Driverse about Australia

Demography of Australia

Statistics Data about Australia :

Location: Impossible to miss it. Somewhere in Oceania, between The Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Area: 7.686.850 of Square Kilometres. (Sixth biggest country in the world)

Countries bordering Australia: None found yet!

Extension of the Coast: only 25.760 km

Territorial Sea: 12 Nautical Miles or something around 20 Km.

Economic Zone: 200 Nautical Miles or something around 300 Km.

Climate: Perfect in Queensland, Crazy in Melbourne, Hell in the deserts, Cold to Moderate in Tasmania, Hot and Humid in the North, OK in Sydney, and Red Hot and Blue in the West.

Terrain: Plain with some Mountains by the East and South East.

Lowest Place: Lake Eyre - 15 meters below sea level.

Highest Place: Mount Kosciuszko 2.229 meters.

Natural resources : Coal, Ion, Bauxite, Ferro, Copper, Gold, Silver, Uranium, Nickel, Tungsten, Lead, Zinc, Diamond, Oil, Natural gas (not including from sheep).

Natural Disasters: Cyclones, Droughts (driest Country) , and Forest Fires.

Population Total: 19,546,792 (2002)

0 a 14 years 20.4% ( men: 2.046.052 women: 1.949.725)

15 a 64 years 67.0% ( men: 6.610.840 women: 6.480.354)

Above the cape (65 years) 12.6% men: 1.078.506 women: 1.381.315

Population growth: 0.96% per year.

Deaths per Birth: 4.9 in 1000 born.

Life Span: Average: 80 years ( men: 77 - women: 83)

Fertility: 1.77 Australians per woman.

Ethnic Groups: Caucasians 92%, Asians 7%, Aborigines and others 1%

Religion: Anglicans: 26.1%, Catholic Romano: 26%, Christian: 24.3%, Others: 22.6%

Alphabetisation: 100% above 15 years of age.

Government System: Democratic Parliamentary, Federation.

Capital: Canberra

Territorial division: 6 States: New South Wales- Queensland - Victoria - South Australia - West Australia - Tasmania. 2 Territories: Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Other Territories: Islands of Ashmore, Cartier, Christmas, Cocos, Coral Sea, Heard, McDonald and Norfolk.

Independence day: 1 of January of 1901.

Australia Day: 26 of January (National holiday)

Majority: 18 years, Universal e Compulsory

Political parties: Australian Democrats, Australian Labour Party, Country Labour Party, Australian Greens, Liberal Party, National Party, One Nation Party.

Inflation: 2.8 % in one year

Unemployment: 5.6 % (2003-2004)

Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)

Importations: $ 68 Billions Exportations: $ 66.3 Billions (2002)

External Debt: $ 176.8 Billions (2001)

Per Capita: $ 27.000 Dollars per year per inhabitant

Australian Flag - shows the Southern Cross constellation.

Australian Emblem- The natives animals as the Kangaroo and the Emu are standing on a Acacia tree holding the Coat of Arms and supporting a shield decorated with the emblem of the 6 States.

Visa to Australia

Note: The information in this topic are to be taken as a guide only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information and they are NOT official. For actual and official information about Visas and Immigration to Australia, please consult the DIMA (Department of Immigrations and Multicultural Affairs).

Accommodation in Australia

Finding a place to stay in Australia is extremely easy. There are so many places available in the market to suit any budget or lifestyle, such as; temporary accommodation whilst travelling Australia or during your studies, or even buying a unit (depending on the size of your wallet) to live in and invest money. For Travellers, Australia offers a high standard in tourist accommodation, and even the simplest rooms are usually very clean and well presented. Negotiating prices is not a common practice (and some times interpreted as rude) but with the recent influx in Australian society of Asians and other cultures, it has become more widely accepted. Well there’s no harm in trying.

