 9Demographics 9.1Language 9.2Religion 9.3Education 9.4Health 10Culture 10.1Arts 10.2Media 10.3Cuisine 10.4Sport 11See also 12Notes 13References 14Bibliography 15Further reading 16External linksEtymologyPronounced[stlj, -li]inAustralian English,[22]the nameAustraliais derived from theLatinaustralis, meaning "southern". The country has been referred to colloquially asOzsince the early 20th century.[N 4]Aussieis a common colloquial term for "Australian". In neighbouring New Zealand, and less commonly in Australia itself, the noun "Aussie" is also used to refer to the nation, as distinct from its residents.[27][28][29]The sporting anthemC'mon Aussie C'monis an example of local use of Aussie as synonym for Australia.[28][30]Legends ofTerra Australis Incognitaan "unknown land of the South"date back to Roman times and were commonplace in medieval geography, although not based on any documented knowledge of the continent. Following European discovery, names for the Australian landmass were often references to the famedTerra Australis.The earliest recorded use of the wordAustraliain English was in 1625 in "A note of Australia del Espritu Santo, written by Sir Richard Hakluyt", published bySamuel PurchasinHakluytus Posthumus, a corruption of the original Spanish name "Tierra Austral del Espritu Santo" (Southern Land of the Holy Spirit)[31]for an island inVanuatu.[32]The Dutch adjectival formAustralischewas used in a Dutch book inBatavia(Jakarta) in 1638, to refer to the newly discovered lands to the south.[33]Australiawas later used in a 1693 translation ofLes Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Dcouverte et le Voyage de la Terre Australe, a 1676 French novel byGabriel de Foigny, under the pen-name Jacques Sadeur.[34]Referring to the entire South Pacific region,Alexander Dalrympleused it inAn Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Oceanin 1771. By the end of the 18th century, the name was being used to refer specifically to Australia, with the botanistsGeorge ShawandSir James Smithwriting of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia orNew Holland" in their 1793Zoology and Botany of New Holland,[35]andJames Wilsonincluding it on a 1799 chart.[36]The nameAustraliawas popularised by the explorerMatthew Flinders, who pushed for it to be formally adopted as early as 1804.[37]When preparing his manuscript and charts for his 1814A Voyage to Terra Australis, he was persuaded by his patron,Sir Joseph Banks, to use the termTerra Australisas this was the name most familiar to the public. Flinders did so, and published the following rationale:There is no probability, that any other detached body of land, of nearly equal extent, will ever be found in a more southern latitude; the name Terra Australis will, therefore, remain descriptive of the geographical importance of this country, and of its situation on the globe: it has antiquity to recommend it; and, having no reference to either of the two claiming nations, appears to be less objectionable than any other which could have been selected.*[38]In the footnote Flinders wrote:*Had I permitted myself any innovation on the original term, it would have been to convert it to AUSTRALIA; as being more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth.[39]This is the only occurrence of the wordAustraliain that text; but in Appendix III,Robert Brown'sGeneral remarks, geographical and systematical, on the botany of Terra Australis, Brown makes use of the adjectival formAustralianthroughout,[40]the first known use of that form.[41]Despite popular conception, the book was not instrumental in the adoption of the name: the name came gradually to be accepted over the following ten years.[42]The first time that the name Australia appears to have been officially used was in a despatch to Lord Bathurst of 4 April 1817 in which GovernorLachlan Macquarieacknowledges the receipt of Capt. Flinders' charts of Australia.[43]On 12 December 1817, Macquarie recommended to the Colonial Office that it be formally adopted.[44]In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially asAustralia.[45]HistoryMain article:History of Australia

Exploration of what was thenNew Hollandby Europeans until 18121606Willem Janszoon1606Luis Vez de Torres1616Dirk Hartog1619Frederick de Houtman1644Abel Tasman1696Willem de Vlamingh1699William Dampier1770James Cook17971799George Bass18011803Matthew Flinders

Portrait of CaptainJames Cook, the first European to map the eastern coastline of Australia in 1770.Human habitation of the Australian continent is estimated to have begun between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago,[46]possibly with the migration of people byland bridgesand short sea-crossings from what is nowSouth-East Asia. These first inhabitants may have been ancestors of modern Indigenous Australians.[47]At the time of European settlement in the late 18th century, most Indigenous Australians werehunter-gatherers, with a complexoral cultureand spiritual values based on reverence for the land and a belief in theDreamtime. TheTorres Strait Islanders, ethnicallyMelanesian, were originally horticulturalists and hunter-gatherers.[48]The northern coasts and waters of Australia were visited sporadically by fishermen fromMaritime Southeast Asia.[49]The first recorded European sighting of the Australian mainland, and the first recorded European landfall on the Australian continent, are attributed to the Dutch navigatorWillem Janszoon. He sighted the coast ofCape York Peninsulain early 1606, and made landfall on 26 February at thePennefather Rivernear the modern town ofWeipaon Cape York.[50]The Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines and named the island continent "New Holland" during the 17th century, but made no attempt at settlement.[50]William Dampier, an English explorer and privateer, landed on the north-west coast of New Holland in 1688 and again in 1699 on a return trip.[51]In 1770,James Cooksailed along and mapped the east coast, which he named New South Wales and claimed for Great Britain.[52]With the loss of its American colonies in 1783, the British Government sent a fleet of ships, the "First Fleet", under the command of CaptainArthur Phillip, to establish a newpenal colonyin New South Wales. A camp was set up and the flag raised atSydney Cove,Port Jackson, on 26 January 1788,[15]a date which became Australia's national day,Australia Dayalthough the BritishCrown Colonyof New South Wales was not formally promulgated until 7 February 1788. The first settlement led to the foundation ofSydney, the establishment of farming, industry and commerce; and the exploration and settlement of other regions.A British settlement was established inVan Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania, in 1803 and it became a separate colony in 1825.[53]The United Kingdom formally claimed the western part ofWestern Australia(theSwan River Colony) in 1828.[54]Separate colonies were carved from parts of New South Wales:South Australiain 1836,Victoriain 1851, and Queensland in 1859.[55]TheNorthern Territorywas founded in 1911 when it was excised from South Australia.[56]South Australia was founded as a "free province"it was never a penal colony.[57]Victoria and Western Australia were also founded "free", but later acceptedtransported convicts.[58][59]A campaign by the settlers of New South Wales led to the end of convict transportation to that colony; the last convict ship arrived in 1848.[60]

