Australia
 

26 Jan 1788 - 3 Sep 1901	1 Jan 1901 - 3 Sep 1901 (Semi-official)	3 Sep 1901 - 4 Jun 1903
4 Jun 1903 - 19 Dec 1908	Adopted 19 Dec 1908	19 Dec 1908 - 14 Apr 1954 Civil Ensign

Map of Australia Hear National Anthem   "Advance Australia Fair" Adopted 19 Apr 1984 (lyrics modified 1 Jan 2021) Former National Anthem "God Save the Queen"  (1 Jan 1901-19 Apr 1984) Constitution (1 Jan 1901) Capital: Canberra (1901-1927 Melbourne) Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD); Australian Pound (AUP) 1909-1966 National Holidays: 26 Jan (1788)  Australia Day ------------------------------------ 25 April (1915) ANZAC Day Population: 26,768,598 (2024) GDP: $1.58 trillion (2023)  Exports: $447.5 billion (2023) Imports: $363.5 billion (2023) Ethnic Groups: English 33%, Australian 29.9%, Irish 9.5%, Scottish 8.6%, Chinese 5.5%, Italian 4.4%, German 4%, Indian 3.1%, Australian Aboriginal 2.9%, Greek 1.7%, unspecified 4.7% (2021) note: data represent self-identified ancestry, with the option of reporting two ancestries Total Active Armed Forces: 58,600 (2021) U.S. Forces: 2,243 (2023) Merchant marine: 604 ships (2023) Religions: Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant 18.1% (Anglican 9.8%, Uniting Church 2.6%, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6%, Baptist 1.4%, Pentecostal 1%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 3.5%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 2.7%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox 0.2%), other 2.1%, none 38.4%, unspecified 7.3% (2021) International Organizations/Treaties: ADB, AfDB (applicant), AG, AIIB, ANT (consultative), ANZUS, APA (observer), APEC, APM, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), AUKUS (signatory), BIS, BTWC, C, CCM, CD, CP, CPTPP, CTBT, CWC, EAS, EBRD, ECSR, EITI, ENMOD, FAO, FATF, G-7 (guest), G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IORA, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, Moon, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO (global partner), NEA, NPT, NSG, NTBT, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), OST, PA (observer), Paris Club, PC, PCA, PIF, RCEP, SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR, UNRWA, UPU, WA, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Australia Index Chronology 26 Feb 1606                Sighted by Dutch Capt. Willem Janszoon (b. c.1530                              - d. c.1570) aboard Duyfken lands at Cape York,                              which he named New Zeeland (Nieu Zeelandt). 31 Jul 1618                Janszoon (s.a.) lands again, this time at North West                              Cape. 1644                       Dutch Capt. Abel Janszoon Tasman (b. 1609 - d. 1659)                              mapped the north coast of Australia which was then                              known as New Holland (Nieuw-Holland).  6 May 1770                "Eastern coast of New Holland" claimed for the U.K.                              by Capt. James Cook (b. 1728 - d. 1799), he names                              it New Wales, but revised it to New South Wales. 20 Jan 1788                British "First Fleet" arrives at Botany Bay. 26 Jan 1788                New South Wales, the first British colony in                               Australia is founded (see Australian states).  1 Jan 1901                Commonwealth of Australia (uniting the colonies of                              New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia,                              Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia [which                              is added after a 31 Jul 1900 referendum]; by U.K.                              "Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act" of                              reviving royal assent 9 Jul 1900 and royal                              proclamation of 19 Sep 1900). 11 Dec 1931                Statute of Westminster grants sovereignty to the                              British dominions, but Australian ratification                              is required.  9 Oct 1942                Legislative independence of Australia from the                              U.K. is achieved upon the adoption of provisions                              of the Statute of Westminster 1931 (retroactively                              effective from 3 Sep 1939) by the "Statute of                              Westminster Adoption Act 1942."  3 Mar 1986                Australia Act (1986) ends the last vestigial links                              with the U.K., enabling the repatriation of the                              Australian constitution to Australia.  6 Nov 1999                Referendum on adopting a republican form of                               government is rejected (54.8% No vs. 45.1% Yes).  Australian States Ashmore and Cartier Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard and McDonald Islands Australian Antarctic Territory

