Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia

Data code AS

Government type democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign

National capital Canberra

Administrative divisions 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Independence 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir William DEANE (since 16 February 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Timothy Andrew FISCHER (since 11 March 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term

Legislative branch bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held by March 1999); House of Representatives - last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held by March 1999)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal-National 37, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 8, Greens 1, independent 1; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is as follows - Liberal-National 37, Labor 28, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal-National 94, Labor 49, independent 5
note: it is widely anticipated that the prime minister will call elections in late 1998

Judicial branch High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general

Political parties and leaders
government: coalition of Liberal Party, John Winston HOWARD, and National Party, Timothy Andrew FISCHER
opposition: Australian Labor Party, Kim BEAZLEY; Australian Democratic Party, Meg LEES; Green Party, Bob BROWN

Political pressure groups and leaders Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)

International organization participation AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINUGUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Sharp PEACOCK
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Genta Hawkins HOLMES
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000
FAX: [61] (6) 270-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney

Flag description blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

NOTE: The information regarding Australia on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Australia Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Australia Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.