Port Arthur, Tasmaniawas Australia's largestprisonfor reoffending convicts.The indigenous population, estimated to have been between 750,000 and 1,000,000 at the time European settlement began,[61]declined for 150 years following settlement, mainly due to infectious disease.[62]A government policy of "assimilation" beginning with theAboriginal Protection Act 1869resulted in the removal of many Aboriginal children from their families and communitiesoften referred to as theStolen Generationsa practice which may also have contributed to the decline in the indigenous population.[63]The Federal government gained the power to make laws with respect to Aborigines following the1967 referendum.[64]Traditional ownership of landaboriginal titlewas not recognised until 1992, when theHigh CourtcaseMabo v Queensland (No 2)overturned the legal doctrine that Australia had beenterra nullius("land belonging to no one") before the European occupation.[65]Agold rushbegan in Australia in the early 1850s[66]and theEureka Rebellionagainst mining licence fees in 1854 was an early expression of civil disobedience.[67]Between 1855 and 1890, the six colonies individually gainedresponsible government, managing most of their own affairs while remaining part of theBritish Empire.[68]The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs,[69]defence,[70]and international shipping.

TheLast Postis played at anAnzac Dayceremony inPort Melbourne, Victoria. Similar ceremonies are held in most suburbs and towns.On 1 January 1901,federation of the colonieswas achieved after a decade of planning, consultation and voting.[71]This established the Commonwealth of Australia as adominionof the British Empire.[72]The Federal Capital Territory (later renamed the Australian Capital Territory) was formed in 1911 as the location for the future federal capital of Canberra. Melbourne was the temporary seat of government from 1901 to 1927 while Canberra was being constructed.[73]The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of the South Australian government to the federal parliament in 1911.[74]In 1914, Australia joined Britain in fighting World War I, with support from both the outgoingCommonwealth Liberal Partyand the incomingAustralian Labor Party.[75][76]Australians took part in many of the major battles fought on theWestern Front.[77]Of about 416,000 who served, about 60,000 were killed and another 152,000 were wounded.[78]Many Australians regard the defeat of theAustralian and New Zealand Army Corps(ANZACs) atGallipolias the birth of the nationits first major military action.[79][80]TheKokoda Track campaignis regarded by many as an analogous nation-defining event during World War II.[81]Britain'sStatute of Westminster 1931formally ended most of the constitutional links between Australia and the UK. Australiaadopted itin 1942,[82]but it was backdated to 1939 to confirm the validity of legislation passed by the Australian Parliament during World War II.[83][84]The shock of the United Kingdom's defeat in Asia in 1942 and thethreat of Japanese invasioncaused Australia to turn to the United States as a new ally and protector.[85]Since 1951, Australia has been a formal military ally of the US, under theANZUStreaty.[86]After World War II Australia encouraged immigration from Europe. Since the 1970s and following the abolition of theWhite Australia policy, immigration from Asia and elsewhere was also promoted.[87]As a result, Australia's demography, culture, and self-image were transformed.[88]The final constitutional ties between Australia and the UK were severed with the passing of theAustralia Act 1986, ending any British role in the government of the Australian States, and closing the option of judicial appeals to thePrivy Councilin London.[89]In a1999 referendum, 55% of voters and a majority in every state rejected a proposal to become arepublicwith a president appointed by a two-thirds vote in both Houses of the Australian Parliament. Since the election of theWhitlam Governmentin 1972,[90]there has been an increasing focus in foreign policy on ties with otherPacific Rimnations, while maintaining close ties with Australia's traditional allies and trading partners.[91]GovernmentMain articles:Government of Australia,Politics of AustraliaandMonarchy of Australia

Parliament House, Canberrawas opened in 1988, replacing theprovisional Parliament House buildingopened in 1927.

Tony Abbott,Prime Minister of AustraliaAustralia is aconstitutional monarchywith afederaldivision of powers. It uses aparliamentary systemof government[92]withQueen Elizabeth IIat its apex as theQueen of Australia, a role that is distinct from her position as monarch of the otherCommonwealth realms. The Queen resides in the United Kingdom, and she is represented by her viceroys in Australia (theGovernor-Generalat the federal level and by theGovernorsat the state level), who by convention act on the advice of her ministers. Supreme executive authority is vested by theConstitution of Australiain the sovereign, but the power to exercise it is conferred by the Constitution specifically on the Governor-General.[93][94]The most notable exercise to date of the Governor-General'sreserve powersoutside the Prime Minister's request was the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in theconstitutional crisis of 1975.[95]The federal government isseparatedinto three branches: The legislature: the bicameralParliament, defined in section 1 of the constitution as comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), theSenate, and theHouse of Representatives; The executive: theFederal Executive Council, in practice the Governor-General as advised by the Prime Minister and Ministers of State;[96] The judiciary: theHigh Court of Australiaand otherfederal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Council.

Government House, Canberra, also known as "Yarralumla", is the official residence of theGovernor-General.In the Senate (the upper house), there are 76 senators: twelve each from the states and two each from the mainland territories (the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory).[97]TheHouse of Representatives(the lower house) has 150 members elected from single-member electoral divisions, commonly known as "electorates" or "seats", allocated to states on the basis of population,[98]with each original state guaranteed a minimum of five seats.[99]Elections for both chambers are normally held every three years, simultaneously; senators have overlapping six-year terms except for those from the territories, whose terms are not fixed but are tied to the electoral cycle for the lower house; thus only 40 of the 76 places in the Senate are put to each election unless the cycle is interrupted by adouble dissolution.[97]Australia'selectoral systemusespreferential votingfor all lower house elections with the exception of Tasmania and the ACT which, along with the Senate and most state upper houses, combine it withproportional representationin a system known as thesingle transferable vote.Voting is compulsoryfor all enrolled citizens 18 years and over in every jurisdiction,[100]as is enrolment (with the exception of South Australia).[101]The party with majority support in the House of Representatives forms the government and its leader becomes Prime Minister. In cases where no party has majority support, the Governor-General has the constitutional power to appoint the Prime Minister and, if necessary, dismiss one that has lost the confidence of Parliament.[102]There are two major political groups that usually form government, federally and in the states: theAustralian Labor Partyand theCoalitionwhich is a formal grouping of theLiberal Partyand its minor partner, theNational Party.[103][104]Independent members and several minor parties, have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper houses.Within Australian political culture, the Coalition is consideredcentre-rightand the Labor Party is consideredcentre-left. Queensland in particular, along with Western Australia and the Northern Territory, are regarded as comparativelyconservative.[105][106][107][108][109][110][111]Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory are regarded as comparativelysocially liberal.[107][111][112][113][114]New South Wales has often been regarded as a politically moderatebellwetherstate.[111][114]Following apartyroom leadership challenge,Julia Gillardbecame the first female Prime Minister in June 2010.[115]Themost recent federal electionwas held on 7 September 2013 and resulted in amajority governmentfor theCoalition.Liberal PartyleaderTony Abbottwas sworn into office as Prime Minister by theGovernor-General of Australiaon 18 September.States and territoriesMain article:States and territories of Australia

