|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Malcolm TurnbullScott Morrison
|pm-raw =
|area =2,988,888 sq mi
|pop =2125.8 14 million|pop-basis =20092018|gdp =A$12.17 07 trillion |gdp-year =20092018|gdp-pc =A$3682,000 481
|currency =Australian dollar
|idd =
[[File:Australian fishing family.jpg|right|270px]]
Although Australia has scarcely more than three people per square kilometer, it is one of the world's most urbanized countries. Less than 2.5% of the population lives in remote or very remote areas.
*Population (2010 2017 est.): 2224.27 7 million.<ref>http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3101.0 Australian Bureau of Statistics</ref>
*Annual population growth rate: 1.7%.
*Ethnic groups: European 92%, Asian 6%, Aboriginal 2%.
Immigration has been vital to Australia's development since the beginning of European settlement in 1788. Originally used as a prison for [[convicts]], the discovery of gold in [[Victoria]] convinced many to come to Australia. For generations, most settlers came from the British Isles, and the people of Australia are still predominantly of British or Irish origin, with a culture and outlook similar to those of Americans. A [["White Australia" policy]] operated from 1901 to the 1960s; it encouraged immigration by Europeans and blocked almost all other immigration.
The Chinese who arrived in the late 19th century to work in the gold mines left voluntarily or were expelled. Likewise , most of the "Kanakas"—Polynesians—who came to work in the sugar fields were expatriated after 1901. Many Germans settled in South Australia, but those without Australian citizenship were put in camps during World War I and most were sent back to Germany after the war.
In 2017, the Australian government adopted measures to conduct extreme vetting of immigrants, particularly Muslims, to ensure that radical Islamists do not enter the country, and it reformed its [[H-1B visa]].<ref>Munro, Neil (April 20, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/20/australian-government-adopts-immigration-vetting-guest-worker-reforms/ Australian Gov’t Adopts ‘Extreme Vetting’ for Islamic Migrants, Reforms Foreign Worker Visas]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 20, 2017.</ref> In 2018, the government stated it would refuse to sign the UN global migration compact because of its negative effect on Australian [[sovereignty]].<ref>Multiple references:*Remeikis, Amy (July 24, 2018). [https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jul/25/dutton-says-australia-wont-surrender-our-sovereignty-by-signing-un-migration-deal Dutton says Australia won't 'surrender our sovereignty' by signing UN migration deal]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved July 27, 2018.*Riordan, Primrose (July 25, 2018). [https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/peter-dutton-says-he-will-not-sign-un-agreement-on-migration-in-its-current-form/news-story/953fcb518c3ac46d69f50034f08b0faf Peter Dutton says he will not sign UN agreement on migration ‘in its current form’]. ''The Australian''. Retrieved July 27, 2018.*Kan, Janita (July 25, 2018). [https://www.theepochtimes.com/australia-will-not-sign-un-global-migration-agreement-in-its-current-form_2603283.html Australia Will Not Sign UN Global Migration Agreement ‘In Its Current Form’]. ''The Epoch Times''. Retrieved July 27, 2018.</ref> In November 2018, Prime Minister [[Scott Morrison]] promised he would reduce immigration levels.<ref>Kent, Simon (November 19, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/11/19/enough-enough-enough-australia-ready-to-slash-migrant-intake/ ‘Enough, Enough, Enough’: Australia Ready to Slash Migrant Intake]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 19, 2018.</ref> ====Illegal immigration====
In 1999, there was a surge in illegal immigration to Australia.<ref name="Dawson">Dawson, Stephan (August 28, 2015). [https://ricochet.com/archives/how-australia-stopped-illegal-immigration/ How Australia Stopped Illegal Immigration]. ''Ricochet''. Retrieved August 18, 2016.</ref> The Liberal (the conservative party) prime minister [[John Howard]] cracked down on illegal immigration and by 2002, there was virtually no illegal immigration.<ref name="Dawson"/> In 2007, [[Kevin Rudd]] of the Labor party was elected prime minister, and because of his government's lenient immigration policy, the number of illegal immigrants skyrocketed, reaching over 20,000 people and 300 boats in the year 2013 alone.<ref name="Dawson"/> However, the government did not acknowledge that its lax policies were the reason for the growth in illegal immigration.<ref name="Dawson"/> In 2013, the Liberal Party was voted back into the government, and again instituted strict (and thus, controversial) policies again, and illegal immigration dropped to virtually zero, with only one boat arriving in 2014, and zero in 2015.<ref name="Dawson"/>
