• Australia
• Brazil
• Panama
• Portugal
• Uruguay

Government: Federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. 

Administrative division. Australia is divided into six states and two major mainland territories.

Capital. The capital is Canberra.

Area: 7 686 850 sq km.

Population: 21 million.

Ethnic groups: 29,01% Australian, 0,45% Australian Aboriginal, 50,79% European, 5,17% Asian, 8,25% other, 6,33% unstated.

Languages: Australian English.

Religion. 73% of Australians were listed as Christian of any denomination, including 26% as Roman Catholic and 24% as Anglican.

Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD).

Calling code: +61.

Geography. Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous other islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Neighboring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east.

Australia's landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometers is on the Indo-Australian Plate. Australia has 34,218 kilometers of coastline, excluding all offshore islands. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over 2,000 kilometers. Mount Augustus, claimed to be the world's largest monolith, is located in Western Australia.

By far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid lands commonly known as the outback. Australia is the flattest continent, with the oldest and least fertile soils, and is the driest inhabited continent. Only the south-east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate. The landscapes of the northern part of the country, with a tropical climate, consist of rainforest, woodland, grassland, mangrove swamps, and desert. The climate is significantly influenced by ocean currents, including the El Niño southern oscillation, which is correlated with periodic drought, and the seasonal tropical low pressure system that produces cyclones in northern Australia.

Ecology. Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it includes a diverse range of habitats from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests, and is recognized as a megadiverse country. Because of the continent's great age, its extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's biota is unique and diverse.

Among well-known Australian fauna are the monotremes (the platypus and the echidna); a host of marsupials, including the kangaroo, the koala, and the wombat; the saltwater and freshwater crocodiles; and birds such as the emu and the kookaburra.

The population density in Australia, 2,8 inhabitants per square kilometer, is among the lowest in the world, although a great proportion of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline. The major metropolitan areas are Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

Sydney is the largest city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4 million. It is the state capital of New South Wales, and was the site of the first British colony in Australia. Sydney is situated on Australia's south-east coast. The city is built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour, leading to the city's nickname, "the Harbour City". It is noted for the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, and its beaches. The metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and contains many bays, rivers and inlets. The main airport serving Sydney is Kingsford Smith International Airport, sometimes referred to as Sydney Airport.

Sydney is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, which reflects its role as a major destination for immigrants to Australia. According to the Mercer cost of living survey, Sydney is Australia’s most expensive city, and the 15th most expensive in the world. Sydney also ranks among the top 10 most liveable cities in the world.

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 340,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth largest Australian city overall. The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation's capital in 1908 as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities. It is unusual among Australian cities, being an entirely purpose-built, planned city. The city's design was heavily influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation that have earned Canberra the title "bush capital".

As the seat of the government of Australia, Canberra is the site of Parliament House, the High Court of Australia and numerous government departments and agencies. It is also the location of many social and cultural institutions of national significance, such as the Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, National Museum of Australia and the National Library of Australia.

Melbourne is the second most populous city in Australia, with a population of approximately 3.8 million (2007 estimate) and serves as the state capital of Victoria. Melbourne is located on the lower reaches of the Yarra River and on the northern and eastern shorelines of Port Phillip and their hinterland.

Melbourne is a major centre of commerce, education, tourism, the arts and cultural activities, and also industry. It is consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world. The city is recognized as Australia's sporting and cultural capital and it is home to many of the nation's most significant cultural and sporting events and institutions. Melbourne is notable for its mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture, its extensive tram network and Victorian parks and gardens, as well as its diverse, multicultural society.