ries, with about 70 per cent of the population living in the 10 largest cities. Most of the population is concentrated along the eastern seaboard and the south-eastern corner of the continent. Australia s lifestyle reflects its mainly Western origins.population: 20,543,000 (May, 2006) structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,045,783; female 1,949,864) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 6,680,531; female 6,553,141) 65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,099,275; female 1,403,390) (2003 est.) Population growth rate: 0.93% (2003 est.) Birth rate: 12.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est .) Death rate: 7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) Net migration rate: 4.05 migrant (s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male (s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male (s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male (s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male (s)/female total population: 0.99 male (s)/female (2003 est.) mortality rate: 4.83 deaths /1,000 live births (2003 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.13 years male: 77.27 years female: 83.13 years (2003 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Australian (s) adjective: Australian Ethnic groups: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%.: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11% Languages: English, native languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.) 's culturally diverse society includes its Indigenous peoples and settlers from countries all around the world.is an important feature of Australian society. Since 1945, over six million people from 200 countries have come to Australia as new settlers. Migrants have made a major contribution to shaping modern Australia. People born overseas make up almost one quarter of the total population. The federal government sets immigration intake numbers on a yearly basis. Australia's immigration policies are non-discriminatory and all applicants to migrate must meet the same selection criteria. - Overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. While Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s and during the recent financial problems in East Asia, the economy has expanded at a solid 4% annual growth pace in the last five years. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the eco...