A clickable map of Australia's states and mainland territoriesAustralia has sixstatesNew South Wales(NSW),Queensland(QLD),South Australia(SA),Tasmania(TAS),Victoria(VIC) andWestern Australia(WA)and two majormainlandterritoriestheAustralian Capital Territory(ACT) and theNorthern Territory(NT). In most respects these two territories function as states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast, federal legislation overrides state legislation only in areas that are set out inSection 51 of the Australian Constitution; state parliaments retain all residual legislative powers, including those over schools, state police, the state judiciary, roads, public transport and local government, since these do not fall under the provisions listed in Section 51.[116]Each state and major mainland territory has its ownparliamentunicameralin the Northern Territory, the ACT and Queenslandand bicameral in the other states. The states are sovereign entities, although subject to certain powers of the Commonwealth as defined by the Constitution. Thelower housesare known as theLegislative Assembly(theHouse of Assemblyin South Australia and Tasmania); theupper housesare known as theLegislative Council. Thehead of the governmentin each state is thePremierand in each territory theChief Minister. TheQueenis represented in each state by aGovernor; and in the Northern Territory, theAdministrator.[117]In the Commonwealth, the Queen's representative is theGovernor-General.[118]The federal parliament directly administers the following territories:[96] Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Jervis Bay Territory, a naval base and sea port for the national capital in land that was formerly part of New South WalesNorfolk Islandis also technically an external territory; however, under the Norfolk Island Act 1979 it has been granted more autonomy and is governed locally by its own legislative assembly. The Queen is represented by anAdministrator.[119]Macquarie Islandis administered by Tasmania, andLord Howe Islandby New South Wales.Foreign relations and militaryMain articles:Foreign relations of AustraliaandAustralian Defence ForceOver recent decades,Australia's foreign relationshave been driven by a close association with the United States through theANZUS pact, and by a desire to develop relationships with Asia and the Pacific, particularly throughASEANand thePacific Islands Forum. In 2005 Australia secured an inaugural seat at theEast Asia Summitfollowing its accession to theTreaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and in 2011 attended theSixth East Asia Summitin Indonesia. Australia is a member of theCommonwealth of Nations, in which theCommonwealth Heads of Governmentmeetings provide the main forum for co-operation.[120]Australian Armysoldiers conducting a foot patrol during a joint training exercise withUS forcesinShoalwater Bay(2007).Australia has pursued the cause of internationaltrade liberalisation.[121][122][123]It led the formation of theCairns GroupandAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.[124][125]Australia is a member of theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Developmentand theWorld Trade Organization,[126][127]and has pursued several major bilateral free trade agreements, most recently theAustralia United States Free Trade Agreement[128]andCloser Economic Relationswith New Zealand,[129]with another free trade agreement being negotiated with ChinatheAustraliaChina Free Trade Agreementand Japan,[130]South Koreain 2011,[131][132]AustraliaChile Free Trade Agreement,ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area, and theTrans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership.Along with New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Singapore, Australia is party to theFive Power Defence Arrangements, a regional defence agreement. A founding member country of the United Nations, Australia is strongly committed tomultilateralism[133]and maintains an international aid program under which some 60 countries receive assistance. The 200506 budget provides A$2.5billion for development assistance.[134]Australia ranks seventh overall in theCenter for Global Development's 2008Commitment to Development Index.[135]Australia's armed forcestheAustralian Defence Force(ADF)comprise theRoyal Australian Navy(RAN), theAustralian Armyand theRoyal Australian Air Force(RAAF), in total numbering 80,561 personnel (including 55,068 regulars and 25,493 reservists).[136]The titular role ofCommander-in-Chiefis vested in theGovernor-General, who appoints aChief of the Defence Forcefrom one of the armed services on the advice of the government.[137]Day-to-day force operations are under the command of the Chief, while broader administration and the formulation of defence policy is undertaken by theMinisterandDepartment of Defence.In the 201011 budget, defence spending was A$25.7billion,[138]representing the13th largest defence budget.[139]Australia has been involved in UN and regional peacekeeping, disaster relief and armed conflict, including the2003 invasion of Iraq; itcurrently has deployedabout 3,330 defence force personnel in varying capacities to 12 international operations in areas includingEast Timor,Solomon IslandsandAfghanistan.[140]Geography and climateMain articles:Geography of Australia,Climate of AustraliaandGeology of Australia

Climatic zones in Australia, based on theKppen climate classification.Australia's landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300sqmi)[141]is on theIndo-Australian Plate. Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans,[N 5]it is separated from Asia by theArafuraandTimorseas, with theCoral Sealying off the Queensland coast, and theTasman Sealying between Australia and New Zealand. The world's smallest continent[143]andsixth largest country by total area,[144]Australiaowing to its size and isolationis often dubbed the "island continent",[145]and is sometimes considered theworld's largest island.[146]Australia has 34,218 kilometres (21,262mi) of coastline (excluding all offshore islands),[147]and claims an extensiveExclusive Economic Zoneof 8,148,250 square kilometres (3,146,060sqmi). This exclusive economic zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory.[148]Apart fromMacquarie Island, Australia lies between latitudes9and44S, and longitudes112and154E.TheGreat Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef,[149]lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over 2,000 kilometres (1,240mi).Mount Augustus, claimed to be the world's largest monolith,[150]is located in Western Australia. At 2,228 metres (7,310ft),Mount Kosciuszkoon theGreat Dividing Rangeis the highest mountain on the Australian mainland. Even taller areMawson Peak(at 2,745 metres or 9,006 feet), on the remote Australian territory ofHeard Island, and, in the Australian Antarctic Territory,Mount McClintockandMount Menzies, at 3,492 metres (11,457ft) and 3,355 metres (11,007ft) respectively.[151]

