National Profiles in Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific - Australia (ACEID, 1995, 20 p.): The Country

National Profiles in Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific - Australia (ACEID, 1995, 20 p.)

		(introduction...)
		Foreword
		The Country
		Educational Systems
		Technical and Vocational Education
		Client Opinions
		Training Reform Agenda
		Relevant Organizations
		Publications

The Country

Australia’s population is about 17.5 million people. The area of the country is about eight million square kilometres (equivalent to the USA, excluding Alaska). The climate is tropical in the north and temperate in the South.

About 2% of the population is Aborigine; and about 22% of the population was born overseas. Australians are mostly Christian (73%) but with a large number of other religions, the highest proportion being Jews, Buddhists and Muslims.

The country’s official language is English. The country relies heavily on its primary industries (especially agriculture and mining), but with manufacturing and service industries also being important, and with tourism growing rapidly.

Since 1901 Australia has had a federal system of government. The Commonwealth of Australia consists of

States:	New South Wales,
	Victoria, Queensland,
	Western Australia,
	South Australia,
	Tasmania

Territories:	Australian Capital Territory
	Northern Territory.

Australia enjoys good relations with its Asian/Pacific neighbours and is a major aid donor to regional developing countries. This aid includes support for technical and vocational education.

The Commonwealth Government is situated in Canberra (Australian Capital Territory). It is a bicameral system of government which provides for a lower house (the House of Representatives) to be elected on the basis of one member per electorate; and an upper house (the Senate) which represents State/Territory views.

All States and Territories have their own governments. The third tier of government is at the local level. Australia is a highly stable, democratic country, which regards itself as a member of the Asian/Pacific region.

The population distribution is shown in the following table.

Urban-Rural Distribution of Persons at the 1986 Census

State/Territory	Rural	Urban
Australian Capital Territory	0.9%	99.1%
New South Wales	12.0%	87.9%
Northern Territory	27.7%	71.7%
Queensland	21.0%	78.9%
South Australia	15.3%	84.6%
Tasmania	25.4%	74.5%
Victoria	12.5%	87.4%
Western Australia	15.0%	84.7%
AUSTRALIA	14.5%	85.4%

Please note: Urban and rural proportions do not add up to 100 per cent as the proportion of migratory population is not included.
Source: Table 6.2 urban-rural distribution of persons, page 117, ABS Year Book Australia 1994.

The average family size is 3.2.

Australia is a modern, mixed economy which has provided for its citizens a high standard of living and political freedom. The literacy rate is high, although there are some work-place literacy problems which are being solved by adult education literacy courses.