Most Australians prefer to live in houses, not apartments constructed by wood with details in the plaster, 3-bedroom houses are usually the most standard. The kitchen is usually open and located in conjunction with the lounge, in the corner, without walls. Most modern houses have 2 bathrooms, one at the main bedroom and another one divided in two separate rooms. One for the toilet and the other one with for the shower/bath and sink. The water is heated through an electric boiler, usually located inside the laundry. Most of stoves are electric (without flames), but many new houses are now receiving gas points. Usually there are 2 lawns, one at the front of the house/apartment and the other one located at the back, providing a good leisure area, ideal for kids/pets. Most places have a double garage but now the average house has space for 4 cars. Many houses do not have fences and the property is open to the sidewalk and passing pedestrians. The architecture is standard and the houses are very similar for practical reasons like construction and costs. Australia still preserves old houses however, in Victorian style called "Queenslanders." They are beautiful old large houses with balconies around the house, decorated with interesting details on the wood.

Apartments or units are more and more common and in demand, mainly in big cities, especially for couples without children, pensioners, people with high maintenance careers and for holiday getaways. Apartments are constructed in concrete buildings, but most have interior divisions in wood with acoustic isolation. With the stability of the Australian Dollar, many foreigners buy property in Australia for investment, and therefore, the construction of new higher building has been constant. Another obvious reason is the lack of space in big cities and the convenience to live close to the workplace. The building called "Q1" in Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, (photo) is the biggest building in Australia, with 250 meters of height, almost including the antennas in the top. There are plans to construct some other ones like that in the future reaching even higher lengths. The incredible thing, it that 1000 apartments were sold out before they even started construction on the building. Big cities are the ones that have higher propriety prices, the most expensive being Sydney followed by Melbourne, and the other capitals Perth Adelaide and Brisbane, with approximately the same platform of prices. An interesting characteristic in relation to the way Australians live is that most don’t feel rooted into staying in the same place for long periods of time. It is a common practise to move around, as a result of job offers or changes in their lifestyle. For many Australians it doesn’t matter what city you live in, once they are getting a good salary.

Some expressions used in the Australian newspapers

slug	Single Lock Up Garage
dlug	Double Lock Up Garage
Carport	Just a roof on the top of the car and open by the sides.
Off Street	Off Street Parking
furn	Furnished
unfurn	Unfurnished
p.w.	Per Week
lge	Large
ens	Ensuite = Room + bathroom together
brm	Bedroom
bthrms	Bathrooms
f.fenced	Fully Fenced
d/washer	Dish washer
Unit	A unit or apartment in a building
Complex	Many blocks of apartments
Home	Simple house with one or two stores
Town House	House with a building shape
Granny Flat	A very small apartment at the side of a house
ent. room	Entertainment Room
Study	a room for reading, study, etc...
Incl.	Included or Inclusive
BBQ	Barbecue area
Tiled	The floor is not carpeted
Cul-de-sac	No through road.

Tourism in Australia

Australia has become one of the most attractive countries for Tourism in the World and the reasons are simple. For a long time traditional tourist destinations such as Europe, USA, England, Mediterranean and many others, used to attract tourists for their history, architecture, shopping, beauty, beaches and development. Meanwhile Australia was considered too far and expensive to go, except for Asia residents. With the world changing significantly and cities growing in an astonishing pace, a few place were left untouched and pristine as Australia today. The size of the country and the surprises each region and city offers, has made Australia a kind of last frontier. That is exactly what you will find in Australia...Nice beaches, nice cities, friendly and happy people and lots of incredible thing to see and do. The best of all, is that the airfares to and inside Australia has never been so inviting to experiment this exciting country.

Travel Australia is easy, safe, and full of fantastic place to visit. As a first world country, Australia offers all infra structure necessary for any Traveller. If you want just visit cities and shopping, you will have cities with one of the best quality of life in the world. If you want to go for radical sports and have plenty of fun, you will have a ball over here. Or if you just want contemplation, the Australian landscape is captivating. The adventures, the comfort, the fun, are just waiting for you. Doesn't matter the kind of tourist you are, you will find plenty of activities to make your trip an unforgettable one. Australia is extremely secure compared with many other countries, and Australians are proud to receive visitors and show their country to you. Expect to meet very helpful and friendly people that will treat you with respect, education, and a smile.. If you have a very limited time, we suggest you to have a look in our page about itineraries where we present some suggestions of that can be made in just few days of trip.

