S P A I N
Capital: Madrid
Official Language: Spanish
National Animal: Bull
National Food: Paella or Churros
Sports in Global Games: Athletics and Swimming
S P A I N
Capital: Madrid
Official Language: Spanish
Head of State: His Majesty King Felipe VI
Head of Government: Prime Minister HE Mr Perdro Sanchez Perez- Castejon Population: 46.3 million(2017)
Land Area: 498,800 Sq km
Currency: Euro
Major Australian Exports: Coal, Fruit & nuts, electronic integrated circuits Sports in the Global Games: Athletics and Swimming
S P A I N
Located in south-western Europe, Spain borders the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay and the Pyrenees Mountains. It covers an area of 498,800 sq km south-west of France. With a population of 46.4 million (2016), Spain’s official languages include Castilian (Spanish), Basque, Catalan and Galician. Ninety-four per cent of the population identifies as Roman Catholic.
In the 2016 Census 119,952 Australian residents claimed Spanish descent, while 15,391 indicated they were born in Spain. The Spanish community in Australia comprises principally those who migrated to Australia in the 1960s under a government-to-government assisted migrant passage program, and their children, but also includes the descendants of nineteenth-century, primarily agricultural, immigrants.
(Source: DFAT Website) G E R M A N Y
Capital: Berlin
Official Language: German
National Animal: Black Eagle
National Sport Football
National Food: Bratwurst
Sports in Global Games: Table Tennis
G E R M A N Y
Capital: Berlin
Official Language: German
Federal President HE Dr Head of Sate Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Head of Government Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel
Population: 82.7 million
Land Area: 348,540 sq km
Currency: Euro
Major Australian Exports: Oil-seeds & oleaginous fruits, soft Gold coin & legal tender, coal
Sports in Global Games:
Table Tennis
Top Global Games Athletes: G E R M A N Y
As the world’s fourth largest economy, Germany is the European Union’s (EU’s) most populous nation and plays a leading role in the continent’s economic, political and security affairs. Germany is renowned for its technological innovation, art and science.
The 60 year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Germany this year focuses attention on the breadth and strength of the bilateral relationship and opportunities for closer collaboration.
"Sixty years since we established diplomatic ties, Australia and Germany stand today as two countries with shared values, shared global interests and strong links between our people." The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs Australia and Germany enjoy an open and cooperative relationship underpinned by extensive political, economic and social links. We share common values and are like-minded on many foreign policy and security issues, including our commitment to Afghanistan, non proliferation and disarmament, climate change, and counter- terrorism. Our growing development assistance partnership involves joint projects in 10 countries and is worth over $145 million.
Source: DFAT E S T O N I A
Capital: Tallinn
Official Language: Estonian
National Animal: Barn Swallow
National Sport Basketball
National Food: Rye Bread
Sports in Global Games: Athletics
E S T O N I A
Capital: Tallinn
Official Language: Estonian
President HE Ms Kersti Head of State Kalijulaid
Head of Government Mr Juri Ratas
Population: 1.3 million
Land Area: 42,390 sq km
Currency: Euro
Gold coin & legal tender coin, Prepared additives for mineral Major Australian Exports: oils Alcoholic beverages
Sports in Global Games: Athletics
E S T O N I A
Estonia is the smallest and least populous of the three Baltic Republics, covering an area of 45,227 square kilometres with 1.3 million inhabitants (2016). Situated on the north-eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Estonia borders Latvia to the south and the Russian Federation to the east. The capital of Estonia is Tallinn. Estonia celebrates its National Day on 24 February.
Australia was one of the first countries to recognise Estonia's return to independence in August 1991, pushing strongly for the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Estonian territory in the period that followed.
Australia has the sixth-largest expatriate Estonian community after Finland, Russia, Sweden, Canada and the USA. The 2016 census in Australia recorded over 9,500 people who identified as being of Estonian ancestry.
