Australia is a country in Oceania bordering the Indian Ocean and the Southern Pacific Ocean. Australia is comprised of mainland Australia, the island of Tasmania, and several small islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The terrain is mostly low plateau with deserts. The government system is a federal parliamentary democracy and a commonwealth realm. The chief of state is the queen and the head of government is the prime minister. Australia has a mixed economic system in which the economy includes a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. Australia is a member of Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Australia’s capital is Canberra and is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+10), which is 4.5 hours ahead of Indian Standard Time. Its currency is Australian Dollar (AUD). Calling code for Australia is 61 and it follows 230 / 240 Volts Electrical system.
Australia is divided into three separate time zones given below. Australia also follows Daylight Savings Time (DST) and shifts time during summer and winter starts.
- Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) – GMT + 10. Covers the eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
- Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) – GMT + 9.5. covers the state of South Australia, the town of Broken Hill in western New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
- Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) – GMT + 8. Covers the state of Western Australia.
Languages
English 72.7%, Mandarin 2.5%, Arabic 1.4%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.2%, Italian 1.2%, Greek 1%, other 14.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2016 est.)
Ethnic Groups
English 25.9%, Australian 25.4%, Irish 7.5%, Scottish 6.4%, Italian 3.3%, German 3.2%, Chinese 3.1%, Indian 1.4%, Greek 1.4%, Dutch 1.2%, other 15.8% (includes Australian aboriginal .5%), unspecified 5.4% (2011 est.)
Religions
Protestant 23.1% (Anglican 13.3%, Uniting Church 3.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.3%, Baptist 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.1%, Lutheran .7%, other Protestant .5%), Roman Catholic 22.6%, other Christian 4.2%, Muslim 2.6%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox .2%), Hindu 1.9%, other 1.3%, none 30.1%, unspecified 9.6% (2016 est.)