Kings/Queens¹
 1 Jan 1901 -              the Kings/Queens of the United Kingdom
Governors-general² (representing the British monarch as head of state)
 1 Jan 1901 -  9 Jan 1903  John Adrian Louis Hope, Earl of    (b. 1860 - d. 1908)
                             Hopetoun, Viscount Althrie, Lord Hope,
                             Baron Hopetoun, of Hopetoun in the
                             County of Linlithgow, Baron Niddry,
                             of Niddry Castle in the County of
                             Linlithgow, Baronet of Kirkliston,
                             Nova Scotia, (from 27 Oct 1902,
                             Marquess of Linlithgow, in the
                             County of Linlithgow or West Lothian) 
17 Jul 1902 - 21 Jan 1904  Hallam Tennyson, Baron Tennyson,   (b. 1852 - d. 1928)
                             of Aldworth, in the County of
                             Sussex, and of Freshwater, in
                             the Isle of Wight
                             (acting to 9 Jan 1903)
21 Jan 1904 -  9 Sep 1908  Sir Henry Stafford Northcote, Baron(b. 1846 - d. 1911)
                             Northcote, of the City and County
                             of the City of Exeter
 9 Sep 1908 - 31 Jul 1911  William Humble Ward, Earl of       (b. 1867 - d. 1932)
                             Dudley, Viscount Ednam, of Ednam
                             in the County of Roxburgh, Baron
                             Ward, of Birmingham in the County
                             of Warwick 
31 Jul 1911 - 18 May 1914  Thomas Denman, Baron Denman, of    (b. 1874 - d. 1954)
                             Dovedale, in the County of
                             Derbyshire
18 May 1914 -  6 Oct 1920  Sir Ronald Craufurd Munro-Ferguson (b. 1860 - d. 1934)
 6 Oct 1920 -  8 Oct 1925  Henry William Forster, Baron       (b. 1866 - d. 1936)
                             Forster, of Lepe, in the County
                             of Southampton
 8 Oct 1925 - 22 Jan 1931  John Lawrence Baird, Baron         (b. 1874 - d. 1941)
                             Stonehaven, of Ury in the County
                             of Kincardine
 3 Oct 1930 - 22 Jan 1931  Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers-    (b. 1887 - d. 1944)
                             Cocks, Baron Somers
                             (administrator, acting for Baron Stonehaven)     
22 Jan 1931 - 23 Jan 1936  Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs            (b. 1855 - d. 1948)
23 Jan 1936 - 30 Jan 1945  Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-     (b. 1872 - d. 1955)
                             Ruthven, Baron Gowrie, of Canberra
                             in the Commonwealth of Australia
                             and of Dirleton in the County of 
                             East Lothian (from 8 Jan 1945, Earl
                             of Gowrie, Viscount Ruthven of Canberra,
                             of Dirleton, in the County of East
                             Lothian)
 8 Sep 1944 - 30 Jan 1945  Sir Winston Dugan (1st time)       (b. 1877 - d. 1951)
                             (administrator, acting for Baron Gowrie)
30 Jan 1945 - 11 Mar 1947  Prince Henry William Frederick     (b. 1900 - d. 1974)
                             Albert, Duke of Gloucester, Earl
                             of Ulster, Baron Culloden
19 Jan 1947 - 11 Mar 1947  Sir Winston Dugan (2nd time)       (s.a.)
                             (administrator, acting for Prince Henry)
11 Mar 1947 -  8 May 1953  William John McKell                (b. 1891 - d. 1985)
                             (from 9 Nov 1951, Sir William John McKell) 
 8 May 1953 -  2 Feb 1960  Sir William Joseph Slim            (b. 1891 - d. 1970)
 2 Feb 1960 -  3 Feb 1961  William Shepherd Morrison,         (b. 1893 - d. 1961)
                             Viscount Dunrossil of Vallaquie, 
                             of Vallaquie in the Isle of North
                             Uist and County of Inverness
 4 Feb 1961 -  3 Aug 1961  Sir Reginald Alexander Dallas      (b. 1896 - d. 1966)
                             Brooks (administrator acting)
 3 Aug 1961 - 22 Sep 1965  William Philip Sidney, Viscount    (b. 1909 - d. 1991)
                             De L'Isle, of Penshurst in the
                             County of Kent, Baron De L'Isle
                             and Dudley, Baronet, of Penshurst,
                             Kent
 7 May 1965 - 22 Sep 1965  Sir Henry Abel Smith               (b. 1900 - d. 1993)
                             (administrator, acting for Viscount De L'Isle)
22 Sep 1965 - 30 Apr 1969  Richard Gardiner Casey, Baron      (b. 1890 - d. 1976)
                             Casey, of Berwick in the State
                             of State of Victoria and Commonwealth
                             of Australia and of the City of Westminster 
30 Apr 1969 - 11 Jul 1974  Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck (b. 1905 - d. 1993)
11 Jul 1974 -  8 Dec 1977  Sir John Robert Kerr               (b. 1914 - d. 1991)
 8 Dec 1977 - 29 Jul 1982  Sir Zelman Cowen                   (b. 1919 - d. 2011)
29 Jul 1982 - 16 Feb 1989  Sir Ninian Martin Stephen          (b. 1923 - d. 2017)
16 Feb 1989 - 16 Feb 1996  William "Bill" George Hayden       (b. 1933 - d. 2023)
16 Feb 1996 - 29 Jun 2001  Sir William Patrick Deane          (b. 1931)
29 Jun 2001 - 29 May 2003  Peter John Hollingworth            (b. 1935)
15 May 2003 - 11 Aug 2003  Sir Guy Stephen Montague Green     (b. 1937 - d. 2025)
                             (administrator acting [for Hollingworth to 28 May 2003])
11 Aug 2003 -  5 Sep 2008  Philip Michael Jeffery             (b. 1937 - d. 2020)
 5 Sep 2008 - 28 Mar 2014  Quentin Alice Louise Bryce (f)     (b. 1942)
                             (from 25 Mar 2014, Dame Quentin Alice Louise Bryce)
28 Mar 2014 -  1 Jul 2019  Sir Peter John Cosgrove            (b. 1947)
 1 Jul 2019 -  1 Jul 2024  David John Hurley                  (b. 1953)
 1 Jul 2024 -              Samantha "Sam" Joy Mostyn (f)      (b. 1965)

