Population: 20,090,437 (July 2005 est.)

Languages: English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)

Religions: Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Timezones: There are three time zones in Australia: Eastern Standard Time (EST) in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland. Central Standard Time (CST) in South Australia and Northern Territory. Western Standard Time (WST) in Western Australia. The zones range from GMT+8 to GMT+10 standard time and GMT+10.30 to GMT+11 daylight saving (where applicable)

Australia is the world's smallest continent and the sixth-largest country and has the lowest population density in the world, only two people per square kilometre. It is located in Oceania, between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean and above the Southern Ocean. It is also referred to as 'the land down under.'

The population of 20,405,797 (2005) is concentrated mainly in the coastal cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Most of Australia's population is concentrated in two widely separated coastal regions. By far the largest of these, in terms of area and population, lies in the south-east (Victoria) and east (New South Wales and Queensland).