AUSTRALIA

Facts & Figures

Map of Australia Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II (1952) Governor-General: Quentin Bryce (2008) Prime Minister: Julia Gillard (2010) Land area: 2,941,283 sq mi (7,617,931 sq km); total area: 2,967,893 sq mi (7,686,850 sq km) Population (2010 est.): 21,515,754 (growth rate: 1.1%); birth rate: 12.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.67/1000; life expectancy: 81.7; density per sq mi: 7 Capital (2003 est.): Canberra, 327,700 Largest cities: Sydney, 4,250,100; Melbourne, 3,610,800; Brisbane, 1,545,700; Perth, 1,375,200; Adelaide, 1,087,600

Monetary unit: Australian dollar Languages: English 79%, native and other languages Ethnicity/race: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Anglican 21%, other Christian 21%, Buddhist 2%, Islam 2%, other 1%, none 15% (2001) National Holiday: Australia Day, January 26 Literacy rate: 99%% (2003 est.) Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2009 est.): $824.3 billion; per capita $38,800. Real growth rate: 1%. Inflation: 1.9%. Unemployment: 5.7%. Arable land: 6.15%. Agriculture: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry. Labor force: 10.9 million; agriculture 3.6%, industry 21.2%, services 75.2% (2007 est.). Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel. Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum. Exports: $161.5 billion (2009 est.): coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment. Imports: $160.9 billion (2009 est.): machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products. Major trading partners: China, U.S., Japan, Singapore, Germany (2006). Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 9.94 million (2006); mobile cellular: 19.76 million (2006). Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998). Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997). I nternet hosts: 9.458 million (2007). Internet users: 15.3 million (2006). Transportation: Railways: total: 38,550 km (2006). Highways: total: 810,641 km; paved: 336,962 km; unpaved: 473,679 km (2004). Waterways: 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2006). Ports and harbors: Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne,Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney. Airports: 461 (2007). International disputes: Timor-Leste and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for fifty years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore and Cartier Islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catch; regional states continue to express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime identification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers or roughly thirty percent of its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security.

Geography The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

Government Democracy. Symbolic executive power is vested in the British monarch, who is represented throughout Australia by the governor-general. History The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. There may have been between a half million to a full million Aborigines at the time of European settlement; today about 350,000 live in Australia. Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish ships sighted Australia in the 17th century; the Dutch landed at the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606. In 1616 the territory became known as New Holland. The British arrived in 1688, but it was not until Captain James Cook's voyage in 1770 that Great Britain claimed possession of the vast island, calling it New South Wales. A British penal colony was set up at Port Jackson (what is now Sydney) in 1788, and about 161,000 transported English convicts were settled there until the system was suspended in 1839. Free settlers and former prisoners established six colonies: New South Wales (1786), Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) (1825), Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1834), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). Various gold rushes attracted settlers, as did the mining of other minerals. Sheep farming and grain soon grew into important economic enterprises. The six colonies became states and in 1901 federated into the Commonwealth of Australia with a constitution that incorporated British parliamentary and U.S. federal traditions. Australia became known for its liberal legislation: free compulsory education, protected trade unionism with industrial conciliation and arbitration, the secret ballot, women's suffrage, maternity allowances, and sickness and old-age pensions. Culture Art Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre A centre dedicated to Aboriginal art and culture Australian Photography Web Directory Looking for Australian Photography & related web sites? Look no further. Australia.PhotoWebs.net is an exhaustive directory of Photography & related web sites for Australia. ANU Institute of the Arts Provides a Library service relating to Australian Art

Art Almanac the essential guide to Australia's art galleries A monthly magazine listing art galleries, their exhibitions and exhibiting artists the most current accurate and comprehensive guide to Australian visual arts. Art Gallery of NSW Art Gallery of Western Australia Art Gallery of Western Australia ArtsInfo The ArtsInfo website is an initiative of the Commonwealth Department of Communications and the Arts. Artrage Artrage tells the public about up and coming contemporary arts events in Australia, with a focus on Western Australia. Artrage has been operating since 1983 to promote contemporary culture in Australia Arts Tasmania Tasmanian Government's arts agency Australian Art Gallery Information about Australian Galleries, Exhibitions and Artists. Australian Council - for the Arts The Australian Council is the Federal Government's principal arts funding and advisory body. Australian Cultural Heritage Collections Online AMOL is a comprehensive internet site designed to help Australian Collecting Institutions make information about their collections available to a world-wide audience. It is also the principal gateway to the Australian Collections Sector for professionals and volunteers, community users and researchers. Australian Network for Art and Technology Australia's peak network and advocacy body for artists working with technology. Australian Women's Art Register Australian Women's Art Register is an archive and repository of slides, published material and other written sources, both old and new, documenting Australian women artists, their art practice, their images and their writings. Central Coast Art Society

