Long-form name: Commonwealth of Australia

Type: federal parliamentary state recognizing Elizabeth II as sovereign or head of state

Capital: Canberra

Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system: based on English common law; High Court has jurisdiction over cases involving interpretation of the constitution; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Australia Day (last Monday in January), 30 January 1989

Branches: bicameral legislature (Federal Parliament--Senate and House of Representatives); prime minister and Cabinet responsible to House; independent judiciary

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since February 1952), represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since NA February 1989); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Robert James Lee HAWKE (since 11 March 1983)

Suffrage: universal and compulsory over age 18

Elections: held at three-year intervals or sooner if Parliament is dissolved by prime minister; last election 11 July 1987

Political parties and leaders: government--Australian Labor Party, Robert Hawke; opposition--Liberal Party, Andrew Peacock; National Party, Charles Blunt; Australian Democratic Party, Janine Haines; Nuclear Disarmament Party, Michael Denborough

Voting strength: (1987 parliamentary election) House of Representatives--Labor Party 86 seats, Liberal-National coalition 62 seats; Senate--Labor Party 32 seats, Liberal-National coalition 34 seats, Australian Democratic Party 7 seats, Nuclear Disarmament 1 seat, independents 2 seats

Communists: 4,000 members (est.)

Other political or pressure groups: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)

Member of: ADB, AIOEC, ANZUS, CCC, CIPEC (associate), Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IATP, IBA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, IRC, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Whaling Commission, IWC--International Wheat Council, OECD, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Michael J. COOK; Chancery at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 797-3000; there are Australian Consulates General in Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco; US--Ambassador Laurence W. LANE, Jr.; Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 (mailing address is APO San Francisco 6404); telephone �61� (62) 705000; there are US Consulates General in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, and a Consulate in Brisbane

Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars

NOTE: The information regarding Australia on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Australia Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Australia Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.