Three months wouldn't be enough to know Australia very well. The country is so big that even today there are lands never footsteped before. Of course you don't need and most can't see the whole country at once, but in our topics in this subject we tried to explain the best way possible, how you get along in a short trip and which places to see. If you stay only in big cities, for sure you will not have the real idea of how Australia is. The best way to do it is plan an itinerary that comprehends both sides, cities, landscapes, National parks, small towns and cultural places. It is mandatory a good plan, otherwise you may spend hours and hours on a road without any attraction instead of doing the same trajectory by plane saving time and money.

As I said before, travel in Australia is very easy, and you don't need to worry too much about reservations except in the holiday periods and during some school breaks where you may find less options, or if you are going to do some parts by plane. Accommodation of all levels and prices are also plenty, and depending of the place you go, you may have to book in advance. (Example: Backpackers in Surfers Paradise can be complete booked during the "Schoolies Week" in November, or good accommodation in Melbourne can be also full during the formula 1 race). But even with these big events, if you move some kilometres far away of the area of the event, there is no way to go wrong. Come to visit Australia and have the time of you life. For more details about Tourism in Australia, please navigate on the left at the top of this page.

Welcome to Australia!

Work in Australia

Job offers in Australia for most levels of skills has been hot. The unemployment rate is also low, sitting around the 5 % mark and even lower in some cities and towns, while Europe faces a 8.5% mark. In reality there are plenty of jobs been offered, but you must have caution on that. The reason is that some jobs do not pay what that labour deserves, so people go for the gold, and look for something else. If you take for example a cleaner job, there are plenty, but almost nobody wants to take it except some migrants that don't speak English enough to look for something that pays better. By the other side, there are in Australia what the government calls a "demand" for high skilled professional in some areas, and is trying to fulfil this demand bringing skilled people from overseas.

The average time that takes for a person who just finishes a degree in a University to get the first job is around 3 months. Of course this can vary due to the area of employment and other factors such as location and work experience. For people not so skilled, the time can be just a week or even less, but as we said before, for a much less money.

Foreigners can work in Australia as soon as they have the appropriate visa or permission. There are 3 or 4 different working visas depending of the individual situation, and you can check it out in our pages about Visas or with DIMA. Contrary to the USA, if you find an Australian company that is interested in your skills and that skill is not easily found in Australia or is in demand, you, together with the company can apply for a work permit.

Australian workers are very competitive but usually are skilled in only one function. This is due to the system Australia have had for years that tends to regulate professions to open new fields, and of course, protect its workers from external (and internal) competition. Australia had in the past the most bureaucratic system of employment in the world. Now it is better, because Unions and Syndicates no longer have the power they had in the past, but you are still to confront some aberration such as a Cardio Surgeons Specialist from overseas to practice in Australia, may be subjected to do a residency (practice with a doctor that in most cases is less experienced than him). Another example can be a Plumber from England that even with 15 years of experience will need to re-do a course to "Learn" the Australian plumbing standards (which are about the same). The working law is so complex that you really need an specialist (another one) to translate it to you. The good or bad news (nobody knows yet) is that John Howard government decides to create the new working relations law, with takes off many responsibilities from employers. Example: Casual people working on Sundays will not have the legal right to earn incentive bonus (double pay). For sure the best jobs in Australia (the one who pays better for less working hours) are the governments (states and federal), but to work there you need to be an Australian Citzen.

Read in our pages at the top left much more about work in Australia.

Study in Australia

Study in Australia besides being a fantastic life experience is also a good intellectual and professional investment for your future. Australia offers thousand of different courses for international students and is famous for the quality of education in many areas. To study in Australia, the first thing that must be determined, it is the study time, therefore this will implies in different types of Visa to be requested to the Embassy of Australia in your home country.

Courses with less than 3 months – If the period of study will be less than 3 months, do not require a Student Visa, therefore the Tourist Visa is enough. You it will be able to be enrol in any type of course, either for international students or for Australians. Also you will not have the obligation to assist the lessons. Many short courses during less than 3 months are available in any Australian city. Some of these courses are in high demand for the Australian market, for example, Barman, House Keeper for Hotels, Waiter, and many others, mainly in the Tourism and the Hospitality industry. Unfortunately with a Tourist Visa, you it cannot work in Australia, unless you are registered in a course with 3 months or more.