Australia continued enacting additional border security measures which resulted in all forms of migration falling even further by 2018.<ref>Kent, Simon (May 30, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/30/toughened-border-security-drives-plunge-in-australias-migration-intake/ Toughened Border Security Drives Plunge in Australia’s Migration Intake]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 30, 2018.</ref> Because of its immigration policies, Australia's migration levels reached a 10-year low in 2017.<ref>Kent, Simon (July 13, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/13/tougher-border-controls-crash-australias-migrant-numbers-to-10-year-low/ Tougher Border Controls Crash Australia’s Migrant Numbers to 10-Year Low]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 13, 2018.</ref> In August 2018, [[Scott Morrison]], who created the country's tough immigration policy, became prime minister.<ref>Kent, Simon (August 24, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/24/hardline-border-security-advocate-scott-morrison-australias-new-pm/ Hardline Border Security Advocate Scott Morrison Australia’s New PM]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 24, 2018.</ref><ref>Pannett, Rachel (August 24, 2018). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/scott-morrison-to-be-australias-next-prime-minister-1535080332 Australia Ousts Another Prime Minister as Ruling Party Shifts Right]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved August 24, 2018.</ref>
In 2019, facing a very thin Liberal Party majority, Australia's parliament undermined the country's tough immigration policies, though foreign countries such as [[Nauru]] took some steps to preserve it.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-immigration/nauru-could-thwart-refugee-medical-transfers-to-australia-idUSKCN1Q813G Nauru could thwart refugee medical transfers to Australia]. ''Reuters''. February 19, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.</ref>
===Recent trends===
Australia is a [[secular]] nation, in that it has no established religion associated with the Government.
(Requires mathematic correction)
According to the 2006 census, 64% of citizens consider themselves to be Christian, including 26% Roman Catholic, 19% Anglican, and 19% other Christian. Buddhists constitute 2.1% of the population, Muslims 1.7%, Hindus 0.7%, Jews 0.4%, and all others professing a religion 0.5%. Of Australia's 21 million people, about 1.5 million attend weekly religious services.<ref>[http://www.ncls.org.au/default.aspx?docid=2250&track=82083 National Church Life Survey 2004]; U.S. State Department, "International Religious Freedom Report 2008" [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108400.htm online]</ref> See also: [[Irreligion in Australia]]
[[File:Ballarat Hebrew Congregation Australia.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Ballarat Hebrew Congregation.]]
In 1911, during the first census, 96% identified themselves as Christian. In recent decades traditional Christian denominations have seen their total number and proportion of affiliates stagnate or decrease significantly, although from 2001 to 2006, the total number of Pentecostal and charismatic Christians increased by 12.9%. Over the past decade, increased immigration from Southeast Asia and the Middle East considerably expanded the numbers of citizens who identify themselves as Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, and increased the ethnic diversity of existing Christian denominations. Between 2001 and 2006, the numbers increased for Buddhists by 17% (to 418,000), Muslims by 21% (to 340,393), Jews by 6% (to 89,000), and Hindus by 55% (to 148,131). In 2006 approximately 18.7% of citizens considered themselves to have no religion, up from 17% in 2001, and 11.2% made no statement regarding religious affiliation. According to a 2002 survey, 23% of adults had participated in church or religious activities during the previous 3 months.
====Gun control====
In response to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in which 35 people were killed (23 wounded) buy by a gunman, Australia introduced strict gun control laws. Due to bipartisan support the laws were quickly passed and a "gun buy-back" scheme was imposed, whereby gun owners were forced to surrender their guns to the government in exchange for monetary compensation. As there is little to no "gun culture" in Australia, these measures were widely accepted and even welcomed. Since 1997 both the homicide rate and gun death rate in Australia have fallen dramatically.{{cn}}
==Government==
Australia is a democracy which has allowed men of European descent to vote since federation, with women gaining the vote in 1902 and Aboriginal men and women gaining suffrage in 1962. Voting is compulsory for all citizens who are 18 years old and over (with a few exceptions.)