Whitehaven Beachin Queensland.Australia's size gives it a wide variety of landscapes, with tropicalrainforestsin the north-east, mountain ranges in the south-east, south-west and east, and dry desert in the centre.[152]It is the flattest continent,[153]with the oldest and least fertile soils;[154][155]desertor semi-arid land commonly known as theoutbackmakes up by far the largest portion of land.[156]The driest inhabited continent, its annual rainfall averaged over continental area is less than 500mm.[157]Thepopulation density, 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometre, is among the lowest in the world,[158]although a large proportion of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline.[159]Eastern Australia is marked by the Great Dividing Range, which runs parallel to the coast of Queensland, New South Wales and much of Victoria. The name is not strictly accurate, because parts of the range consist of low hills, and the highlands are typically no more than 1,600 metres (5,249ft) in height.[160]Thecoastal uplandsand abelt of Brigalow grasslandslie between the coast and the mountains, while inland of the dividing range are large areas of grassland.[160][161]These include thewestern plainsof New South Wales, and theEinasleigh Uplands,Barkly Tableland, andMulga Landsof inland Queensland. The northernmost point of the east coast is the tropical-rainforestedCape York Peninsula.[162][163][164][165]

Topographic map of AustraliaThe landscapes of theTop Endand theGulf Countrywith their tropical climateinclude forest,woodland, wetland,grassland, rainforest and desert.[166][167][168]At the north-west corner of the continent are the sandstone cliffs and gorges ofThe Kimberley, and below that thePilbara. To the south of these and inland, lie more areas of grassland: theOrd Victoria Plainand theWestern Australian Mulga shrublands.[169][170][171]At the heart of the country are theuplands of central Australia. Prominent features of the centre and south includeUluru(also known as Ayers Rock), the famous sandstone monolith, and the inlandSimpson,Tirari and Sturt Stony,Gibson,Great Sandy, Tanami, andGreat Victoriadeserts, with the famousNullarbor Plainon the southern coast.[172][173][174][175]The climate of Australia is significantly influenced by ocean currents, including theIndian Ocean Dipoleand theEl NioSouthern Oscillation, which is correlated with periodicdrought, and the seasonal tropical low-pressure system that producescyclonesin northern Australia.[176][177]These factors cause rainfall to vary markedly from year to year. Much of the northern part of the country has a tropical, predominantly summer-rainfall (monsoon) climate.[178]Thesouthwest corner of the countryhas aMediterranean climate.[179]Much of the southeast (including Tasmania) is temperate.[178]EnvironmentMain article:Environment of AustraliaSee also:Fauna of Australia,Flora of AustraliaandFungi of AustraliaAlthough most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it includes a diverse range of habitats fromalpineheaths totropical rainforests, and is recognised as amegadiverse country. Fungi typify that diversity; an estimated 250,000 speciesof which only 5% have been describedoccur in Australia.[180]Because of the continent's great age, extremely variable weather patterns, and long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia'sbiotais unique and diverse. About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% ofbirds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish areendemic.[181]Australia has the greatest number of reptiles of any country, with 755 species.[182]

Thekoalaand theeucalyptusform an iconic Australian pair.Australian forestsare mostly made up of evergreen species, particularlyeucalyptustrees in the less arid regions,wattlesreplace them in drier regions and deserts as the most dominant species.[183]Among well-knownAustralian animalsare themonotremes(theplatypusandechidna); a host ofmarsupials, including thekangaroo,koala, andwombat, and birds such as theemuand thekookaburra.[183]Australia is home tomany dangerous animalsincluding some of the most venomous snakes in the world.[184]Thedingowas introduced by Austronesian people who traded with Indigenous Australians around 3000BCE.[185]Many animal and plant species became extinct soon after first human settlement,[186]including theAustralian megafauna; others have disappeared since European settlement, among them thethylacine.[187][188]Many of Australia's ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities andintroducedanimal,chromistan, fungal and plant species.[189]All these factors have led to Australia having the highest mammal extinction rate of any country in the world.[190]The federalEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999is the legal framework for the protection of threatened species.[191]Numerousprotected areashave been created under theNational Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biological Diversityto protect and preserve unique ecosystems;[192][193]65wetlandsarelistedunder theRamsar Convention,[194]and 16 naturalWorld Heritage Siteshave been established.[195]Australia was ranked 3rd out of 178 countries in the world on the 2014Environmental Performance Index.[196]Environmental issuesSee also:Climate change in Australia,Greenhouse gas emissions in AustraliaandPollution in Australia

Drought affectingLake Humeon the UpperMurray River.Protection of the environment is also a major political issue.[197][198]In 2007, theFirst Rudd Governmentsigned the instrument of ratification of theKyoto Protocol. Nevertheless, Australia'scarbon dioxide emissions per capitaare among the highest in the world, lower than those of only a few other industrialised nations.[199]Rainfall in Australia has slightly increased over the past century, both nationwide and for two quadrants of the nation.[200]According to theBureau of Meteorology's 2011 Australian Climate Statement, Australia had lower than average temperatures in 2011 as a consequence of aLa Niaweather pattern, however, "the country's 10-year average continues to demonstrate the rising trend in temperatures, with 20022011 likely to rank in the top two warmest 10-year periods on record for Australia, at 0.52 C above the long-term average".[201]Furthermore, 2014 was Australia's third warmest year since national temperature observations commenced in 1910.[202][203]Water restrictionsare frequently in place in many regions and cities of Australia in response to chronic shortages due to urban population increases and localiseddrought.[204][205]Throughout much of the continent,major floodingregularly follows extended periods of drought, flushing out inland river systems, overflowing dams and inundating large inland flood plains, as occurred throughout Eastern Australia in 2010, 2011 and 2012 after the2000s Australian drought.EconomyMain article:Economy of AustraliaSee also:Economic history of Australia,Median household income in Australia and New ZealandandTransport in Australia