Source: DFAT I T A L Y
Capital: Rome
Official Language: Italian
Grey wolf National Animal:
Football National Sport
National Food: Pizza & Pasta
Athletics, Sports in Global Games: Rowing, Swimming & Taekwondo
I T A L Y
Capital: Rome
Official Language: Italian
President HE Sergio Head of State: Mattarella
Prime Minister Head of Government: Giuseppe Conte
Population: 60.6 million
Land Area: 294,140 sq km
Currency: Euro
Wool & other animal Major Australian Exports: hair (incl tops) Coal Wheat and Beef,
Sports in Global Games: Athletics, Rowing, Swimming & Taekwondo
Source: DFAT I T A L Y
Australia and Italy share a warm relationship with much scope for expansion. Trade and investment between Australia and Italy is growing. Italy and Australia cooperate on security issues, such as terrorism, and help build security capacity in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Australia and Italy are among relatively few countries with the know-how and ambitions to collaborate in the world’s key astrophysics and space projects, such as the Square Kilometre Array (the world’s biggest radio telescope).
FAST FACTS: Italian visitors to Australia (2017) — 75,200 Australian visitors to Italy (year to Mar 2018, approx.) — 230,000 Resident Australian population born in Italy (2016 census) — 174,042 Australian residents of Italian descent (2016 census) — 1,000,013 Italian working holidaymakers (2017/18) — 10,500 Italian students in Australia (Jan-May 2018) — 6,145
Source: DFAT M A C A U
Official Language: Chinese
National Animal: Panda
National Sport basketball
National Food: Minchi
Athletics,
Swimming & Sports in Global Games: Table Tennis
M A C A U
Official Language: Chinese
Population: 653,000
President HE Mr Xi Head of State: Jinping
Head of Government: Chief Executive Dr Chui Sai On, Fernando
Land Area: 30 sq km
Currency: Pataca
Major Australian Exports: Prams, toys, games & sporting goods, Edible products & preparations
Sports in Global Games: Athletics, Swimming & Table Tennis
Source: DFAT M A C A U
Macau, officially known as Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, was first settled in the 16th century by Portuguese seafarers. Macau remained under Portuguese administration until it was returned to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on 20 December 1999. Macau's Basic Law or mini-constitution was promulgated by the PRC's National People's Congress in 1993. It specifies that Macau's social and economic system, lifestyle, rights, and freedoms are to remain unchanged for at least 50 years after the transfer of sovereignty to China. Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all areas except in defence and foreign affairs. The Basic Law provides for an independent executive, legislature and judiciary.
Source: DFAT A U S T R A L I A
Capital: Canberra
Official Language: English
Kangaroo National Animal:
Cricket/AFL National Sport
Pavlova National Food:
Athletics,basketball, Cycling, Futsal Rowing, Sports in Global Games: Swimming, Table Tennis Taekwondo & Tennis
A U S T R A L I A
Capital: Canberra
Official Language: English
23.94 Million Population:
Land Area: 7.69 million sq km
Currency: Australian Dollar
Iron ores and Major Australian Exports: concentrates, coal, natural gas, education travel services, gold
Sports in Global Games: Athletics,basketball, Cycling, Futsal Rowing, Swimming, Table Tennis Taekwondo & Tennis
A U S T R A L I A
Capital: Canberra
Official Language: English
23.94 Million Population:
Land Area: 7.69 million sq km
Currency: Australian Dollar
Iron ores and Major Australian Exports: concentrates, coal, natural gas, education travel services, gold
Sports in Global Games: Athletics,basketball, Cycling, Futsal Rowing, Swimming, Table Tennis Taekwondo & Tennis
T A I W A N
Capital: Taipei
Official Language: Mandarin
Formosan rock monkey National Animal:
Baseball National Sport
National Food: Tea
Sports in Global Games: Swimming
T A I W A N
Capital: Taipei
Official Language: Mandarin
Head of Government: Tsai Ing-wen
Population: 23.6 million
Land Area: 36,000 sq km
Currency: New Taiwan dollar
Major Australian Exports: Coal 4,504 Iron ores & concentrates, Copper & Aluminium
Sports in Global Games: Swimming
T A I W A N
Australia has a substantial relationship with Taiwan including trade and investment, education, tourism and people-to-people ties. In 1949, following a period of civil war and conflict with Japan in WWII, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) established the People’s Republic of China (PRC), with Beijing as its capital. The Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai- shek retreated to Taiwan, relocating the capital of the Republic of China (ROC) to Taipei. Under the Constitution of the ROC, the authorities in Taipei still claim to be the legitimate government of the whole of China. The Australian Government continued to recognise Taipei until the establishment of diplomatic relations with the PRC in 1972. Australia’s Joint Communiqué with the PRC recognised the Government of the PRC as China’s sole legal government, and acknowledged the position of the PRC that Taiwan was a province of the PRC.
