Australia

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Kesterton's Australia

• Australians may be the friendliest people on the planet. Last year, a global online survey found that Sydney is the world's friendliest city.
• For the first time in the country's history, more Australians travel overseas than foreigners visit Australia.
• The country's unofficial motto is The Lucky Country. The author who coined it in 1964 actually meant it ironically.
• Last year, China became Australia's biggest single export market, a position held by Japan for 43 years.
• The lucky country has more animals capable of killing people than any other country, including 115 species of venomous snakes. Even some species of ants can kill humans.

( Michael Kesterton writes the daily Social Studies column in the Globe and Mail, for the G20 Summit he's contributing useful facts and information on member nations)

World Cup

• Odds: 100:1
• Team nickname: Socceroos
• Star players: Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer, Marco Bresciano
• Globe Sports: Group D news archive

Culture

Top cultural exports: Jane Campion, Peter Carey, Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, Mel Gibson, Kate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Peter Weir

Food: Well-known tucker such as meat pies, sausage rolls, vegemite, tim tams and pavlova, but Australia's diverse mix of cultures and ethnic groups is reflected in its modern fusion cuisine, particularly influences from Greece, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and China; large producer of wines (1.2 billion litres of wine produced in 2008-09

Notable Canadian relation: Margaret Somerville, academic/ethicist; Christine Nesbitt. Born in Melbourne Australia, 2010 gold medal winning long track speed skater (1000 metres).

Speed Limit: The highest posted in the country is 110 kilometres an hour

National pastime: Playing and viewing sport, including Australian Rules Football, soccer, rugby, cricket, swimming, golf, tennis.

Politics

Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd

• Age: 52
• Elected: November 24, 2007
• Party: Australian Labour Party
• Legislature: Bicameral, elected House of Representatives, elected Senate
• Political System: Parliamentary

Background: Mr. Rudd has previously worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs along with positions as a political staffer and chief of staff for the Queensland premier.

At the Australian National University, he received a bachelor's degree in Asian studies. Nevertheless, Australian relations with China have not been so smooth.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued a statement earlier this year saying China should have open court criminal trials after Stern Hu, an Australian citizen, was convicted of taking bribes while employed by Rio Tinto, a mining multinational. The trial proceedings were behind closed doors without Australian consular personnel. Mr. Rudd's statement resulted in a rebuttal by the Chinese foreign minister who called the prime minister, "irresponsible."

G20 Goals: Furthering last September's joint appeal with Italy regarding more transparency to combat market manipulation and financial speculation.

Economy

Gross Domestic Product: $1.02-trillion

Jobless rate: 5.4 per cent

Gross government debt (as a percentage of GDP)

• 2000: 19.3
• 2009: 15.5
• 2015 (projected): 20.9

Sources: Bloomberg, IMF

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