Australia is the world's fourth largest exporter of wine. TheBarossa Valleyis a majorwine-producingregion inSouth Australia.Australia is a wealthy country; it generates its income from various sources including mining-related exports, telecommunications, banking and manufacturing.[206][207][208]It has amarket economy, a relatively high GDP per capita, and a relatively low rate of poverty. In terms of average wealth, Australia ranked second in the world after Switzerland in 2013, although the nation's poverty rate increased from 10.2 per cent to 11.8 per cent, from 2000/01 to 2013.[209][210]It was identified by the Credit Suisse Research Institute as the nation with the highest median wealth in the world and the second-highest average wealth per adult in 2013.[209]TheAustralian dollaris the currency for the nation, including Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independentPacific Island statesofKiribati,Nauru, andTuvalu. With the 2006 merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange, theAustralian Securities Exchangebecame the ninth largest in the world.[211]Ranked third in theIndex of Economic Freedom(2010),[212]Australia is theworld's twelfth largest economyand has thefifth highest per capita GDP(nominal) at $66,984. The country was ranked second in the United Nations 2011Human Development Indexand first inLegatum's 2008Prosperity Index.[9]All of Australia's major cities fare well in global comparative livability surveys;[213]Melbourne reached first place onThe Economist's 2011,[214]2012[215]and 2013world's most liveable citieslists, followed by Adelaide, Sydney, and Perth in the fifth, seventh, and ninth places respectively.[216]Total government debt in Australia is about $190 billion[217] 20% ofGDPin 2010.[218]Australia has among the highest house prices and some of the highest household-debt levels in the world.[219]

Destination and value of Australian exports in 2006[220]An emphasis on exporting commodities rather than manufactured goods has underpinned a significant increase in Australia'sterms of tradesince the start of the 21st century, due to rising commodity prices.Australia has a balance of paymentsthat is more than 7% of GDP negative, and has had persistently largecurrent accountdeficits for more than 50 years.[221]Australia has grown at an average annual rate of 3.6% for over 15 years, in comparison to the OECD annual average of 2.5%.[221]Australia was the only advanced economy not to experience a recession due to theglobal financial downturnin 20082009.[222]However, the economies of six of Australia's major trading partners have been in recession, which in turn has affected Australia, significantly hampering its economic growth in recent years.[223][224]From 2012 to early 2013, Australia's national economy grew, but some non-mining states and Australia's non-mining economy experienced a recession.[225][226][227]TheHawke Governmentfloatedthe Australian dollar in 1983 and partially deregulated the financial system.[228]TheHoward Governmentfollowed with apartial deregulation of the labour marketand the furtherprivatisationof state-owned businesses, most notably in thetelecommunicationsindustry.[229]The indirect tax system was substantially changed in July 2000 with the introduction of a 10%Goods and Services Tax(GST).[230]InAustralia's tax system, personal and companyincome taxare the main sources of government revenue.[231]

TheSuper Pit gold mineinKalgoorlie, Australia's largestopen cutmine.[232]In May 2012, there were 11,537,900people employed (either full- or part-time), with an unemployment rate of 5.1%.[233]Youth unemployment (1524) stood at 11.2%.[233]Data released in mid-November 2013 showed that the number of welfare recipients had grown by 55%. In 2007 228,621Newstart unemployment allowancerecipients were registered, a total that increased to 646,414 in March 2013.[234]According to the Graduate Careers Survey, full-time employment for newly qualified professionals from various occupations has declined since 2011 but it increases for graduates three years after graduation.[235][236]Over the past decade, inflation has typically been 23% and the base interest rate 56%. The service sector of the economy, including tourism, education, and financial services, accounts for about 70% of GDP.[237]Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, particularly wheat and wool, minerals such as iron-ore and gold, and energy in the forms of liquified natural gas and coal. Althoughagricultureand natural resources account for only 3% and 5% of GDP respectively, they contribute substantially to export performance. Australia's largest export markets are Japan, China, the US, South Korea, and New Zealand.[238]Australia is the world's fourth largest exporter of wine, and the wine industry contributes $5.5 billion per year to the nation's economy.[239]DemographicsMain articles:Demographics of Australia,Immigration to AustraliaandList of cities in Australia by population

Nearly three quarters of Australians live in metropolitan cities and coastal areas. The beach is an integral part of the Australian identity.[240]For almost two centuries the majority of settlers, and later immigrants, came from the British Isles. As a result the people of Australia are primarily of British and/or Irish ethnic origin. The 2011 Census asked respondents to provide a maximum of two ancestries with which they most closely identify. The most commonly nominated ancestry wasEnglish(36.1%), followed by Australian (35.4%),[241]Irish(10.4%),Scottish(8.9%),Italian(4.6%),German(4.5%),Chinese(4.3%),Indian(2.0%),Greek(1.9%), andDutch(1.7%).[242]Because Australia's census doesn't ask for racial background, it is unclear how many Australians are descendants ofEuropeans. Estimates vary from 85% - 92%.[243][244]Asian Australiansmake up 12% of the population.[245]Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I.[246]Nevertheless, itspopulation density, 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometre, remains among the lowest in the world.[158]As such, Australians have more living space per person than the inhabitants of any other nation, with average dwelling sizes well over double those of Western Europe.[247]Aside from natural increases, Australia's population growth has also stemmed from over two centuries ofimmigration. Following World War II and through to 2000, almost 5.9million of the total population settled in the country as new immigrants, meaning that nearly two out of every seven Australians were born in another country.[248]Most immigrants are skilled,[249]but the immigration quota includes categories for family members andrefugees.[249]By 2050, Australia's population is currently projected to reach around 42 million.[250]In 2011, 24.6% of Australians were born elsewhere and 43.1% of people had at least one overseas-born parent;[251]the largest immigrant groups were those from theUnited Kingdom, New Zealand, China, India, Italy,Vietnam, andPhilippines.[252]Over 80 percent of Australia's population isof European ancestry, and most of the rest are of Asian heritage, with a smaller minority ofIndigenousbackground. Following the abolition of theWhite Australia policyin 1973, numerous government initiatives have been established to encourage and promote racial harmony based on a policy ofmulticulturalism.[253]In 200506, more than 131,000people emigrated to Australia, mainly from Asia and Oceania.[254]The migration target for 201213 is 190,000,[255]compared to 67,900 in 199899.[256]The rural population of Australia in 2012 was 2,420,731 (10.66% of the total population).[257]The Indigenous populationAboriginesandTorres Strait Islanderswas counted at 548,370 (2.5% of the total population) in 2011,[258]a significant increase from 115,953 in the 1976 census.[259]The increase is partly due to many people with Indigenous heritage previously having been overlooked by the census due to undercount and cases where their Indigenous status had not been recorded on the form.Indigenous Australians experience higher than average rates of imprisonment and unemployment, lower levels of education, and life expectancies for males and females that are 1117 years lower than those of non-indigenous Australians.[238][260][261]Some remote Indigenous communities have been described as having "failed state"-like conditions.[262][263][264][265][266]In common with many other developed countries, Australia is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. In 2004, theaverage ageof the civilian population was 38.8 years.[267]A large number of Australians (759,849 for the period 200203;[268]1 million or 5% of the total population in 2005[269]) live outside their home country.Largest cities or towns in AustraliaJune 2012Australian Bureau of Statisticsestimates[270]

