AUSTRALIA

CURRENCY:

Australian Dollar (AUD; symbol A$)

DENOMINATIONS:

NOTE: A$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5

COIN: A$2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents

CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS AND ATMS:

All major credit cards are accepted. ATMs are also widely available but check destination before arrival in case you need this facility.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE:

Easy to exchange currency in Australia and some hotels will also provide this facility.

TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES:

Widely accepted. Recommended to get these in a major currency.

BANKING HOURS:

Mon-Thurs 0930-1600, Fri 0930-1700. As these hours might vary in smaller towns, it is advised to check those hours in your chosen destination.

COUNTRY OVERVIEW:

Australia is officially called the Commonwealth of Australia, and shares the same Queen as the United Kingdom. The capital is Canberra, although the largest city is Sydney. It is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, often referred to as being ‘the other side of the world' to someone standing in Europe. The seasonal weather in Australia is ‘opposite' to Europe, so winter for an Australian is the hottest time of year. The main language spoken in Australia is English.

POPULATION:

Around 22 million.

ECONOMY:

Quality of life in Australia could be described as pretty good, with four of its major cities featured in The Economist's top ten list of World's Most Livable Cities. The economy is healthy. Australia has plenty of natural resources and agricultural export is one of its major economic sources. Despite its size – Australia is nearly the size of the USA – its labour force is only 10 million.