Facts About Australia

Location:
 Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Population:
 20,434,176 (July 2007 est.)
Ethnic groups:

White 92%

Asian 7%

Aboriginal and other 1%
Religions:

Catholic 26.4%

Anglican 20.5%

other Christian 20.5%

Buddhist 1.9%

Muslim 1.5%

other 1.2%

unspecified 12.7%

none 15.3%

(2001 Census)
Languages:

English 79.1%

Chinese 2.1%

Italian 1.9%

other 11.1%

unspecified 5.8%

(2001 Census)
Country name:
 conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia
Government type:
 Federal Parliamentary Democracy
Capital:
 Canberra
National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

ANZAC Day, 25 April (1915) 

(commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey)
Political parties and leaders:

Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]

Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]

Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]

Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY]

Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]

Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]

The Nationals [Mark VAILE]
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 known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars.
Currency (code):
 Australian dollar (AUD)
Exchange rates:

Australian dollars per US dollar:

1.2137 (2007)

1.3285 (2006)

1.3095 (2005)

1.3598 (2004)

1.5419 (2003)

1.8406 (2002)
Military branches:

Australian Defense Force (ADF):

Australian Army

Royal Australian Navy

Royal Australian Air Force

Special Operations Command (2006)