Australia

Australia is the name of both the smallest of the seven continents and of the nation which occupies it. Geographically, Australia is the westernmost land mass of Oceania, south of Papua New Guinea, with the Indian Ocean to the west, the South Pacific Ocean to the east, and the Southern Ocean directly between it and Antarctica. The Commonwealth of Australia is the only sovereign nation which occupies an entire continent: it also includes the island of Tasmania, smaller adjacent islands, and the Australian Antarctic Territory. Australia has been inhabited by the Australian Aborigines for tens of thousands of years. It was discovered by Europeans in 1606 and claimed for Great Britain by Captain James Cook in 1770. The first European settlement in Australia was established by the British at Sydney on 26 January 1788. The six British colonies in Australia federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. Australia is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations, and is a close ally of the United States.

History

Australia was probably first inhabited between 40,000 and 45,000 years ago, although other studies conclude that it may have been much longer ago than this. It is possible that the first inhabitants migrated from Asia.

Before colonisation by the British in 1788, Australia was inhabited by indigenous people now called Aborigines. These people lived nomadic lives in tribes, located throughout all of Australia, including the deserts, but especially along the coast. Their population remained stable over the duration of their existence, and they remained hunter-gatherers until the British arrived. Notable inventions by the Aborigines include the boomerang and the didgeridoo. The Aborigines, like many other ethnic groups, were rich in oral tradition. They created mythological stories known collectively as the Dreaming (Aborigines' preferred name for what is also commonly know as the Dreamtime). These stories cover areas such as the creation of various landmarks, rivers and star constellations. Many Aborigines exist today, and there is a large ethnically mixed population with Aboriginal inheritance as well. Some Aborigines are able to continue their native traditions and some have been assimilated into the larger society, while others remain at odds with society in general and feel that they have not been been adequately compensated for many years of disenfranchisement and mistreatment. Recently, many initiatives have been taken to increase the quality of life of the Aborigines. An important step in improving relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians was Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's speech of 13 February 2008. Rudd apologised for past wrongs against Aborigines and spoke of a future in which Australians of all races were united.

A gold rush in the 19th Century caused waves of immigration and led to a period of expansion, political organisation and prosperity, but the century closed with a decade-long period of economic depression. Australian federation took place on 1 January 1901.

Australia played a major role during World War I, most notably in the Battle of Gallipoli, an attempt to open a route to the European mainland through the Dardanelles. However, due to poor intelligence leading to a miscalculation of enemy numbers and several other factors, the campaign was an overall failure. Despite this, Australians commemorate the landings at Gallipoli and the ensuing battle on ANZAC Day.

During World War II, Australia raised forces of 858,000 men out of a population of 7 million. It sent the AIF with most of the army to help the British in Libya and the Middle East, and part of the air force to Britain; it sent troops to Singapore just before it was captured. Japan's thrust to the south, including a "little Pearl Harbor" at Darwin, seemed to threaten an invasion, as the Australians drew up plans to hold the line at Brisbane if invaded. The Japanese did invade New Guinea but when they moved south it was stopped by the U.S. Navy at the Battle of Coral Sea. The Japanese did not plan to invade Australia, but did want to cut the trans-Pacific shipping lines. Australia then shifted to a close alliance with the United States, welcoming theatre commander Douglas MacArthur and putting its combat forces under his command as a million Yanks came through (with 500,000 at the peak in May 1944). Years of jungle fighting drove the Japanese out of New Guinea, and at war's end the Australian army had invaded Borneo.

Australia took part in both the Vietnam War and second Iraq War. The government supports the "War on Terrorism", although, as in the United States, this campaign has both its supporters and detractors in the general population.

States and Territories

Australia is divided into five states and two major territories, as well as several smaller territories with varying degrees of inhabitation. Each state and major territory has a capital city. The capital territory of Australia is the Australian Capital Territory, and the capital city of Australia is Canberra.

• Australian Capital Territory (ACT) - Canberra
• Victoria (VIC) - Melbourne
• New South Wales (NSW) - Sydney
• Queensland (QLD) - Brisbane
• South Australia (SA) - Adelaide
• Northern Territory (NT) - Darwin
• Western Australia (WA) – Perth
• Tasmania (TAS) - Hobart

Economy

Australia a strong economy and a per capita GDP (US$37,500, 2007 est.) comparable with the four most powerful European economies. The economy has in recent years been buoyed by strong business and consumer confidence, and by robust export prices for raw materials and agricultural produce. Over the past almost two decades the Australian government has emphasised economic reform and low inflation, encouraged a booming housing market, and strengthened ties with China, which has led to relatively consistent expansion of the economy.

An extended drought across much of rural Australia, high demand for imports, and a strong currency have, however, led to an increased trade deficit in recent years. Constraints on export growth and inflation concerns have been created by infrastructure bottlenecks and a tight labour market.

Despite this, however, strong revenue growth has seen the Australian budget remain in surplus since 2002.

Politics

Australia is a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. She is represented by the governor-general, who holds broad, but for the most part nominal, executive powers.

Australia’s head of government is Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The Deputy Prime Minister is Julia Gillard. The Opposition is the Liberal Party, led by Brendan Nelson.

The Australian system of government is based on that of the United Kingdom (the Westminster system), with elements of that of the USA. Parliament comprises two houses. The House of Representatives (lower house) is where most legislature is initiated. Members of Parliament in this house are elected to represent seats based on population. The Senate (upper house) is generally considered a house of review. Each state of the Commonwealth of Australia elects an equal number of Senators. Unlike many other countries, voting is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 or over.

Australia has close relations with the United States and Asia, and has special trade treaties with both. Australia currently has a free-trade agreement with the United States.

Further reading

• Bambrick, Susan ed. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Australia (1994)
• Appleton, Richard, and Barbara Appleton. The Cambridge Dictionary of Australian Places (1993)
• Barker, Anthony. What Happened When: A Chronology of Australia from 1788. Allen & Unwin. 2000. online edition
• Clarke, Frank G. The History of Australia (2002). online edition
• Davison, Graeme, John Hirst, and Stuart Macintyre, eds. The Oxford Companion to Australian History, (2001) excerpt and text search
• Firth, Stewart. Australia in International Politics: An Introduction to Australian Foreign Policy (2005). online edition
• Hughes, Robert. The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia’s Founding (1988).
• Jupp, James, ed. The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, its People and their Origins (2nd ed. 2002) 960pp excerpt and text search
• Moran, Anthony. Australia: Nation, Belonging, and Globalization (2004) online edition
• O'Shane, Pat et al. Australia: The Complete Encyclopedia (2001)
• Penney, Barry. Australia - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (2006)
• Shaw, John, ed. Collins Australian Encyclopedia (1984)
• Serle. Percival, ed. Dictionary of Australian Biography (1949)online edition

External Links

Australian Government Website

Indigenous Australians Government Website