Australia's Head of Government is the [[Prime Minister of Australia]]. The current Prime Minister is Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison who is the leader of the Liberal Party (a right-leaning political party).
The Head of State is [[Queen Elizabeth II]], the Queen of Australia (who is the same person, but a different title, as the Queen of Great Britain.) Under the Constitution, and in practice, the authority of the Head of State is vested in the [[Governor-General of Australia]], currently Quentin Bryce AC, Previously Governor of [[Queensland]], who assents to acts of parliament, is the Commander in Chief of the military forces, and appoints all Ministers of the Government; all these various powers are normally exercised on advice from the Prime Minister.
===Principal Government Officials===
*Governor General—Sir Peter Cosgrove
*Prime Minister—Malcolm TurnbullMinister—Scott Morrison*Deputy Prime Minister—Warren TrussMinister—Michael McCormack*Treasurer—Joe HockeyTreasurer—Josh Frydenberg*Foreign Minister—Julie BishopMinister—Marise Payne*Defense Minister—Kevin McQuayMinister—Christopher Pyne*Trade Minister—Andrew RobbMinister—Simon Birmingham
===Political Conditions===
The ALP, under the leadership of Kevin Rudd, defeated the Liberal/National coalition, led by then-Prime Minister John Howard, in the November 24, 2007 election. The ALP now holds 83 seats in the House of Representatives, against 64 for the Liberal/National coalition, and 3 independents. The composition of the Senate is 37 seats for the coalition, 32 for the ALP, five seats for the Greens, one for Family First, and one independent.
The ALP won the election with a message promising "new leadership" after 11 years of the Howard government. Rudd portrayed himself as an "economic conservative," while criticizing unpopular Howard government policies on workplace relations reform, climate change, and the war on Iraq. The Rudd government ratified the Kyoto Protocol and is working with the international community on combating climate change. It is undoing some labor market reforms instituted by the Howard government, such as statutory individual contracts. The Australian government's foreign policy shows strong continuity with that of its predecessors, stressing relations with four key countries: the United States, Japan, China, and Indonesia. The Rudd government strongly supports U.S. engagement in the Asia-Pacific region and increased Australia’s Australia's troop contribution in Afghanistan. It withdrew Australia's combat troops from Iraq in 2008; it intends to end its military mission in Iraq on July 31, 2009.
Australia has been an active participant in international affairs since federation in 1901, and Australian forces have fought beside the United States and other Allies in every significant conflict since World War I. On January 8, 1940, the governments of the United States and Australia announced the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. In 1944, Australia concluded an agreement with New Zealand dealing with the security, welfare, and advancement of the people of the independent territories of the Pacific (the ANZAC pact). After World War II, Australia played a role in the Far Eastern Commission in Japan and supported Indonesian independence during that country's revolt against the Dutch. Australia was one of the founding members of the United Nations, the South Pacific Commission, and the Colombo Plan. In addition to contributing to UN forces in Korea—it was the first country to announce it would do so after the United States—Australia sent troops to assist in putting down the 1948-1960 communist revolt in Malaya and later to combat the 1963-1965 Indonesian-supported invasion of Sarawak. The United States, Australia, and New Zealand signed the ANZUS Treaty in 1951, which remains Australia's pre-eminent formal security treaty alliance. Australia sent troops to assist South Vietnamese and U.S. forces in Vietnam, and joined coalition forces in the Persian Gulf conflict in 1991, in Afghanistan in 2001, and in Iraq in 2003.