The terms of our Joint Communiqué dictate the fundamental basis of Australia’s one China policy - the Australian Government does not recognise the ROC as a sovereign state and does not regard the authorities in Taiwan as having the status of a national government. Dealings between Australian government officials and Taiwan, therefore, take place unofficially. For example, Australia’s representative office in Taiwan does not have diplomatic status nor do Taiwan’s representative offices in Australia, which have the title “Taipei Economic and Cultural Office” (TECO).
Source: DFAT F I N L A N D
Capital: Helsinki
Official Language: Finnish, Swedish
Brown Bear National Animal:
National Sport Pesäpallo (Baseball)
National Food: Fish
Sports in Global Games: Athletics and Table Tennis
F I N L A N D
Capital: Helsinki
Official Language: Finnish, Swedish
President HE Mr Sauli Head of State: Niinisto
Prime Minister Juha head of Government: Sipila
5.5 million Population:
303,890 sq km Land Area:
Euro Currency: Alcoholic beverages, Nickel ores & Major Australian Exports: concentrates, Coal Telecom equipment & parts
Sports in Global Games: Athletics and Table Tennis
F I N L A N D
Finland is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union with a population of 5.5 million (2016) spread over 338,145 square kilometres. Under the Finnish Constitution, Finland is a bilingual country with Finnish and Swedish as official languages. The Åland Islands, located between the Finnish mainland and Sweden, are an autonomous, demilitarised and monolingual Swedish-speaking administrative province of Finland. The capital of Finland is Helsinki. Finland celebrates its National Day (Independence Day) on 6 December, the date it gained independence from the Russian Empire in 1917.
Australia and Finland share warm bilateral relations, underpinned by strong people-to-people links through the sizeable Finnish community in Australia. The 1920s and 1950s saw the main migration waves from Finland to Australia. In the 2016 census, 24,145 people in Australia claimed Finnish ancestry.
Source: DFAT F R A N C E
Capital: Paris
Official Language: French
National Animal: Rooster
Football National Sport
National Food: Stew & baguette
Sports in Global Games: Athletics, Basketball, Futsal, Rowing, Swimming,Table Tennis & Tennis F R A N C E
Capital: Paris
Official Language: French
President Mr Head of State: Emmanuel Macron
Head of Government: Prime Minister Mr Edouard Philippe
Population: 64.8 million
Land Area: 547,561 sq km
Currency: Euro
Coal, Aircraft, spacecraft & parts, Oil-seeds & oleaginous Major Australian Exports: fruits, soft, Measuring & analysing instruments
Sports in Global Games: Athletics, Basketball, Futsal, Rowing, Swimming,Table Tennis & Tennis Source: DFAT F R A N C E
France is the second most populous nation in the European Union (EU) after Germany. Beyond Western Europe, France has overseas departments and collectivities in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans that account for 20 per cent of its total territory and nearly five per cent of its population. France is a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council and is one of the five "Nuclear Weapons States". It has demonstrated a capability and willingness to project force in a significant way. It is a member of the Group of Seven (G7) and Group of 20 (G20) major economies. Beyond its territory, France takes a leading role in contributing to the Middle East peace process, and development and security issues in Africa. As a founding member of the EU and host to a seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France is an influential member of the EU and attaches a high priority to European integration. France last held the EU presidency in the second half of 2008.
Source: DFAT N O R W A Y
Capital: Oslo
Official Language: Norwegian
Horse National Animal:
National Sport Skiing
National Food: Potatoes
Sports in Global Games: Athletics
N O R W A Y
Capital: Oslo
Official Language: Norwegian
Head of State: HM King Harald V
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ms Erna Solberg
Population: 5.3 million
Land Area: 365,268 sq km
Currency: Norwegian Krone
Major Australian Exports: Aluminium ores & conc ,Specialised machinery & parts, Aircraft, spacecraft & parts, Pharm products (excl medicaments) Sports in the Global Games Athletics
N O R W A Y
A rugged country of mountains, fjords and glaciers, Norway covers an area of approximately 324,000 square kilometres in the western and northern portions of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway also includes the integral areas of Svalbard and Jan Mayen islands in the Arctic, and the dependencies of Queen Maud Land, Peter I Island and Bouvet Island in the Antarctic and Subantarctic. Svalbard is subject to the provisions of the multilateral Svalbard Treaty. Norway has land borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia, and it shares maritime borders with Denmark, the United Kingdom and Iceland. Norway has a population of 5.2 million (2016), with 670,000 people living in its capital Oslo. Norway celebrates its national day on 17 May.