RankNameStatePop.RankNameStatePop.

Sydney

Melbourne1SydneyNSW4,667,28311Greater HobartTAS216,959Brisbane

Perth

2MelbourneVIC4,246,34512GeelongVIC179,042

3BrisbaneQLD2,189,87813TownsvilleQLD171,971

4PerthWA1,897,54814CairnsQLD142,528

5AdelaideSA1,277,17415DarwinNT131,678

6Gold CoastTweed HeadsQLD/NSW590,88916ToowoombaQLD110,472

7NewcastleMaitlandNSW418,95817BallaratVIC95,007

8CanberraQueanbeyanACT/NSW411,60918BendigoVIC89,666

9Sunshine CoastQLD285,16919LauncestonTAS86,109

10WollongongNSW282,09920AlburyWodongaNSW/VIC84,982

LanguageMain article:Languages of AustraliaAlthough Australia has no official language, English has always been entrenched as thede factonational language.[2]Australian Englishis a major variety of the language with a distinctive accent and lexicon,[271]and differs slightly from other varieties of English in grammar and spelling.[272]General Australianserves as the standard dialect. According to the 2011 census, English is the only language spoken in the home for close to 81% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home areMandarin(1.7%),Italian(1.5%),Arabic(1.4%),Cantonese(1.3%),Greek(1.3%), andVietnamese(1.2%);[252]a considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are bilingual. A 20102011 study by the Australia Early Development Index found the most common language spoken by children after English was Arabic, followed by Vietnamese, Greek, Chinese, and Hindi.[273][274]Over 250Indigenous Australian languagesare thought to have existed at the time of first European contact, of which less than 20 are still in daily use by all age groups.[275][276]About 110 others are spoken exclusively by older people.[276]At the time of the 2006 census, 52,000 Indigenous Australians, representing 12% of the Indigenous population, reported that they spoke an Indigenous language at home.[277]Australia has asign languageknown asAuslan, which is the main language of about 5,500 deaf people.[278]ReligionMain article:Religion in AustraliaReligion in Australia[252]

ReligionPercent

Roman Catholic25.3%

Anglican17.1%

Other Christian18.7%

Buddhism2.5%

Islam2.2%

Hinduism1.3%

Judaism0.5%

Other0.8%

No religion22.3%

Undefined or not stated9.4%

Australia has nostate religion; Section 116 of theAustralian Constitutionprohibits thefederal governmentfrom making any law to establish any religion, impose any religious observance, or prohibit the free exercise of any religion.[279]In the 2011 census, 61.1% of Australians were counted asChristian, including 25.3% asRoman Catholicand 17.1% asAnglican; 22.3% of the population reported having "no religion"; 7.2% identify with non-Christian religions, the largest of these beingBuddhism(2.5%), followed byIslam(2.2%),Hinduism(1.3%) andJudaism(0.5%). The remaining 9.4% of the population did not provide an adequate answer.[252]Before European settlement, the animist beliefs of Australia's indigenous people had been practised for many thousands of years. MainlandAboriginal Australians', spirituality is known as theDreamtimeand it places a heavy emphasis on belonging to the land. The collection of stories that it contains shaped Aboriginal law and customs.Aboriginal art, story and dance continue to draw on these spiritual traditions. The spirituality and customs ofTorres Strait Islanders, who inhabit the islands between Australia and New Guinea, reflected their Melanesian origins and dependence on the sea. The 1996 Australian census counted more than 7000 respondents as followers of a traditional Aboriginal religion.[280]

St Mary's Catholic Cathedral, Sydney, built to a design byWilliam Wardell. About a quarter of Australians are Roman Catholic.Since the arrival of theFirst Fleetof British ships in 1788, Christianity has grown to be the major religion practised in Australia. Christian churches have played an integral role in the development of education, health and welfare services in Australia. For much of Australian history theChurch of England(now known as theAnglican Church of Australia) was the largest religious affiliation. However, multicultural immigration has contributed to a decline in its relative position, and the Roman Catholic Church has benefitted from recent immigration to become the largest group. Similarly,Islam,Buddhism,HinduismandJudaismhave all grown in Australia over the past half-century.[281]A survey by theBertelsmann Foundationfound that "Australia is one of the least religious nations in the western world, coming in 17th out of 21 [countries] surveyed" and that "Nearly three out of four Australians say they are either not at all religious or that religion does not play a central role in their lives."[282]While weekly attendance at church services in 2001 was about 1.5 million[283](about 7.8% of the population),[284]a survey of 1,718 Australians by theChristian Research Associationat the end of 2009 suggested that the number of people attending religious services per month in Australia dropped from 23% in 1993 to 16% in 2009, and while 60% of 15 to 29-year-old respondents in 1993 identified with Christian denominations, 33% did in 2009.[285]EducationMain article:Education in Australia

