Simple Facts
| Geography: 7,686,850 sq. km |
| Location: A continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean |
| Population: 19.5 million |
| Capital: Canberra |
| Ethnic Make-up: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% |
| Language: English, indigenous languages |
| Currency: Australian dollar |
Economic Snapshot
Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003.
Cost of Living
| One bedroom apartment: AUS$250.00 (165.00 USD) |
| Monthly tram ticket: AUS$120.00 (79.00 USD) |
| Cost of meal in a restaurant: AUS$25.00 (16.00 USD) |
| Glass of beer: AUS$5.00 (3.30 USD) |
| Coffee: AUS$2.50 (1.65 USD) |
| Big Mac: AUS$3.75 (2.45 USD) |
| Cinema Ticket: AUS$15.00 (9.80 USD) |
Recent History
| 1901 | The Commonwealth of Australia is formed by the colonies of Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Hobart and Brisbane. |
| 1914 | Many Australians enlisted for service in World War I. However, enthusiasm for the war waned as the Australian economy suffered. |
| 1917 | Transcontinental railway opens. |
| 1920 | Airline service begins. |
| 1930's | Western Australia fails in an attempt to secede from the Commonwealth. |
| 1931 | The Great Depression was made worse in much of Australia by deflationary government policies. |
| 1942 | Darwin was bombed repeatedly until Australian forces helped stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific during World War II. |
| 1951 | ANZUS, a defensive alliance of Australia, New Zealand and the United States is founded. |
| 1956 | Melbourne hosted the first Olympic Games held in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| 1960 | Aborigines are granted citizenship and social service benefits. |
| 1964 | The military draft was introduced in Australia for the first time. Australian troops were sent to Vietnam the next year. |
| 1967 | The Australian government granted Aborigines the right to vote. |
| 1972 | The Labor Party took power for the first time since 1949. It soon abolished the draft and withdrew Australian forces from Vietnam. |
| 1983 | Robert Hawke, head of the Labor party, becomes Prime Minister. |
| 1990 | Hawke is reelected and then removed from his duties later in 1990 when he suffers a decline in popularity due to the ongoing recession. The economy hits its worst level since the Great Depression. |
| 1991 | Paul Keating replaces Robert Hawke as Prime Minister. |
| 1993 | Elections are held and Keating retains his position as Prime Minister. Sydney was chosen as the site of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. |
| 1996 | John Winston Howard becomes Prime Minister. A coalition of Liberal Party and National Party candidates gained a majority in both houses of parliament, ending years of consecutive Labor rule. |
| 1999 | 55% of Australians voted against the country's becoming a republic with a president "appointed by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Commonwealth Parliament". |
| 2000 | Sydney hosts the 2000 Summer Olympic games. |
| 2001 | Australia celebrates 100 years since its inauguration as the Commonwealth of Australia. |
| 2002 | The nation mourns as possibly 92 of its citizens are killed in a night club bombing in Bali, Indonesia, which some call Australia's September 11. |
Culture Tips
- Australians are friendly and very approachable. It is usually customary for Australians to greet strangers in an informal manner.
- Barbecues are a popular form of home entertainment in Australia.
- Tipping is not the general custom in Australia and service charges are not added to accounts by hotels and restaurants. Porters at airports, taxi drivers and hairdressers do not expect to be tipped although you may do so if you wish. In better-class restaurants, it is usual to tip food and drink waiters up to 10 per cent of the bill for good service. At any time, tipping is your choice.
- Australians do not normally expect their invited guests to bring a gift, especially on the first invitation. On the second invitation, gifts such as wine, flowers, chocolate and a souvenir from your country are acceptable.
- Be sure to put in the time to develop long lasting relationships.
- Australians are generally very proud of their country and history. During conversations, give an Australian the opportunity to educate you about the country's history and customs.
- In general, Australians are usually relaxed and informal, as well as direct and pragmatic.
- Australians do a lot of good-natured ribbing with each other, and especially with Kiwis, with whom they have a longstanding rivalry, especially in sports. Don't be surprised or put off if they include you in the fun.
- Australians tend to be casual about dress. Be prepared to find people going to non-business settings in shorts and tee shirts.
- Smoking is not permitted in government buildings, on public transport including domestic flights, tourist coaches and inside all Australian airports. All restaurants and cafes are non-smoking and large hotels have non-smoking rooms.
Links
The following sites provide additional information about Australia
http://www.dcp.com.au/aus-info/aus/australia.html
http://www.csu.edu.au/australia/
http://www.about-australia.com/welcome.html
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