 
Prime ministers
 1 Jan 1901 - 24 Sep 1903  Edmund Barton                      (b. 1849 - d. 1920)  PP
                             (from Jul 1902, Sir Edmund Barton) 
24 Sep 1903 - 26 Apr 1904  Alfred Deakin (1st time)           (b. 1856 - d. 1919)  PP
26 Apr 1904 - 18 Aug 1904  John Christian Watson              (b. 1867 - d. 1941)  ALP
18 Aug 1904 -  5 Jul 1905  George Houston Reid                (b. 1845 - d. 1918)  FT
 5 Jul 1905 - 13 Nov 1908  Alfred Deakin (2nd time)           (s.a.)               PP
13 Nov 1908 -  2 Jun 1909  Andrew Fisher (1st time)           (b. 1862 - d. 1928)  ALP
 2 Jun 1909 - 29 Apr 1910  Alfred Deakin (3rd time)           (s.a.)               PP
29 Apr 1910 - 24 Apr 1913  Andrew Fisher (2nd time)           (s.a.)               ALP
24 Apr 1913 - 17 Sep 1914  Joseph Cook                        (b. 1860 - d. 1947)  LP
17 Sep 1914 - 27 Oct 1915  Andrew Fisher (3rd time)           (s.a.)               ALP
27 Oct 1915 -  9 Feb 1923  William Morris Hughes              (b. 1864 - d. 1952)  ALP;
                                                       14 Nov 1916 NLP; 17 Feb 1917 NP
 9 Feb 1923 - 22 Oct 1929  Stanley Melbourne Bruce            (b. 1883 - d. 1967)  NP
22 Oct 1929 -  6 Jan 1932  James Henry Scullin                (b. 1867 - d. 1953)  ALP
 6 Jan 1932 -  7 Apr 1939  Joseph Aloysius Lyons              (b. 1879 - d. 1939)  UAP
 7 Apr 1939 - 26 Apr 1939  Sir Earle Page (acting)            (b. 1880 - d. 1961)  ACP
26 Apr 1939 - 29 Aug 1941  Robert Gordon Menzies (1st time)   (b. 1894 - d. 1978)  LP
29 Aug 1941 -  7 Oct 1941  Arthur William Fadden              (b. 1895 - d. 1973)  ACP
 7 Oct 1941 -  6 Jul 1945  John Joseph Ambrose Curtin         (b. 1885 - d. 1945)  ALP
 6 Jul 1945 - 13 Jul 1945  Francis Michael Forde              (b. 1890 - d. 1983)  ALP
13 Jul 1945 - 19 Dec 1949  Joseph Benedict Chifley            (b. 1885 - d. 1951)  ALP
19 Dec 1949 - 22 Jan 1966  Robert Gordon Menzies (2nd time)   (s.a.)               LP
                             (from 29 Mar 1963, Sir Robert Gordon Menzies)
22 Jan 1966 - 17 Dec 1967  Harold Edward Holt                 (b. 1908 - d. 1967)  LP
18 Dec 1967 - 10 Jan 1968  John McEwen (acting)               (b. 1900 - d. 1980)  ACP
10 Jan 1968 - 10 Mar 1971  John Grey Gorton                   (b. 1911 - d. 2002)  LP
10 Mar 1971 -  5 Dec 1972  William "Billy" McMahon            (b. 1908 - d. 1988)  LP
 5 Dec 1972 - 11 Nov 1975  Edward Gough Whitlam               (b. 1916 - d. 2014)  ALP
11 Nov 1975 - 11 Mar 1983  John Malcolm Fraser                (b. 1930 - d. 2015)  LP
11 Mar 1983 - 20 Dec 1991  Robert James Lee Hawke             (b. 1929 - d. 2019)  ALP
20 Dec 1991 - 11 Mar 1996  Paul John Keating                  (b. 1944)            ALP
11 Mar 1996 -  3 Dec 2007  John Winston Howard                (b. 1939)            LP
 3 Dec 2007 - 24 Jun 2010  Kevin Michael Rudd (1st time)      (b. 1957)            ALP
24 Jun 2010 - 27 Jun 2013  Julia Eileen Gillard (f)           (b. 1961)            ALP
27 Jun 2013 - 18 Sep 2013  Kevin Michael Rudd (2nd time)      (s.a.)               ALP
18 Sep 2013 - 15 Sep 2015  Anthony "Tony" John Abbott         (b. 1957)            LP
15 Sep 2015 - 24 Aug 2018  Malcolm Bligh Turnbull             (b. 1954)            LP
24 Aug 2018 - 23 May 2022  Scott John Morrison                (b. 1968)            LP
23 May 2022 -              Anthony Norman Albanese            (b. 1963)            ALP

