With its capital at Canberra, Australia is spread over an area of 7,617,930 sq km. It is the biggest island on the earth and is the sixth-largest country in the world in land area.

Australia has a stable, culturally diverse and democratic society with a skilled workforce and a strong economy. Australia is the only nation that is a continent. It has a population of more than 21 million.

Australia has the 14th largest economy in the world. In terms of industrialised economy, it is the 9th largest. It is the 15th richest nation in per capita terms, and is the 6th oldest continuously functioning democracy in the world.

Australia’s population includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and migrants from some 200 countries. In over 60 years of planned post-war migration, English is the official language in Australia, but more than three million Australians speak a language other than English at home.

Australia is one of the few countries in the world where general government net debt has been eliminated. According to the OECD’s 2006 economic summary of Australia, living standards have steadily improved since the start of the 1990s and now surpass those of all the industrialised nations that form the Group of Eight except the United States.

The country has a well-developed education system with participation rates among the highest in the world. Each year, an increasing number of international students study in Australia.

Australians enjoy quality of life which is rated one of the highest in the world. Australia’s clean physical environment, health services, education and lifestyle combine to make it an attractive place to live.

Australia started the system of the secret ballot and that of vote for women. Australia’s system of government reflects the British and North American models of liberal democracy, but has uniquely Australian features.