AUD to HKD Live Rate

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

27 00 S, 133 00 E

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Oceania

Southeast Asia

total: 7,741,220 sq km

land: 7,682,300 sq km

water: 58,920 sq km

note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

country comparison to the world: 7

total: 1,108 sq km

land: 1,073 sq km

water: 35 sq km

country comparison to the world: 184

0 km

total: 33 km

regional border(s) (1): China 33 km

25,760 km

733 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

territorial sea: 12 nm

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

mean elevation: 330 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m

highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m

mean elevation: NA

elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

agricultural land: 53.4%

arable land 6.2%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 47.1%

forest: 19.3%

other: 27.3% (2014 est.)

agricultural land: 5%

arable land 3.2%; permanent crops 0.9%; permanent pasture 0.9%

forest: 0%

other: 95% (2011 est.)

25,500 sq km (2012)

10 sq km (2012)

population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population

population fairly evenly distributed

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

volcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands

occasional typhoons

soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural freshwater resources; drought, overfishing, pollution, and invasive species are also problems

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders; the only continent without glaciers; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most consistent winds in the world

consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands

six times the size of Washington, DC

23,232,413 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 56

7,191,503 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

noun: Australian(s)

adjective: Australian

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

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%

note: data represent self-identified ancestry, over a third of respondents reported two ancestries (2011 est.)

Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.)

English 76.8%, Mandarin 1.6%, Italian 1.4%, Arabic 1.3%, Greek 1.2%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.1%, other 10.4%, unspecified 5% (2011 est.)

Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)

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.)

Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3%

note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation (2016 est.)

total dependency ratio: 51.1

youth dependency ratio: 28.5

elderly dependency ratio: 22.6

potential support ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 35.9

youth dependency ratio: 15.2

elderly dependency ratio: 20.7

potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)

total: 38.7 years

male: 37.9 years

female: 39.5 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 58

total: 44.4 years

male: 43.5 years

female: 45 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

1.03% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 110

0.32% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

12.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 165

8.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 119

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

5.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population

population fairly evenly distributed

urban population: 89.7% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.37% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island

urban population: 100% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Sydney 4.505 million; Melbourne 4.203 million; Brisbane 2.202 million; Perth 1.861 million; Adelaide 1.256 million; CANBERRA (capital) 423,000 (2015)

Hong Kong 7.26 million (2014)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.74 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

28.7 years (2014 est.)

29.8 years (2008 est.)

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 184

total: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 216

total population: 82.3 years

male: 79.8 years

female: 84.9 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

total population: 83 years

male: 80.4 years

female: 85.9 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

1.77 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

1.19 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 221

67.8%

note: percent of women aged 18-45 (2011)

74.8% (2012)

9.4% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 32

3.5 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

1.91 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

3.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

5.33 beds/1,000 population (2016)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

0.1% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

25,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

NA

<500 (2016 est.)

NA

29% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 27

0.2% (2007)

country comparison to the world: 138

5.2% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 56

3.3% of GDP (2017)

country comparison to the world: 124

total: 20 years

male: 20 years

female: 21 years (2014)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 12.7%

male: 13.9%

female: 11.4% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 104

total: 9.9%

male: 10.9%

female: 8.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form: Australia

etymology: the name Australia derives from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern"; the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis" or the Southern Land

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hanyu Pinyin)

local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang (Hanyu Pinyin)

abbreviation: HK

etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

parliamentary democracy (Federal Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

name: Canberra

geographic coordinates: 35 16 S, 149 08 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April

note: Australia has three time zones

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

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

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

1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)

none (special administrative region of China)

Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

history: approved in a series of referenda 1898 through 1900, became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state’s representation in either house or change a state’s boundaries require that state’s approval prior to Royal Assent; amended several times, last in 1977 (2017)

history: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two-thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

common law system based on the English model

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years

see China

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

18 years of age in direct elections for half of the Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Gen. Sir Peter COSGROVE (since 28 March 2014)

head of government: Prime Minister Malcolm TURNBULL (since 15 September 2015)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and sworn in by the governor general

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017)

cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5-17 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2018); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23

note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members

description: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years)

elections: Senate - last held on 2 July 2016 (next to be held in 2019); House of Representatives - last held on 2 July 2016; this election represents a rare double dissolution where all 226 seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives are up for reelection

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National Coalition 35.2%, ALP 29.8%, the Greens 8.7%, Pauline Hanson's One Nation 4.3%, Nick Xenophon Team 3.3%, other 18.7%; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 30, ALP 26, The Greens 9, Pauline Hanson's One Nation 4, Nick Xenophon Team 3, other 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National Coalition 42%, ALP 34.7%, The Greens 10.2%, Nick Xenophon Team 1.9%. Katter's Australian Party 0.5%, independent 2.8%, other 7.8%; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 76, ALP 69, The Greens 1, Katter's Australian Party 1, Nick Xenophon Team 1, independent 2

description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; five at large “super-seat” members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (next to be held in September 2020); note - by-election to be held on 11 March 2018 to fill 4 seats left vacant after 4 legislators were removed from office

election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36.0%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19.0%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLin HK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017

highest court(s): High Court of Australia (consists of 7 justices, including the chief justice); note - each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court; the High Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts

judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts: subordinate courts: subordinate courts at the federal level: Federal Court; Federal Magistrates' Courts of Australia; Family Court; subordinate courts at the state and territory level: Local Court - New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts – Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory; District Courts – New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court – Victoria; Family Court – Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions – Norfolk Island