TheUniversity of Sydneyis the oldest university in AustraliaSchool attendance, or registration for home schooling,[286][287]is compulsory throughout Australia. Education is the responsibility of the individual states and territories[288]so the rules vary between states, but in general children are required to attend school from the age of about 5 up until about 16.[289][290]In some states (e.g., Western Australia,[291]the Northern Territory[292]and New South Wales[293][294]), children aged 1617 are required to either attend school or participate in vocational training, such as anapprenticeship.Australia has an adult literacy rate that was estimated to be 99% in 2003.[295]However, a 201112 report for the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that Tasmania has a literacy and numeracy rate of only 50%.[296]In theProgramme for International Student Assessment, Australia regularly scores among the top five of thirty major developed countries (member countries of theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).Catholic educationaccounts for the largest non-government sector.Australia has 37 government-funded universities and two private universities, as well as a number of other specialist institutions that provide approved courses at the higher education level.[297]TheUniversity of Sydneyis Australia's oldest university, having been founded in 1850. Other notable universities include those of theGroup of Eightleading tertiary institutions.The OECD places Australia among the most expensive nations to attend university.[298]There is a state-based system of vocational training, known asTAFE, and many trades conduct apprenticeships for training new tradespeople.[299]About 58% of Australians aged from 25 to 64 have vocational or tertiary qualifications,[238]and the tertiary graduation rate of 49% is the highest among OECD countries. The ratio of international to local students in tertiary education in Australia is the highest in the OECD countries.[300]HealthSee also:Health care in AustraliaAustralia has the fourth highest life expectancy in the world after Iceland, Japan and Hong Kong.[301]Life expectancy in Australia in 2010 was 79.5 years for males and 84.0 years for females.[302]Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world,[303]whilecigarette smokingis the largest preventable cause of death and disease, responsible for 7.8% of the total mortality and disease. Ranked second in preventable causes ishypertensionat 7.6%, with obesity third at 7.5%.[304][305]Australia ranks 35th in the world[306]and near the top ofdeveloped nationsfor its proportion ofobeseadults.[307]Total expenditure on health (including private sector spending) is around 9.8% of GDP.[308]Australia introduceduniversal health carein 1975.[309]Known asMedicare, it is now nominally funded by an income tax surcharge known as theMedicare levy, currently set at 1.5%.[310]The states manage hospitals and attached outpatient services, while the Commonwealth funds thePharmaceutical Benefits Scheme(subsidising the costs of medicines) and general practice.[309]CultureMain article:Culture of Australia

TheRoyal Exhibition Buildingin Melbourne was the first building in Australia to be listed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Sitein 2004.[311]Since 1788, the basis of Australian culture has been strongly influenced byAnglo-CelticWestern culture.[312][313]Distinctive cultural features have also arisen from Australia's natural environment and Indigenous cultures.[314][315]Since the mid-20th century,American popular culturehas strongly influenced Australia, particularly through television and cinema.[316]Other cultural influences come from neighbouring Asian countries, and through large-scale immigration from non-English-speaking nations.[316][317]ArtsMain articles:Australian art,Theatre of AustraliaandDance in AustraliaAustralian visual arts are thought to have begun with thecave paintings,rock engravingsandbody paintingof its Indigenous peoples. The traditions of Indigenous Australians are largely transmitted orally, through ceremony and the telling ofDreamtimestories.[318]From the time of European settlement, a major theme in Australian art has been the natural landscape, seen for example in the works ofArthur Streeton,Tom Robertsand others associated with the 19th-centuryHeidelberg School, the first "distinctively Australian" movement in Western art.[319]

Sidney Nolan'sSnakemural (1970), held at theMuseum of Old and New Art, is inspired by the Aboriginal creation myth of theRainbow Serpent, as well as the Australian landscape.The country's landscape remains a source of inspiration for Australian modernist artists; it has been depicted in acclaimed works by the likes ofAlbert Namatjira,Sidney Nolan,[320]Arthur Boyd,[321]Fred Williams,[322]Margaret PrestonandClifton Pugh.[323]Contemporary Indigenous Australian artis the only art movement of international significance to emerge from Australia[324]and "the last great art movement of the 20th century";[325]its exponents have includedEmily Kngwarreye.[326]Art criticRobert Hugheshas written several influential books about Australian history and art, and was described as the "world's most famous art critic" byThe New York Times.[327]TheNational Gallery of Australiaand state galleries maintain Australian and overseas collections.[328]Australia has one of the world's highest attendances of art galleries and museums per head of populationfar more than Britain or America.[329]Many of Australia's performing arts companies receive funding through the federal government'sAustralia Council.[330]There is a symphony orchestra in each state,[331]and a national opera company,Opera Australia,[332]well known for its famoussopranoJoan Sutherland.[333]At the beginning of the 20th century,Nellie Melbawas one of the world's leading opera singers.[334]Ballet and dance are represented byThe Australian Balletand various state companies. Each state has a publicly funded theatre company.[335]Australian literaturehas also been influenced by the landscape; the works of writers such asBanjo Paterson,Henry Lawson, andDorothea Mackellarcaptured the experience of the Australianbush.[336]The character of the nation's colonial past, as represented in early literature, is popular with modern Australians.[314]In 1973,Patrick Whitewas awarded theNobel Prize in Literature, the only Australian to have achieved this.[337]Australian winners of theMan Booker Prizehave includedPeter CareyandThomas Keneally;[338]David Williamson,David MaloufandJ. M. Coetzee, who has become an Australian citizen, are also renowned writers[339]andLes Murrayis regarded as "one of the leading poets of his generation".[340]MediaMain articles:Television in Australia,Media of AustraliaandMusic of Australia

Actor playing thebushrangerNed KellyinThe Story of the Kelly Gang(1906), the world's first feature filmThe Story of the Kelly Gang(1906), the world's firstfeature lengthfilm, spurred a boom inAustralian cinemaduring thesilent filmera.[341]After World War I,Hollywoodmonopolised the industry,[342]and by the 1960s Australian film production had effectively ceased.[343]With the benefit of government support, theAustralian New Waveof the 1970s brought provocative and successful films, many exploring the nation's colonial past, such asPicnic at Hanging RockandBreaker Morant,[344]while the so-calledOzploitationgenre produced international blockbusters, including theMad Maxseries.[345]More recent successes includedShineandRabbit-Proof Fence.[346][347]Notable Australian actors includeJudith Anderson,[348]Errol Flynn,[349]Nicole Kidman,Naomi Watts,[350]Hugh Jackman,Heath Ledger,Geoffrey Rush, andCate Blanchett.[351]Australia has two public broadcasters (theAustralian Broadcasting Corporationand the multiculturalSpecial Broadcasting Service), three commercial television networks, several pay-TV services,[352]and numerous public, non-profit television and radio stations. Each major city has at least one daily newspaper,[352]and there are two national daily newspapers,The AustralianandThe Australian Financial Review.[352]In 2010,Reporters Without Bordersplaced Australia 18th on a list of 178 countries ranked bypress freedom, behind New Zealand (8th) but ahead of the United Kingdom (19th) and United States (20th).[353]This relatively low ranking is primarily because of the limited diversity of commercial media ownership in Australia;[354]most print media are under the control ofNews CorporationandFairfax Media.[355]CuisineMain article:Australian cuisine