Aboriginal Flag 12 Jul 1971 14 Jul 1995 adopted as "a flag of Australia"

Torres Strait Islander Flag 29 May 1992 14 Jul 1995 adopted as "a flag of Australia"

 ¹The style of the ruler was:
(a) 1 Jan 1901 - 22 Jan 1901: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India";
(b) 22 Jan 1901 -  4 Nov 1901: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India";
(b) 4 Nov 1901 - 12 May 1927: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India";
(c) 12 May 1927 - 6 Feb 1952: "By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India"; the title "Emperor of India" was dropped as of 15 Aug 1947 by retroactive proclamation dated 22 Jun 1948;
(d) 6 Feb 1952 - 29 May 1953: "By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith";
(e) 29 May 1953 - 19 Oct 1973: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom, Australia and Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith";
(f) 19 Oct 1973 - 8 Sep 2022: "By the Grace of God, Queen of Australia and her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth";
(f) from 8 Sep 2022: "By the Grace of God, King of Australia and his other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth."

 ²full title of the governors-general:
(a) 1 Jan 1901 - 3 Aug 1961: "Governor-general and Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Australia";
(b) 3 Aug 1961 - 11 Jul 1974: "Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Commonwealth of Australia";
(c) 11 Jul 1974 - 24 Aug 1984: "Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force of the Commonwealth of Australia";
(d) from 24 Aug 1984: "Governor-general of the Commonwealth of Australia."

Territorial Disputes: Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory) since 1933, claim not recognized by the United Nations, U.S., Russia, or by most other countries (other than France, New Zealand, Norway and U.K.); 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; In 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed to a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing arrangement and deferred a maritime boundary.

