World Countries and Customs Series - Australia

Author: Yu Hang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: This series of books has the following characteristics:
1. It studies and introduces the comprehensive national conditions of each country in separate volumes according to national divisions, integrating geography, history, ethnicity, economy, society, culture, and customs, making the content rich;
2. It combines knowledge, practicality, interest, and academic rigor, with fluent writing and strong readability;
3. This series is written by dozens of foreign affairs workers, experts, scholars, and professors in China, incorporating their academic research achievements, sharing their observations and experiences, and reflecting their academic expertise. The renowned sociologist Fei Xiaotong was invited to write a preface for the series: "Broaden your horizons, learn from the past and look to the future; foster friendly exchanges and achieve common development." The famous professor and scholar Ji Xianlin also wrote the introduction for the series, enthusiastically recommending it. Long Yongtu, China's chief negotiator for the entry into the WTO, wrote the foreword for the series, sharing his personal impressions after reading it.
Geography
Australia is the smallest continent in the world and also the largest island, making it the world's sixth-largest country, ranked after Russia, Canada, China, the United States, and Brazil. It covers an area of approximately 7.7 million square kilometers, with a coastline stretching 36,735 kilometers. Australia is also one of the oldest and flattest continents in the world.
Climate
The northern part of Australia (about one-third of the country) is located in the tropical zone, the central part is in the arid zone, and the southern part is in the temperate zone. Australia's seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere—summer begins in December, and winter starts in June. The northern region has higher temperatures, with average temperatures above 20°C throughout the year, while the southern region has lower temperatures, with an average of around 14°C in winter and 26°C in summer.
Population
Australia's population exceeds 18 million. Eighty-five percent of the population lives along the eastern coastline, approximately 85 kilometers wide. About a quarter of Australians were born overseas, and another one-fifth have at least one parent who was born overseas. In recent decades, the number of Asian immigrants has increased, with the Chinese community now numbering over 300,000, most of whom reside in major cities like Sydney or Melbourne. Australians are generally friendly and outgoing, as their population comes from over 100 countries, and the government promotes a multicultural policy, allowing different ethnic groups to coexist peacefully.
Economy
Australia is the world's twelfth-largest economy and has a high growth rate. It possesses abundant natural resources and is extremely rich in minerals. However, its main exports remain wool, grains, meat, sugar, and fruits.
Religion
Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in Australia, but people of different races and cultures adhere to various religions. Australia is a religiously free country, so whether you follow Buddhism, Taoism, or any other religion, you can find your religious community here.
Currency
Australia's currency is decimal-based and uses the Australian Dollar ($) as the unit. One hundred cents make up one dollar. Banknotes are made of synthetic polyester and come in denominations of 5 (purple), 10 (blue), 20 (red), 50 (yellow), and 100 (green). Coins come in two colors: silver, made of copper-nickel alloy, and gold, made of aluminum bronze. Silver coins include 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, while gold coins include 1 and 2 dollars. The exchange rate of the Australian Dollar to the Chinese Yuan is approximately 1 AUD = 5–6 CNY, and to the U.S. Dollar, it is about 1 AUD = 0.6–0.7 USD.
Social Welfare
Australia's social welfare system began in 1910 with the establishment of pensions and disability benefits, and in 1912 with maternity allowances. At the time, such social welfare measures were considered radical, earning Australia the reputation of a pioneer in social welfare. The Australian social welfare system provides financial support to individuals and families who lack sufficient income due to old age, inability to work, unemployment, or single-parent households. It also offers job-seeking assistance to those capable of working. Currently, approximately five million Australians receive social welfare benefits. In the 1994–95 financial year, social welfare and welfare program expenditures amounted to 35.19 billion AUD.