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice and 3 permanent judges and 1 non-permanent judge

judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit

subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

Australian Greens Party [Richard DI NATALE]

Australian Labor Party [Bill SHORTEN]

Country Liberal Party or CLP [Gary HIGGINS]

Liberal National Party of Queensland or LNP [Deborah FRECKLINGTON]

Liberal Party of Australia [Malcolm TURNBULL]

The Nationals [Michael MCCORMACK]

Nick Xenophon Team [Nick XENOPHON]

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation [Pauline HANSON]

parties:

ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups)

Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]

Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG]

Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election)

Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai]

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]

Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai]

Demosisto [Nathan LAW]

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei]

Labor Party [Steven Kwok Wing-kin]

League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen]

Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan]

Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]

New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]

People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN]

Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang]

others:

Professional Commons (think tank) [Charles Peter MOK]

Professional Teachers Union or PTU

note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

business groups, environmental groups, social groups, trade unions

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China)

Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong

Civic Act-up (pro-democracy)

Federation of Hong Kong Industries

Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Albert HO] (pro-China)

Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council or HKTUC (pro-democracy)

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce or HKGCC

Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union or HKPTU [FUNG Wai-wah]

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph Benedict HOCKEY (since 28 January 2016)

chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities

commissioner: Clement C.M. LEUNG

office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] 202 331-8947

FAX: [1] 202 331-8958

HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James CAROUSO (since September 2016)

embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600

mailing address: APO AP 96549

telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

chief of mission: Consul General Kurt W. TONG (since 27 August 2016); note - also accredited to Macau

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

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 known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small, five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed Star of Federation), golden wattle tree; national colors: green, gold

orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white

name: "Advance Australia Fair"

lyrics/music: Peter Dodds McCORMICK

note: adopted 1984; although originally written in the late 19th century, the anthem was not used for all official occasions until 1984; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" is also played at Royal functions (see United Kingdom)

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Following two decades of continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system, Australia enters 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth.

The services sector is the largest part of the Australian economy, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of jobs. Australia was comparatively unaffected by the global financial crisis as the banking system has remained strong and inflation is under control.

Australia benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade in recent years, although this trend has reversed due to falling global commodity prices. Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector.

Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and India.

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization.

During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

$1.235 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.209 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.179 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 20

$453 billion (2017 est.)

$437.5 billion (2016 est.)

$428.8 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 44

$1.39 trillion (2017 est.)

$334.1 billion (2017 est.)

2.2% (2017 est.)

2.5% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 146

3.5% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

$49,900 (2017 est.)

$49,600 (2016 est.)

$49,100 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 28

$61,000 (2017 est.)

$59,400 (2016 est.)

$58,700 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 18

22.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

21.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

22.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 72

24.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

26.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 52

household consumption: 57.1%

government consumption: 19%

investment in fixed capital: 24.2%

investment in inventories: 0%

exports of goods and services: 20.5%

imports of goods and services: -20.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 66.6%

government consumption: 10%

investment in fixed capital: 22.3%

investment in inventories: 0.7%

exports of goods and services: 191.9%

imports of goods and services: -191.3% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 26.1%

services: 70.3% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 7.2%

services: 92.7% (2017 est.)

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

1% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 170

3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

12.91 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

3.965 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 95

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 21.1%

services: 75.3% (2009 est.)

manufacturing: 3.8%

construction: 2.8%

wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 53.3%

financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5%

transport and communications: 10.1%

community and social services: 17.1%

note: above data exclude public sector (2013 est.)

5.6% (2017 est.)

5.7% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

2.6% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

NA%

19.6% (2012 est.)

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 25.4% (1994 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

30.3 (2008 est.)

35.2 (1994 est.)

country comparison to the world: 132

53.7 (2011 est.)

53.3 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

revenues: $461 billion

expenditures: $484.9 billion (2017 est.)

revenues: $66.19 billion

expenditures: $62.86 billion (2017 est.)

33.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 66

19.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 155

-1.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 73

1% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

47.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

46.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 111

43.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

44.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

1 July - 30 June

1 April - 31 March

2% (2017 est.)

1.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

2% (2017 est.)

2.6% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 93

3% (28 February 2013 est.)

4.35% (31 December 2010 est.)

note: this is the Reserve Bank of Australia's "cash rate target," or policy rate

country comparison to the world: 107

0.5% (31 December 2013 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

5.3% (31 December 2017 est.)

5.42% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 140

5.1% (31 December 2017 est.)

5% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

$271.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$243.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

$310.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

$1.586 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.415 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

$1.736 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.613 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$2.336 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.098 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

$719.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$676.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$1.187 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.289 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.366 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

$3.185 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.233 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.101 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$-21.68 billion (2017 est.)