Courses with more than 3 months - The Australian department of Immigration require a Student Visa, it is much more expensive, and will involve a more bureaucratic process. The chosen course will last obligatorily 3 months of duration or more, and the frequency to the lessons is controlled by the immigration. If you attend less than 80% of the lessons without medical justification, it will cause immediate cancellation of the Visa. The chosen course has that to be registered and to have been approved for the Australian government as CRICOS (courses regulated for international students). These courses give the right to the student to apply for work legally to a maximum of 20 weekly hours, and full time during the school holidays. This modality includes students enrolled in government or private High schools, English Courses, Technical or Vocational Courses and University Courses, including Masters and Post-Graduation.

Although courses and schools in Australia have very high standards of education, courses differ a lot between them as in any part of the world. One can be better or worse than other. The Universities courses are the most homogeneous, but they are also distinct in regard of hardship for the students. Universities are obliged to only contract personal with academic background, either for English Courses or any other subject, while the other courses can contract academics or any professional of the market. This does not mean that courses are good only when related to the University, and there are many courses of equal or better quality in any Australian city. The important for the future student, is to spend some time researching about the school. The subjects can be the same, but the reputation, localization, installations and quality of education are important factors when contracting a course and investing such capital (you can check many schools in our Course Guide).

Another point about study in Australia is who you will go to study with. If you will study English, of course the course will not have Australians in its classroom, they already know English, or they are learning in a public or particular school of Australia, and obviously they would not be in a English School for International students. For the proximity with Asia, the majority of the International students comes from this region, and surpasses in great number the students of other nationalities. The Latinos including Brazilians are the second biggest group, followed by Europeans, Arabs, Indians, and students of other regions, being this ratio equal in any Australian city that offers courses for International students. So, you will be able to make friends from many parts of the world.

There are some schools that concentrate a great number of students from the same nationality, and this can be good or bad, depending on as you face the situation. Some students don’t care, and they even rather have their mates from home country, what it guarantees good socialization, and it minimizes the impact to be in a foreign country. Others prefer to keep certain distance of compatriots and try to get along with more Australians and absorbing faster the English. Another type of students even with mates they try to only communicate in English to practise the language. The only exception is high school education, with most Australians and the number of International students is limited.

If you are in doubt of what course to attend and you have plans to in the future try to apply for permanent residence and the process of immigration in Australia, there are courses and careers that could give you more points for "Skilled Migration". These professions are brought update regularly by the Government, in accordance with the necessity of the Australian market. In one determined year, could be Hair Dressing, Nursing, Chef and many others professions. If would like to know more on these professions sees the site of the Government in www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf (need to have installed the Adobe Acrobat).

When contracting a course, you better know that in case your visa is denied, the amount paid for the course will be refunded less the fees, for example, enrolment fee, homestay fee (if applicable). To get a refund you will need to get the letter from the Embassy so your agent will be able to request the refund, or if applying directly with the school, send by Fax the letter, and a small text in English explaining the occurrence, also giving your bank details so the school can proceed the reimbursement.

Read about study in Australia by choosing the options on the left navigation bar of this page. Come to study in Australia and have the time of your life. Check also our Course Guide to know the Educational institutions that offers English Courses in Australia, Vocational courses, plus University and Post Graduation Courses in Australia.

Life-Style in Australia

Australians are very friendly and helpful people, with a great sense of humour and a natural ability to tell jokes and play with words. Some times we may appear cold because of our "private nature" which has been imported over the past 2 decades, but it is just takes time to "break the ice", and everything goes well. It means you can talk about any subject, but for more personal matters, things will take a little bit longer to come out in the open.

The majority of Australians live in coastal areas because the interior of the country called "the Outback", can be a very arid area with many deserts and lack of water. Australians tend to follow each other a bit, like sheep on a hill. This happens because of the stability of Australian Institutions and the strong economy. For example, since the beginning of 2003 there has been a boom in the housing market, which has made thousands of Australians buy and sell homes for investment. The result has been that so many people did it created a steep rise in house prices. For a couple of months every single place I went, the talk was about houses. Because of this stability, Australians tend to plan for the long term, which can make life a little bit boring sometimes.