Australia and Norway share the same values and are like-minded on many of the key challenges facing our globe. We are strong advocates for the rules-based international order. Australia and Norway cooperate closely in the United Nations and World Trade Organisation, and work together to advance international peace and security, including through our military contributions to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and the Global Coalition against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. Norway is an important interlocutor for Australia on Antarctic issues. The only significant area of disagreement between Australia and Norway is whaling.
Source: DFAT I C E L A N D
Capital: Reykjavik
Official Language: Icelandic
Gryfalcon National Animal:
National Sport Football
National Food: Fish
Sports in Global Games: Athletics, Cycling and Swimming
I C E L A N D
Capital: Reykjavik
Official Language: Icelandic
President HE Guoni Thorlacius Head of State: Johannesson
Mrs Katrin Jakobsdottir Head of Government:
348,000 Population
100,250 sq km Land Area:
Currency: Krona
Major Australian Exports: Aluminium ores & conc (incl alumina), Live animals (excl seafood,Agric machinery (excl tractors) & parts,Aircraft, spacecraft & part
Sports in Global Games: Athletics, Cycling and Swimming I C E L A N D
Iceland is a Nordic island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Iceland covers an area of 103,000 square kilometres and has a population of approximately 336,000, making it the least populated of the Nordic countries.
Iceland is not a member of the European Union (EU), but is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Economic Area, which entitle it to access the EU internal market. Iceland is a member of numerous international organisations including the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Arctic Council.
Australia and Iceland established diplomatic relations on 17 April 1984. Australia's relations with Iceland are friendly with whaling the only major issue of disagreement. Iceland re-joined the International Whaling Commission in 2002 after having left the organisation in 1992. According to the 2016 census, almost 1,100 Australians claim Icelandic ancestry.
Source: DFAT P O R T U G A L
Capital: Lisbon
Official Language: Portuguese
National Animal: Rooster
Football National Sport
National Food: Soup
Sports in Global Games: Athletics,basketb all, Cycling, Futsal and
Rowing
P O R T U G A L
Capital: Lisbon
Official Language: Portuguese
President HE Prof Head of State: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Head of Government: Prime Minister HE Dr Antonio Costa
Population 10.3 million
Land Area: 91,590 sq km
Currency: Euro
Oil-seeds & oleaginous Major Australian Exports: fruits, soft,Electrical circuits equipment ,Hides & skins,raw (excl furskins),Vegetables, f.c.f.
Sports in Global Games: Athletics,basketball, Cycling, Futsal and Rowing P O R T U G A L
Located in south-western Europe, Portugal is bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean and Spain. In addition to the mainland, Portugal’s territory also includes the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, two archipelagos located in the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal is home to 10.3 million people (2017). The capital of Portugal is Lisbon.
Australia and Portugal have a good bilateral relationship. Portugal has an Embassy in Canberra and a Consulate-General in Sydney as well as Honorary Consulates in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Australia has an Embassy in Lisbon.
According to the 2016 census, 61,886 Australians claim Portuguese ancestry while 15,804 are Portuguese-born. These community links have produced a steady flow of family visits and cultural exchanges in recent decades.
Source: DFAT U S A
Capital: Washington, D.C
Official Language: English
National Animal: Bison
Baseball National Sport
National Food: Pie
Athletics, Sports in Global Games: Cycling, Rowing, Table Tennis & Taekwondo
U S A
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Official Language: English
President The Head of State and Government: Honorable Donald J. Trump
Population 325.9 million (2017)
Land Area: 9,147,420 sq km
Currency: United States dollar
Major Australian Exports: Beef, Aircraft, passenger motor vehicles &Telecom equipment & parts
Sports in Global Games: Athletics,Cycling, Rowing, Swimming, Table Tennis & Taekwondo
U S A
In 2018, Australia and the United States marked a centenary of mateship— a friendship first formed in the trenches of World War I during the Battle of Hamel on 4 July 1918. The two countries maintain a strong relationship, characterised by cultural similarities and robust bilateral arrangements. There are strong formal structures of cooperation between Australia and the United States spanning foreign policy, defence and security, intelligence, development, energy, environment, education, law, trade and investment. The Australia-United States Alliance and the Australia- US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) are central to the bilateral relationship, which also benefits from widespread collaboration across government, academia and business.