$-33.31 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 192

$10.06 billion (2017 est.)

$14.88 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

$224.5 billion (2017 est.)

$191.7 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

$540 billion (2017 est.)

$502.5 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

iron ore, coal, gold, natural gas, beef, aluminum ores and conc, wheat, meat (excluding beef), wool, alumina, alcohol

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, "jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrep?t to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland

China 30.5%, Japan 12.4%, US 6.5%, South Korea 6.1% (2016)

China 54.3%, US 8.5%, India 4.1% (2016)

$215.4 billion (2017 est.)

$198.5 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$561.4 billion (2017 est.)

$520.1 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

motor vehicles, refined petroleum, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude petroleum, medicaments, goods vehicles, gold, computers

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

China 23.4%, US 11.5%, Japan 7.8%, Thailand 5.6%, Germany 5.3%, South Korea 4.3% (2016)

China 45.5%, Taiwan 9.8%, South Korea 6.7%, Japan 6.3%, US 4.4% (2016)

$60.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

$398.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$386.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$1.67 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.547 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

$494.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$505.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

$647.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$617.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

$1.901 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.786 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$443.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$441.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

$1.806 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.723 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

1.31 (2017 est.)

1.34 (2016 est.)

1.34 (2015 est.)

1.33 (2014 est.)

1.11 (2013 est.)

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -

7.8 (2017 est.)

7.76 (2016 est.)

7.76 (2015 est.)

7.75 (2014 est.)

7.75 (2013 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

237.9 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

35.75 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

223.6 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

41.74 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

0 kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 102

1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

0 kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 121

11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

67.03 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

12.63 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

72.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 98

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

10.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 116

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 180

16.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

289,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 33

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

213,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 136

339,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 139

1.821 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

472,100 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 34

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

1.1 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

388,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

60,290 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 50

9,625 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

564,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

332,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

67.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

46.99 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

4.49 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

34.06 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

6.373 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

3.243 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

1.989 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 151

385 million Mt (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

90 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

total subscriptions: 8.18 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

total subscriptions: 4,318,346

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

total: 26.551 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 48

total: 17,584,969

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 245 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service

domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile telephones

international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber-optic submarine cable provides links to NZ and the US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat, 2 Globalstar, 5 other (2015)

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2015)

the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as Australia Network, a TV service that broadcasts throughout the Asia-Pacific region and is the main public broadcaster; Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), a second large public broadcaster, operates radio and TV networks broadcasting in multiple languages; several large national commercial TV networks, a large number of local commercial TV stations, and hundreds of commercial radio stations are accessible; cable and satellite systems are available (2009)

4 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2018)

.au

.hk

total: 20,288,409

percent of population: 88.2% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 34

total: 6.066 million

percent of population: 85% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

number of registered air carriers: 25

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 583

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 69,294,187

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,887,295,820 mt-km (2018)

number of registered air carriers: 7 (registered in China)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 253 (registered in China)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 41,867,157

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.294 billion mt-km (2015)

VH (2016)

B-H (2016)

480 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 16

2 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 201

total: 349

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 155

914 to 1,523 m: 155

under 914 m: 14 (2017)

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

total: 131

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 101

under 914 m: 14 (2013)

1 (2013)

9 (2013)

condensate/gas 637 km; gas 30,054 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,609 km; oil/gas/water 110 km; refined products 72 km (2013)

total: 33,343 km

broad gauge: 3,247 km 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified)

standard gauge: 17,446 km 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 12,318 km 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified)

other gauge: 35 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 7

total: 873,573 km

urban: 145,928 km

non-urban: 727,645 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 9

total: 2,100 km

paved: 2,100 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 174

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling River systems) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 42

total: 549

by type: bulk carrier 4, general cargo 83, oil tanker 10, other 452 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 39

total: 2,576

by type: bulk carrier 1,142, container ship 471, general cargo 226, oil tanker 346, other 391 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 9

major seaport(s): Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Gladstone, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Kembla, Sydney

dry bulk cargo port(s): Dampier (iron ore), Dalrymple Bay (coal), Hay Point (coal), Port Hedland (iron ore), Port Walcott (iron ore)

container port(s) (TEUs): Brisbane (1,152,000), Melbourne (2,638,000), Sydney (2,330,000) (2015)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Darwin, Karratha, Burrup, Curtis Island

major seaport(s): Hong Kong

2% of GDP (2016)

1.98% of GDP (2015)

1.8% of GDP (2014)

1.68% of GDP (2013)

1.7% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 48

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army (includes Special Operations Command), Royal Australian Navy (includes Naval Aviation Force), Royal Australian Air Force, Joint Operations Command (JOC) (2016)

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Command (2016)

17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in most combat roles (2018)

defense is the responsibility of China

in 2018, Australia and Timor-Leste signed a permanent maritime border treaty, scrapping a 2007 development zone and revenue sharing arrangement between the countries; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica; Australia's 2004 submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf extends its continental margins over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent beyond its claimed EEZ; all borders between Indonesia and Australia have been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's legislature; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing

Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods

refugees (country of origin): 9,217 (Afghanistan); 6,128 (Iran) (2016)

Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people