Non-profit organisation serving artists of the Central Coast of NSW. Provides tuition in oils,pastel,acrylic and watercolour painting, photography sculpture; workshops, paint-outs,and tours. Based at the Gosford Regional Gallery and Arts Centre. David Bailey Panoramic Photography Panoramic Images of Australia by David Bailey capturing the colour and beauty of the diverse landscape . From the Snowy Mountains , Blue Mountains , Coastal scenes of NSW beaches , Sydney City and Harbour . Independent Theatre Association The ITA is the umbrella organisation independent, community and amateur theatre throughout Western Australia. This site aims to offer a meeting place and focal point for members and anyone else interested in community and amateur theatre. Museum of Contemporary Art Parallel Gallery Parallel presents cross-disciplinary work from artists and writers Queensland Art Gallery Storm on the infobahn Storm is Australia's premier arts magazine, now a major force on the World Wide Web (care of Miranda Bain and Jason Romney's Artekko). It offers incisive commentary, street-wise reporting and sumptuous production values. Sydney College of the Arts Home Page of the sydney college of the arts Windmill Performing Arts Windmill Performing Arts has evolved from a vision to a source of delight for Australian children and families. The company's mission is to provide children and families with a range of high quality performance experiences thatare engaging, enthralling and inspiring and to enrich children's participation in cultural life, education and learning.

Dance Dancesport Australia

Information about sports dancing in Australia - includes calender of coming events Festivals Adelaide Fringe Festival Adelaide Fringe features a program of comedy, dance, theatre and much much more. Discovory Coast 1770 Festival Town of 1770 (Seventeen Seventy) - so named after the visit of Lt. James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in May, 1770. This was Cooks second landfall in Australia -the first in Queensland - so giving rise to the area claim to be the Birthplace of Queensland. The 1770 Festival is held each year in May on the weekend around the 24th in Commemoration to the Heritage of the Birth Place Of Queensland. Murray River International Music Festival The Murray River International Music Festival is a six week event featuring the best Australian and international fine music performers along with regional food and wine in unique Murray River locations. The Festival follows this precious and iconic river through towns and cities in three states of Australia and opens in Mildura in January with the premier of a specially commissioned work and Slow River dinner. Nannup Music Festival The festival runs for four days from March 3rd to March 6th and with over 50 live acts encompassing a large range of musical styles and acts including Mick Thomas and the Sure Thing, Ash Grunwald, Rick Steele, Toby and Code Red, Totally Gourdgeous, Bernard Carney, Milk and many more. Music enthusiasts can sing and dance the nights away. OZFESTIVALS.COM - Australia's Prime Outdoor Events Directory Directory and Forum dedicated to the Outdoor / Camping - style, Musical, Social and Cultural Events in Australia Perth International Arts Festival The Perth Festival is the oldest international multi arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere (established 1953) and was seen by many as the catalyst for the Adelaide Festival in 1960. Around 500,000 people attend a Festival event each year (paid and free events) and countless hundreds of thousands enjoy Festival events replayed on state and national radio and television.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Information and dates for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras The Annual Glebe Music Festival in Sydney The underlying philosophy of the Glebe Music Festival is to bring together musicians at different stages of their careers in the intimate atmosphere of Margaretta Cottage. With large choirs this has expanded to the performance of major choral works at St Scholastica's Chapel in Glebe. The repertoire is not limited to pure classical music and has included rhythm-and-blues and jazz. The National Festival of Australian Blues Music The National Festival of Australian Blues Music is held on the second weekend of February every year in a variety of venues throughout the historic CBD of Goulburn NSW. The National Festival of Australian Blues Music and showcases the very best of emerging and established Aussie blues talent. The line-up includes acoustic and electric acts with a range of styles from the roots of blues music to the music that has been influenced by blues. Features include: Australian Blues Music Chain Awards, open mic/jam throughout the weekend, Youth in Blues Jam, Pro-Jam, vintage guitar and amp shop, workshops with the artists, buskers & markets. The Australian Federation Tattoo One of the Worlds Great Celtic Style events. The Australian Tattoo is presented in different locations around Australia annually, featuring Internationally renowned artists in an unforgetable spectacle of music dance and precision displays. Tropfest Tropfest is a free, public, outdoor, annual short film festival held on the last Sunday of February, each year. Film Screen Australia Australian Film, Television & Radio School (AFTRS) Food & Drink EatingWA - Perth Restaurants, Perth Restaurant Reviews, Perth Food and Wine Events EatingWA provides a complete list and information on all Western Australian & Perth Restaurants. With EatingWA you can search for any Perth restaurant using the search box located on the left of the screen. All West Australian and Perth

