19--Oceania--Australia





GEOGRAPHY/POLITICAL INFORMATON -West of New Zealand and South of Papua Guinea -9869 Miles from Lancaster PA
 * - Size Comparison: ** Large first world country, only country in the world that is also a continent.
 * Climate **: Generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north.
 * Physical Features**: Ayers rock is a large sandstone rock in central Australia. Australia is surrounded by oceans on all sides. The island of Tasmania also considered part of the country. There is large deserts throughout the central part of the country. Australia has one of the largest coral reefs in the world. The Great Barrier Reef is home to many fish and sea animals that do not exist anywhere else.
 * Culture: **Australia was an original colony of England. Most of the cultures and traditions are the same as here in the United states. The natives are known as Aboriginal islanders. Native people inhabited many of the surrounding Australian islands and the Island itself. They make up 2.7% of the current English population. Sea food is a largely eaten item in Australia.
 * Major cities: ** Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, and Alice Springs.
 * Capital: ** Canberra
 * Government: ** Bicameral Parliament
 * Priminister: ** Kevin Rudd



<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ECONOMIC INFORMATION**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Exchange rate to per US dollar: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 0.812321 AUD
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Currency: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Australian dollar (AUD)
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Natural resources: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Oil, Eucalyptus, coal, Natural gas, Uranium, Silver, and Aluminum.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Agricultural Products: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Cattle, Wheat, Milk, Fruits, Nuts, Wool, Sugar cane.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Industries **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: Many industries in Australia run a power connection, or have a product that is used to power.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Import Partners: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Japan, China, United States, Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Export partners: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Japan, China, United States, South Korea, United Kingdom, New Zealand, India, Singapore and Taiwan.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">GDP: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> $824.3 billion (US Dollars)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">GDP per Capita: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> $38,800 (US Dollars)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HDI **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: Rises annually from 8.156 to 9.704%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HDI Ranking: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> #2
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Unemployment rate: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 5.40%


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">POPULATION INFORMATION **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Current population: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 22,360,336
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Population Density: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">6.4 people per square mile.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Age Distribution: [[image:http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/queensland-by-theme/demography/population-characteristics/bulletins/census-2001/qld-characteristics-state-comp-c01/qld-characteristics-state-comp-c01-img01.gif width="312" height="180"]] **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Natural Rate of Increase: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">14.9 persons per 1,000 populations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Literacy Rate: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 99% (21st)
 * Infant mortality rate:** 4.9 out of every 1000 births
 * Quality of life:** 60.22
 * Ethnicities**:[[image:http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/cib/1996-97/97ci16-3.gif width="292" height="200"]]


 * Cheif Religions**:[[image:http://www.racismnoway.com.au/library/cultural/major_religions_2006.gif width="312" height="196"]]


 * Main Language:** English

Human rights in Australia are close to the same as the United States. They are a first world country and don’t have as many problems as other countries. Australia has a group called the New South Wales Committee for Civil Liberties that helps to stop some of the discrimination in the large cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Even though Australia is a well respected country, and is largely populated, there is still discrimination. Australia currently does not have a death penalty. Many groups and activists believe the death penalty is inhuman. Australia has banned the use of all forms of torture in their country. Australia’s government treats the people very well and allows them to have many rights. Many people who are discriminated against are people of different Ethnicities. When English settlers landed in Australia, they met with the tribal people. These people were different from then. They had long black hair and very tan bodies. The tribal people were forced to move into the Bush (Australia’s brush and desert area.) because the British settlers wanted to colonize the coastal areas. (What are now Melbourne and Sydney) The tribal people were forced to move out. Like in the united States, the native Americans were discriminated against for many years before they were given reservations. Australian tribes now have reservations are live a free life.
 * HUMAN RIGHTS**

Australia has a few major enviromental issues. Each year Australia has a dry season where many Forrest fires occur. They are listed as the number one countries for forest fires, and have the most destruction form these fires. In recent years, the fires have destroyed much of the bush, and have caused many people to relocate to other areas. With australia having a large bush area, with flamable brush, and hot tempatures, it makes it the perfect place for large fires each year.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">ENVIROMENTAL INFORMATION **

Australia has also had many people with climate changes in recent years. The climate changes have cause drouts in major cities such as Sydney and Perth. The drouts cause many people living in water limbo as they call it, not having enough water to live on a normal basis. Australia is a primary user of coal, with releases co2 into the atmopshere, causing smog and inclamate weather to occur.

After speaking with my group, we have came to the conclusion that we would relocate to the country of New Zealand. New zealand has a wonderful climate. Their is snow in the mountains all year long, and warm beaches on the coastline. New Zealand is not as populated as the country of australia and has many more torrist like attractions to go to. The quality of life, goverment and population are of a 1st world country. New zealand is a well respected country that has everything as person would need to live a good life. The reason we didnt pick australia is because of the forest fires, drout, and over population of major cities. If I was to relocate, i would like to go to a country that is much diffrent from the US and a place that has diffrent culture and is fun. Both australia and the US were at one point british colonies. They with hold the same standards of each other. New Zealand over all would be the best pick for relocation. Their is everything imaginable their to do. It is a beautiful country and would perfictly suit me and my family.
 * RELOCATION IN OCEANIA:**