Population: 23.13 million (2013)

Geography: The population of Australia is concentrated along the eastern and south-eastern coastline. Australia has a very diverse geography, ranging from snow-capped mountains to expansive desserts and tropical rainforests.

Climate: Australia is for the most part an arid and semi-arid country, with 18 percent of the mainland being desert. Rainfall in Australia is highly variable and is not consistent year-to-year.

Capital City: Canberra

Language(s): English

Political system: Constitutional monarchy with a federal division of powers

Value of Australian exports: $313.3 billion as of 2011

Australia and the region

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Foreign embassies in Australia

Consulates in Australia

Australian High Commission: India

Australian Embassy: China

Australian Embassy: Thailand

Australian Embassy: South Korea

Australian High Commission: Malaysia

Australia in the Media

The Australian

Australian Government News and Media

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

BBC News Australia

BBC country profiles

The Economist topic index

CIA world factbook

Australia news and facts from The New York Times