Thepavlova, a meringue-based dessert, is synonymous with Australian cuisine.The food ofIndigenous Australianswas largely influenced by the area in which they lived. Most tribal groups subsisted on a simplehunter-gatherer diet,huntingnative game and fish and collecting native plants and fruit. The general term for nativeAustralian floraandfaunaused as a source of food isbush tucker.[356][357]Thefirst settlersintroducedBritish foodto the continent, and much of that is now considered typical Australian food; theSunday roasthas become an enduring tradition for many Australians.[358][359]Since the beginning of the 20th century, food in Australia has increasingly been influenced by immigrants to the nation, particularly fromSouthern EuropeanandAsian cultures.[358][359]Although the country of origin is largely disputed between Australia and New Zealand,[360][361][362]themeringue-based dessertpavlovahas become an icon of Australian cuisine, popularly served onChristmas Dayand usually garnished with fruit and cream.Australian wineis produced in 60 distinct production areas totalling about 160,000 hectares, mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country. The wine regions in each of these states produce different wine varieties and styles that take advantage of local climates and soil types. In 1995, an Australian red wine,Penfolds Grange, won theWine Spectatoraward for Wine of the Year, the first time a wine from outsideFranceorCaliforniaachieved this distinction.[363]SportMain article:Sport in Australia

Crickethas been an important part of Australia's sporting culture since the 19th century.[364]About 24% of Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organised sporting activities.[238]Australia has strong international teams incricket,hockey,netball,rugby league, andrugby union, having been Olympic or world champions at least twice in each sport in the last 25 years for both men and women where applicable.[365][366][367][368][369][370][371][372]Australia is also powerful in track cycling,rowing, and swimming, having consistently been in the top-five medal-winners at Olympic or World Championship level since 2000.[373][374][375]Swimming is the strongest of these sports; Australia is the second-most prolific medal winner in the sport in Olympic history.[376][377][378]Some of Australia's most internationally well-known and successful sportspeople are swimmersDawn Fraser,Murray Rose,Shane Gould, andIan Thorpe; sprintersShirley Strickland,Betty Cuthbert, andCathy Freeman;[379]tennis playersRod Laver,Roy Emerson,Ken Rosewall,Evonne Goolagong, andMargaret Court; cricketersDonald BradmanandShane Warne; three-timeFormula Oneworld championJack Brabham; five-time motorcycle grand prix world championMick Doohan; golfersGreg NormanandKarrie Webb;[380]cyclistHubert Opperman, prodigious billiards playerWalter Lindrum[381]and basketball playersAndrew Bogut[382]andLauren Jackson. Nationally, other popular sports includeAustralian rules football, horse racing, squash, surfing, soccer, and motor racing. The annualMelbourne Cuphorse race and theSydney to Hobartyacht race attract intense interest.Australia is one of five nations to have participated in everySummer Olympicsof the modern era,[383]and has hosted the Games twice:1956in Melbourne and2000in Sydney.[384]Australia has also participated in everyCommonwealth Games,[385]hosting the event in1938,1962,1982,2006and will host the2018 Commonwealth Games.[386]As well as being a regularFIFA World Cupparticipant, Australia has won theOFC Nations Cupfour times and theAFC Asian Cuponce the only country to have won championships in two different FIFA confederations. Other major international events held in Australia include theAustralian Opentennisgrand slamtournament, international cricket matches, and theAustralian Formula One Grand Prix. Australia hosted the2003 Rugby World Cupand the annual AustraliaNew ZealandBledisloe Cupis keenly watched. The highest-rating television programs include sports telecasts such as the Summer Olympics, FIFA World Cup,Rugby League State of Origin, and thegrand finalsof theNational Rugby LeagueandAustralian Football League.[387]Skiing in Australiabegan in the 1860s and snow sports take place in theAustralian Alpsand parts ofTasmania.See alsoAustralia portal

Oceania portal

Commonwealth realms portal

Geography portal

Transport in Australia Tourism in Australia Visa policy of Australia Outline of Australia Book:AustraliaNotes1. Jump up^Australia'sroyal anthemis "God Save the Queen", played in the presence of a member of theRoyal familywhen they are in Australia. In all other appropriate contexts, thenational anthemof Australia, "Advance Australia Fair", is played.[1]2. ^Jump up to:abEnglish does not havede jurestatus.[2]3. ^Jump up to:abThere are minor variations from three basic time zones; seeTime in Australia.4. Jump up^TheOxford English Dictionaryrecords a first occurrence in 1908, in the formOss.Ozis often taken as an oblique reference to the fictional Land of Oz in the filmThe Wizard of Oz(1939), based onL. Frank Baum's novelThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz(1900).[23]Australians' "image of Australia as a 'Land of Oz' is not new, and dedication to it runs deep".[24]The spellingOzis likely to have been influenced by the 1939 film, though the pronunciation was probably always with a /z/, as it is also forAussie, sometimes speltOzzie.[25]TheBaz LuhrmannfilmAustralia(2008) makes repeated reference toThe Wizard of Oz, which appeared just before the wartime action ofAustralia. Some critics have even speculated that Baum was inspired by Australia, in naming theLand of Oz: "InOzma of Oz(1907), Dorothy gets back to Oz as the result of a storm at sea while she and Uncle Henry are travelling by ship to Australia. So, like Australia, Oz is somewhere to the west of California. Like Australia, Oz is an island continent. Like Australia, Oz has inhabited regions bordering on a great desert. One might almost imagine that Baum intended Oz to be Australia, or perhaps a magical land in the center of the great Australian desert."[26]5. Jump up^Australia describes the body of water south of its mainland as theSouthern Ocean, rather than the Indian Ocean as defined by theInternational Hydrographic Organization(IHO). In 2000, a vote of IHO member nations defined the term "Southern Ocean" as applying only to the waters betweenAntarcticaand60 degrees southlatitude.[142]