The Australian Government has stated its intention to maintain its investment in future capability of the Australian Defense Force (ADF). To do so, the government has committed to a 3% annual growth in real defense funding through 2018—and 2.2% annual real growth beyond—to ensure the ADF can continue to meet capability and interoperability goals. The Australian Defense Force numbers about 54,000 active duty personnel, with planned increases to 57,000 within the next decade. The Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) front-line fleet currently includes 12 frigates, including 4 of the Adelaide class and 8 Australian-built ANZAC class. In August 2004, Australia selected the Aegis Combat Control System for its three air warfare destroyers (AWD), which will start coming into service in 2014. The F/A-18 fighter, built in Australia under license from the U.S. manufacturer, is the principal combat aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force, backed by the U.S.-built F-111 strike aircraft. In October 2002, Australia became a Level III partner in the U.S.-led Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Additionally, the Australian Government signed the JSF Production, Sustainment and Follow-on Development MOU in 2006. Australia is projected to buy up to 100 JSF aircraft with deliveries starting in 2013 and running through 2020. The F-111 strike aircraft are scheduled to exit service by 2010 and will be replaced by 24 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters as an interim strike capability with deliveries commencing in 2010. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of the last aircraft in its buy of 4 Lockheed C-17 strategic airlift aircraft in 2008. In addition, Boeing will provide the Commonwealth of Australia's RAAF with an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system based on the Next-Generation 737-700 aircraft as the airborne platform. Recent U.S. sales to the Australian Army include the M1A1 AIM tank, as well as Hellfire and JAVELIN munitions. Future opportunities include CH-47 helicopter replacements, navy helicopter replacements, light and medium cargo aircraft replacements and artillery systems.
In May 2009, the Australian Government released its Defense White Paper, outlining Australia’s Australia's long-term strategic outlook. In addition to buying the JSF aircraft, the White Paper proposes to double Australia’s Australia's submarine fleet to 12, replace the ANZAC class frigates, and replace the army’s army's armored personnel carriers.
==Economy==
====Energy====
[[File:Energy 500kv-power-lines Australia.jpg|right|400px]]
Australia is rich in natural resources with significant petroleum, natural gas and coal reserves. Australia’s Australia's energy consumption is dominated by coal, which fuels most of the country’s country's power generation. Petroleum accounts for a large share of energy consumption, but due to declining output, Australia is facing a growing dependence on petroleum imports. Over the past two decades, Australia has steadily consumed increasing amounts of natural gas, which is likely to continue over the medium term.<ref>See Energy Information Administration, "Australia" (2009) [http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Australia/Background.html online]</ref>
Australia is one of the four countries (along with Norway, Canada and Mexico) belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that is a significant net energy exporter. Australia is the world’s world's largest coal exporter and is the fifth largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Australia’s Australia's prospects for expanding energy exports in the future are promising as Asian demand for both coal and LNG rises. However, Australia can expect increasing export competition from China (coal) and Indonesia (coal and LNG).
In July 2005, the Australian government formed the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). The AER is responsible for economic regulation in Australian energy markets. In addition, the AER promotes investment in the energy sector to ensure supply security, while monitoring prices faced by end users. In 2006, Australia’s Australia's 13 government bodies transferred energy regulation responsibility to the AER. The AER is seeking $23 billion in infrastructure investments over the next 15 years.
====Comparing Australian and U.S. Economic and Health statistics====
* [[Australian dollar]]
* [[Currency#Australia|Currency: Australia]]
* [[Australia, irreligion and obesity]]
*[[Irreligious Australia and alcoholism]]
==Bibliography==
*Powell JM . ''An Historical Geography of Modern Australia: The Restive Fringe''. (1988)
*Robinson GM, Loughran RJ, and Tranter PJ. ''Australia and New Zealand: economy, society and environment''.(2000)
===History===
* Webby, Elizabeth, ed. ''The Cambridge Companion to Australian Literature'' (2006)
* Wannan, Bill. ''A Dictionary of Australian Folklore: Lore, Legends, Myths and Traditions'' (1988)
==Primary sources==
* [http://www.aph.gov.au Australian Parliament House (Reps & Senate) portal]
* [http://www.gg.gov.au Governor-General of Australia]
*[http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/oceania.htm Australia and Oceania]
* [http://www.norepublic.com.au Australians for Constitutional Monarchy]
* [http://www.crownedrepublic.com.au The Crowned Republic ]
==References==
{{reflistReflist|2colwidth=35em}}
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