Party abbreviations: ALP = Australian Labor Party (social-democratic, est.1901); LP = Liberal Party (center-right, UAP successor, est.1945, as Commonwealth Liberal Party 1909-1916);
- Former Parties: ACP = Australian Country Party (conservative, agrarian, in 1972 renamed National Country Party, 1920-1982, renamed National Party of Australia); FT = Free Trade Party (conservative, pro-free trade, from 1906 renamed Anti-Socialist Party, 1889-1909); NP = Nationalist Party (conservative, nationalist, 1917-1931, replaced by UAP); NLP = National Labor Party (center-left, Billy Hughes personalist, split from ALP, merged into NP, 17 Nov 1916-17 Feb 1917); PP = Protectionist Party (conservative, protectionist, 1889-1909); UAP = United Australia Party (center-right, NP successor, 1931-1945, replaced by LP)

 

Map of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population: Uninhabited; there are seasonal caretakers (2021)

1800                       Cartier Island discovered and named by British Capt. Thomas Nash
                             (b. 1770 - d. 1830), aboard the ship Cartier.
11 Jun 1811                Ashmore Reef discovered by British Capt. Samuel Ashmore (b. 1787 
                             - d. 1858) aboard the brig Hibernia.
1878                       Ashmore Reef claimed by the Netherlands East Indies.
20 Oct 1878                Ashmore Reef claimed for Western Australia by Lt. William
                             Tooker on the schooner Airlie.
Dec 1905                   Capt. Ernest Gaunt (b. 1865 - d. 1940), on HMS Cambrian, formally
                             takes possession of Ashmore Reef for the U.K.
17 May 1909                Cartier Island annexed by the U.K.
23 Jul 1931                Ashmore and Cartier Islands annexed by U.K. to Australia.
15 Dec 1933                Ashmore and Cartier Islands transferred to Australia by U.K.
10 May 1934                Transfer of sovereignty effective by the Ashmore and Cartier
                             Islands Acceptance Act 1933 (Ashmore and Cartier Islands
                             Territory).
10 May 1934 - 19 Jul 1938  Administered by Western Australia.
19 Jul 1938 - 30 Jun 1978  Administered by the Northern Territory.
 7 Nov 1974                Australia–Indonesia Memorandum of Understanding regarding the
                             Operations of Indonesian Traditional Fishermen in Areas of the
                             Australian Fishing Zone and Continental Shelf - 1974.
 1 Jul 1978                Ashmore and Cartier Islands Territory.
16 Aug 1983                Ashmore Reef Commonwealth Natural Reserve.
14 Mar 1997                Indonesia challenged Australia's claim to the islands, which was
                             settled in a maritime boundary treaty (Perth Treaty)(not ratified)
21 Jun 2000                Cartier Island Commonwealth Marine Reserve.
 8 Sep 2001                Australia declared the islands to be outside the Australian
                             migration zone.

Territorial Dispute: As the closest Australian territory to Indonesia, these islands became the target of human traffickers for the landing of illegal immigrants; in Sep 2001, the Australian government removed these islands from the Australian Migration Zone making illegal arrivals ineligible for temporary visas and entry into Australia. Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef (Pulau Pasir); Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island, access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

 

Map of Coral Sea Islands

Population: No Indigenous Inhabitants; a staff of 4 operates the meteorological station on Willis Islan (2021)

30 Sep 1969                Coral Sea Islands Territory established, formerly part of 
                             Queensland (the northwest group includes: Flinders Reefs,
                             Herald Cays, Holmes Reefs, Coringa Islets, Lihou Reef and Cays,
                             Magdelaine Cays, Moore Reefs, Bougainville Reef, Osprey Reef,
                             Marion Reef, the Willis Group, et al.; the southeasterly group
                             includes: Frederick Reefs, Saumarez Reefs, Wreck Reef, Kenn Reef,
                             Swain Reefs, West Island, Bird Islet, and Cato Island); The
                             islands, cays and reefs of the Great Barrier Reef are not part of
                             the territory, belonging to Queensland instead; administered from
                             Canberra.
 9 Sep 1975                Pocklington Reef is transferred to Papua New Guinea by Australia.
 7 Jul 1997                Elizabeth Reef and Middleton Reef (nearly 800 km further south)
                             in the Tasman Sea added to the Coral Sea Islands Territory.
16 Nov 2012                Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve.

Territorial Disputes: None; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.