restaurants have access to their own information and regularly update this to provide up to date menus, specials, events and information for all the EatingWA members. Malt Whisky Society of Australia The MWSoA is a non-profit organisation intended to increase appreciation of single malt whisky within Australia. T Melbourne Diners Guide Welcome to MDG - a selection of some of the best restaurants in Melbourne Mietta's Australian Restaurants On-line national restaurant guide, profiles of leading Australian chefs, recipes Old Aussie Food Recipes Memories of yesterday's delicious foods with over 700 old time recipes collected from family writings and cutouts with sprinklings of Australian family humour, poetry, icons, history, etc. A site for the entire family to enjoy. Perth Food Review Restaurant & Cafe Reviews from Perth Western Australia. Read our Reviews, and submit yours. Best Restaurants of Australia Restaurants of Australia shows our best gourmet dining. We have all cuisine, food, wine, beer and seafood information you need. Details of Sydney & all capitals. Menus, wine lists and prices and colour photos of our best dining venues Seafood Fishing Aquaculture Angling Sea-Ex seafood and fishing plus aquaculture, angling and marine portal TablesOnline - Find a Restaurant Provides onlinie access to restaurant tables across australia. The Online Food and Restaurant Guide Hospitality web site keeping restaurant owners, chefs and home cooks a web site to go to for information on recipes restaurant news and alot more Literature Angus & Robertson Dymocks Booksellers

National Library of Australia A series of links to information services State Library of Queensland Provides all the facilities of a library that you could ever need on line State Library of South Australia All the facilities of a library but placed on line for your convenience The Coop BookShop Music ARIA The Australian Record Industry Association Australian Music Centre The Australian Music Centre home page is a corporation designed to collect and promote the music of australian composers GrooveOn.com.au Australia's guide to R&B/Hip Hop music,DJ Profiles,clubbing info,competitions,charts and radio JazzEnews.com JazzEnews.com - Australian Jazz News Service, Interviews and links.

Other AfricanOz - African Australian Online Resource Site for everyone: Links and info on events, music, studies, news, culture etc related to Africa in Australia. AUSSIE PRESS AUSSIE PRESS provides a list of Australian newspapers online Aussie Slang Dictionary of Australian slang words and phrases with cultural references. Australia's Cultural Network

An Australian government entry point to news, events, contacts and information about Australia's culture. Includes visual and performing arts, literature, new media and much more. Use our event finder and our search of Australian Culture. Australian National Flag Association (ANFA) ANFA recently provided the government with Australia's official flag of state - the centenary flag. It exists to communicate positively to all Australians the importance, history and significance of our greatest national symbol - the Australian national flag Canberra, ACT Community Support Website The website is a free service in support of the Canberra Community. Includes information about Volunteering Opportunities; Community Employment Vacancies; Community Events; Tsunami updates. The website is a free service in support of the Canberra Community. Green Cyc Productions A not-for-profit organisation delivering quality theatre productions to the residents and visitors of Apollo Bay and Colac Guides - NSW An interactive site on Guiding in New South Wales. Melbourne French Theatre Inc A unique Australian theatre company presenting plays in French, organising events and serving as an agency for French actors for all multimedia applications Founded in 1977 by Michael Bula and A. David Gorrie under the patronage of His Excellency the French Ambassador to Australia New Acropolis New Acropolis Cultural Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to revive Philosophy in the Classical Tradition. Oxfam - Community Aid Abroad Community Aid Abroad's vision is of a fair world in which people control their own lives, their basic rights are achieved and the environment is sustained. PictureAustralia Half a million images of some of Australia's most significant people, places and events at the National Library of Australia. Plan your weekend in Australia

Hosting Sales, Events and Weekend Packages to visitors and residents of NSW, VIC and QLD. Ringwood Black and White Camera Club Photograph coverage of the Australian Landscape by state. Religion Hosanna - The Triumphant Shout Churches throughout South Australia South Australian Council of Churches Objectives of the South Australian Council of Churches Inc 1. To assist the Churches confronting Members with the Lord's call for Unity. 2. To encourage and enable the Churches to act together in all matters unless in conscience we must act separately. 3. To assist the churches in exploring the Faith we have in common. 4. To encourage participation in Mission and Service World-Wide.

Sport Alice Springs Masters Games Alice Springs, masters games, mature age, sport, Central Australia, NorthernTerritory, masters sport, athlete, competition, oldies, friendly games, HondaMasters Games, Dawn Fraser, outback, Australia, October, major event, NorthernTerritory Government Athletics Australia Athletics in Australia Australian Cricket Board Australian Football League The home page of the Australian Football League Australian Olympic Medals Australian Olympic Medals from 1896 until now. Australian Sports Commission The official Australian Sporting website Australian Surf Report Page

Cycling in Canberra, Australia A must for cycling enthusiasts Fishing Australia Fishraider Fishing reports , articles & information for Sydney & the Sunshine Coast Golf Australia Gymnastics Australia The site of the Australian Gymnastics Federation Monash Sporting Car Club MSCC caters for a wide range of motor sport interests Nothin But Net The official home of Basketball in Australia NSW Fisheries NSW Sea Kayak Club NSW Swimming Association Rugby League Hall Of Fame (Australia) Rugby League history in Australia