AUSTRALIA

Australia OFFITIAL NAME : Commonwealth of Australia CAPITAL: Canberra TOTAL AREA: 7,700,000 sq.km POPULATION: 20 million people HEAD OF STATE: Queen Elizabeth II represented by Governor-

General FORM OF GVERNMENT: Constitutional monarchy PORTS: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane LONGEST RIVER: the Darling (2,740 km) HIGHEST POINT: Mount Kosciusko (2,230 m) NATURAL RESOURCES: coal, zink, nickel, gold, wool NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Australian Day , 16 January (1788) MONEY: basic unit – Australian dollar NATIONAL SYMBOLS: Kangaroo and Emu NATIONAL ANTHEM: “Waltzing Matilda”

Australia's coat of arms – the official emblem of the Australian Government –

was granted by George V in 1912. The arms consist of a shield containing the badges of

the six states. The supporters are native Australian fauna – a kangaroo and an emu. A yellow-flowered native plant, wattle, also

appears in the design.

The flag of Australia is the only one to fly over a whole continent. The small Union

Jack represents the historical link with Britain, the large seven-pointed star

represents the six States and Territories, and the small stars from the Southern

Cross – a prominent feature of the southern hemisphere night sky.

Union Flag

6th British colony.

Southern cross symbolizes the constellation.

The Commonwealth 7 pointed star represents the 7 territories.

States and Territories

1. New South Wales2. Queensland3. South Australia4. Tasmania5. Victoria6. Western Australia7. Northern Territory8. Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Languages of AustraliaOfficial language: NoneMain language: Australian English (80%)Indigenous language: Australian Aboriginal languages, Tasmanian languages, Torres Strait Island languages.Minority language: Mandarin Chinese (1.6%), Italian (1.4%), Arabic (1.3%), Vietnamese (1.7%), Greek (1.2%), Cantonese (1.2%)Sign language: Auslan

Government Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Monarch Elizabeth II

Governor-General Quentin Bryce

Prime Minister Julia Gillard

The legislature: the bicameral Parliament, defined in section 1 of the constitution as comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate, and the House of Representatives;The executive: the Federal Executive Council, in practice the Governor-General as advised by the Prime Minister and Ministers of State;[88]The judiciary: the High Court of Australia and other federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Council.

Legislature:Parliament

Independence (from the United Kingdom )

Constitution1 January 1901 Statute of Westminster11 December 1931 Statute of Westminster Adoption Act9 October 1942 (with effect from 3 September1939) Australia Act3 March 1986

Upper houseSenate Lower house House of Representatives

General WebsitesAustralian Federal, State, Territory and Local Governmentshttp://www.gov.au/Government australia.gov.auExecutive governmentThe Offi cial Web Site of the British Monarchy http://www.royal.gov.uk/Home.aspxGovernor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia http://www.gg.gov.au/Prime Minister of Australia http://www.pm.gov.au/Parliamentary systemParliament of Australia http://www.aph.gov.au/Commonwealth Budget http://www.budget.gov.au/JudiciaryHigh Court of Australia http://www.hcourt.gov.au/Australian Law: Selected Websites http://www.nla.gov.au/Government publicationsAGIMO Government Publishing Information http://www.finance.gov.au/agimo/GovPubs http://www.nla.gov.au/govpubs/Australia's government overseasAustralia's Diplomatic and Consular Missions http://www.dfat.gov.au/missions/index.htmlCommonwealth Secretariat http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Historical informationNational Archives of Australia http://www.naa.gov.au/Australia's Prime Ministers http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/Documenting a Democracy http://foundingdocs.gov.au/

Official Websites