Australians were born to compete! In reality, Australia is considered one of the most competitive nations on Earth. This covers all areas of life including the work place. For example, Australians surfers broke a long-term hold on the Surf Scene by the Americans and Hawaiians, and today there is not a single international contest without at least many Aussies running in top position. Companies that sponsor sports events such as Billabong, Rip Curl and many others broke the Australian borders to become a symbol of Aussie culture all over the globe, displacing many bigger foreign companies on the market. These great Australians Companies, today almost dictate what young people and teenagers are wearing worldwide.

Australians are compulsive buyers having some of the biggest credit card debts in the world. On rainy days (no beach to go) it is very hard to get a parking place in a Shopping Centre, and over the Christmas period and Boxing day (the day after Christmas) it is almost impossible, with lines of car parking on the streets outside the shopping area. Shopping is very good here with lots of variety and good offers. In all Australian Shopping Centres smoking is prohibited. There are also suburban small shopping centres to look after the locals. They are pretty close together and almost always have a bakery, a Pharmacy, Medical centre, a small supermarket, dentist, Fish and Chips shop, Pizza Shop and small eatery. It is difficult to see something unusual or unique in these shops.

Going to the beach on weekends in Australia is a very popular exercise, just as much as going to the Shopping Centre or doing any sport. The so called Australian Beach Culture, is similar to California, Rio de Janeiro, and the Mediterranean. Australians live by the sea, and the beach complements the house creating an extended backyard in which to play. With the exception of some places that can get some winter weather, most of Australia is sunny throughout the year. This provides an excellent alternative of relaxation all year round, but you also must know that because of the thinning of the Ozone layer above some areas, there is a greater danger of harmful rays from the sun. The sun here is very strong and burns the skin really fast. Australia is has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world; so if you go to the beach, take hats and sun block. DON'T EXPOSURE YOURSELF FOR TOO LONG UNDER THE SUN. Other important matters concern the rips and currents most Australian beaches have. Sometimes the sea can present itself as calm as you like, but rips underneath can be strong and unexpected. So, if you are not very knowledgeable about the sea, you'd better swim only in patrolled waters between the flags placed by lifesavers on the sand. By the way, it is prohibited to sell anything on the beach without a council permit, and wherever dogs are allowed, they must be on a leash.

If you are not going to a special event, the fashion in Australia is pretty casual and laidback. Australians are very informal when it comes to clothes, despite the fact that some work places require a good standard of dressing. "Casual Smart" is required for companies where presentation and image are important. It consists of a long sleeve one-colour shirt, with sleeves folded to just below the elbow, long pants of a good fabric, and leather shoes. No tie is necessary. Jacket and tie are usually only worn during business meetings, by businessmen or Real Estate Agents. Australians vary in their style of clothing, some loving colourful clothes and stamps, some hating it. At the beach it is more common to wear shorts than Speedos or bikinis, for both, males and females. Australians don't like to show off their bodies pretty much, still a consequence from the 1900's, when it was prohibited to have a swim in the ocean, and wear nothing that could permit a tan on your skin. Melbourne is the top fashion place in Australia.

Preservation of the environment is ten out of ten for Australia. It is amazing; how much care conscientious Australians dedicate to preserving the environment. It doesn't only cover nature conservation such as mountains, rivers, forests and oceans, it spans into the cities as well. Australians love Australia and are very proud of having a clean and beautiful land. The majority of the population are very concerned about ecological and preservation matters, involving themselves as much as possible to keep it that way. Not only will normal people report damage to the environment, but the authorities will also give you heavy fines for dumping anything you are not allowed to. Streets and locations are very clean. I have been to beaches where you have to walk on a wooden path so as not to disturb the sand and native grass that is underneath. There are selective rubbish collections for most homes with recycling bins separated from bins containing other materials. Also, Councils from all over Australia, do an Environment impact study before authorizing any new construction and development. As I said before, it is 10 out of 10.