Australia and the United States established diplomatic relations on 8 January 1940. Following the establishment of Australian and US Legations in March and July 1940 respectively, the White House announced the elevation of the Legations to Embassy status on 9 July 1946. Australia's first Ambassador to the United States, Norman J O Makin, presented his credentials to the US Government on 11 September 1946. The first US Ambassador to Australia, Robert Butler, presented his credentials on 25 September 1946.
Source: DFAT J A P A N
Capital: Tokyo
Official Language: Japanese
National Animal: Carp
Sumo wrestling National Sport
National Food: Sushi
Athletics, Sports in Global Games: Basketball, futsal, swimming & Taekwondo
J A P A N
Capital: Tokyo
Official Language: Japanese
Shinzō Abe Head of State and Government:
126.8 million (2017) Population
377,973 km² Land Area:
Currency: Yen
automobiles, machine tools, optical and Major Australian Exports: precision equipment, machinery and chemicals
Athletics, Basketball, Sports in Global Games: futsal, swimming & Taekwondo
J A P A N
Japan's foreign policy aims to promote a peaceful and stable international community to support an economy highly dependent on international trade and investment, while contributing to international solutions to shared challenges such as environmental protection, terrorism, poverty and infectious diseases. Japan was a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2016-2017 and is the second-largest contributor to the UN budget.
Japan's official development assistance (ODA) plays an important role in many countries, including in the Indo-Pacific region. While Japan's constitution limits its military role in international affairs, Japan's Self-Defense Forces contribute actively to UN peacekeeping operations and disaster relief including to Pacific Island Countries. In September 2015 the Diet passed security reform legislation to give the Self-Defense Forces greater flexibility to contribute to international peace and stability, including by exercising its UN Charter right to collective self-defence. Japan is also actively engaged in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, including its co-development with Australia of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative.
The Japan-US alliance is the cornerstone of Japan's foreign policy and national security. Japanese cooperation with the United States through the US-Japan Security Treaty has been important to maintaining stability in the region. The US military maintains a presence of approximately 50,000 personnel in Japan under the US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security of 1960. The US Seventh Fleet is based in Yokosuka and the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is based in Okinawa. Plans for the relocation of the Futenma US marine air base in Okinawa have been a longstanding bilateral preoccupation.
Japan describes Australia as its second most important security partner. The Australia-Japan-United States Trilateral Strategic Dialogue is a key security policy mechanism for Japan, Australia and the United States.
Good relations with its neighbours are of vital interest to Japan. After the signing of a peace and friendship treaty with China in 1976, bilateral relations developed rapidly. Japan supported China's membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Cooperation between Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), including over the threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is important in ensuring regional stability. A trilateral summit process established in 2008 provides Japan, China and the ROK with a forum for leaders-level dialogue — the seventh meeting was held in May 2018. Japanese and Chinese leaders last met in Da Nang, Vietnam, in November 2017 in the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. However, Japan's relationships with China and the ROK are complicated by territorial and historical issues.
Source: DFAT C A N A D A
Capital: Ottawa
Official Language: English/French
National Animal: Beaver
Ice Hockey National Sport
Bacon & Maple National Food: Syrup
Sports in Global Games: Table Tennis
C A N A D A
Capital: Ottawa
Official Language: English, French
HM Queen Elizabeth II Head of State: represented by Governor-General HE The Rt Hon Julie Payette
Head of Government: Prime Minister The Rt Hon Justin Trudeau
Population 37.0 million (2018)
Land Area: 9,093,510 sq km
Currency: Canadian dollar
Alcoholic beverages, Major Australian Exports: Beef & Jewellery
Sports in Global Games: Table tennis
C A N A D A
The Australia-Canada relationship is mature, highly productive and broadly based. People to people contacts between our parliaments, government officials, private sectors, academics and communities are extensive and wide-ranging. We are both large countries with geographically dispersed population centres and many small and remote communities. We are also both federations of states and territories and share Westminster systems of government and a similar standard of living. Trade relations date from 1895, when the Government of Canada sent its first Trade Commissioner, John Short Larke, to Sydney to establish an office. Diplomatic relations began formally in 1939 when, on the eve of the Second World War, Australia and Canada first agreed to exchange High Commissioners.
