Debt - external:
$308.7 billion (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

Telephones - main lines in use:
10.815 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
14.347 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10
Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)