The population grew steadily in subsequent decades, and by the time of an 1850s gold rush, most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy, comprising six states and ten territories.

Australia is the oldest, flattest, and driest inhabited continent, with the least fertile soils. It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi). A megadiverse country, its size gives it a wide variety of landscapes, with deserts in the centre, tropical rainforests in the north-east, and mountain ranges in the south-east. Its population density, 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometre,

Remains among the lowest in the world. Australia generates its income from various sources including mining-related exports, telecommunications, banking, manufacturing, and international education.Australia is a highly developed country, with the world’s 14th-largest economy.

It has a high-income economy, with the world’s tenth-highest per capita income. It is a regional power and has the world’s 13th-highest military expenditure. Australia has the world’s eighth-largest immigrant population, with immigrants accounting for 29% of the population.

Having the third-highest human development index and the eighth-highest ranked democracy globally, the country ranks highly in quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties, and political rights, with all its major cities faring well in global comparative livability surveys.

Australia is a member of the United Nations, G20, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Trade Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Pacific Islands Forum, and the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism.

Australia to shut borders to tourists in expanded international travel …

About borders

Enhanced border measures all but halting commercial travel in and out of the country will come into effect from 9pm tonight (AEST) in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

It comes as Australia adds to previously enforced bans on foreign nationals arriving from China, Iran, Italy and South Korea, which had been hardest hit by the virus, before it was announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and follow calls for Australians not to travel overseas.

Australia to shut borders to tourists in expanded international travel …

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new measures would come into effect “to save lives”.

“Our government has taken this unprecedented step because around 80 per cent of coronavirus cases in Australia are people who caught the virus overseas before entering Australia, or people who have had a direct contact with someone who has returned from overseas,” he said in a press statement.

“OUR PREVIOUS TRAVEL AND ENTRY RESTRICTIONS HAVE ALREADY MEANT THAT DAILY TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA BY NON-CITIZENS HAS BEEN REDUCED TO ABOUT ONE THIRD OF WHAT IT WAS THIS TIME LAST YEAR.”

Exemptions to the policy apply for Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family, including spouses, legal guardians and dependants.

New Zealand citizens who live in Australia as Australian residents are also exempt, as are New Zealanders transiting to New Zealand. Exemptions for Pacific Islanders transiting to their home countries will continue to apply.

All arrivals to Australia will still be required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.

See more: PM announces $1bn Australian tourism fund 

AFTA boss to host special webinar on COVID-19

New Zealand has also closed its borders to tourists and visa holders from outside of the country. Morrison said he had consulted with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about Australia’s new travel ban prior to announcing it, according to ABC News.

“The New Zealand arrangement, in the same way as it has in the past, doesn’t apply to Australians living in New Zealand as New Zealand residents,” he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will provide consular advice and assistance. However, the capacity for DFAT to provide consular services may be limited by local restrictions on movement, Morrison said, as well as the full scale of the challenges posed by COVID-19.

“Australians who cannot, or do not want to, return home should follow the advice of local authorities and minimise their risk of coronavirus exposure by self-isolating,” he said.

“The government is in discussions with airlines about the continuance of some international flights for the purpose of bringing Australians home and continuing the movement of goods and freight.”

It comes as Qantas and Virgin Australia announced major cuts to staff and to international and domestic flights.

All cruise ships which sailed from a foreign port have also been banned from entering Australian ports for 30 days.

Featured image: iStock.com/honglouwawa