Australian and Canadian military forces fought side-by-side in the Sudan War, Boer War, both World Wars, the Korean War, the 1990-91 Gulf War and Afghanistan. They have cooperated on peacekeeping operations, including Canada's contribution of over 600 troops to the Australian-led mission in Timor-Leste (East Timor) in 1999. Australia and Canada were among the first countries to join the global coalition against terrorism, and both countries committed military and development resources to stabilise and help rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq. Australia and Canada work closely to counter potential global terrorist threats through technical cooperation, information-sharing, exchanges of personnel and joint training.
Today, both countries face comparable public policy challenges in areas such as health, transport, indigenous issues, regional development, and managing the effects of the global economic crisis. The Canada-Australia Public Policy Initiative (CAPPI), launched by Prime Ministers Howard and Harper in 2007, brings together Australian and Canadian senior officials biennially for wide-ranging public policy discussions. CAPPI Retreats are held biennially, with alternating host duties. The last meeting was held in Australia in January 2019. At any time there are a number of public servants placed in Australian and Canadian ministries on exchange.
A comprehensive range of bilateral agreements cover issues such as trade, space cooperation, social security, air services, wildfire management, crisis management and consular services abroad, co-location of our missions overseas, mutual assistance in criminal matters and avoidance of double taxation. Consular cooperation is important, with Canada and Australia providing consular services to each other's nationals in around 30 countries where the other is not represented. During Foreign Minister Bishop’s visit to Canada in July 2015, she signed with her then Canadian counterpart Foreign Minister Nicholson the Glasgow-Burchell Declaration on diplomatic cooperation, with both Ministers characterising the Declaration as as symbolic of the closeness of our relationship. The agreement establishes a formal framework for existing cooperation and identifies areas in which Australia and Canada might collaborate and cooperate closely.
Source: DFAT R U S S I A
Capital: Moscow
Official Language: Russian
National Animal: Brown Bear
Football National Sport
National Food: Borscht
Sports in Global Games:
R U S S I A
Capital: Moscow
Official Language: Russian
President HE Mr Head of State: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Prime Minister HE Mr Head of Government: Dmitry Medvedev
Population 144.0 million (2018)
Land Area: 16,376,870 sq km
Ruble Currency:
Major Australian Exports: Live animals (excl seafood) Hides & skins, raw (excl furskins)
Sports in Global Games:
R U S S I A
According to the 2016 Census, approximately 85,000 Australians claim Russian ancestry. Contact between Australia and Russia began in 1807, when the Russian naval vessel Neva arrived in Sydney. Consular relations began in 1857 and diplomatic relations in 1942. Australia established an Embassy in Russia in 1943 and has Honorary Consulates in Vladivostok and St Petersburg. The Russian Federation has an Embassy in Canberra, a Consulate-General in Sydney and Honorary Consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Australia and Russia engage in a number of important international and multilateral fora, including those involved with non-proliferation issues and regional security. Australia and Russia concluded a bilateral Double Taxation Agreement in September 2000, which came into effect in 2004. In 2010, Australia and Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation. Russian students are also eligible to apply for Endeavour Award scholarships under the Australia Awards. As an example of continued cultural cooperation between Australia and Russia, the National Gallery of Victoria hosted the Masterpieces from the Hermitage Museum: The Legacy of Catherine the Great exhibition from 31 July to 8 November 2015. Over 400 works from the personal collection of Catherine the Great were seen by visitors to the NGV including works from Rembrandt, Velasquez, Rubens and Titian.
Two-way merchandise trade between Australia and Russia was worth $697 million in 2016, down from $1. 837 billion in 2014. Australian merchandise exports to Russia in 2016 were worth $478 million and imports from Russia totaled $219 million. Australian exports to Russia in 2016 included live animals, sugars, molasses and honey, and meat (excluding beef ). Crude petroleum dominated Australian imports from Russia in the same period, which also included wood manufactures. Australia's services exports to Russia in 2016 were valued at $111 million and imports of services from Russia were valued at $72 million. Services exports were largely in education-related travel and personal travel.
Source: DFAT