Australia has a remarkable diversity of life forms seen nowhere else in the world, largely because Australian plants and animals evolved in isolation from other parts of the world. Immigration Australia's multicultural society includes its Indigenous peoples and settlers from countries all around the world. Immigration is an important feature of Australian society. Since 1945, almost 5.5 million people have come to Australia as new settlers. Migrants have made a major contribution to shaping modern Australia.
People born overseas and their children make up about two-fifths of the total population.
Economy Australia has had one of the most outstanding economies of the world in recent years. There is an efficient government sector, a flexible labour market and a very competitive business sector. With its abundant physical resources, Australia has enjoyed a high standard of living since the nineteenth century. It has made a comparatively large investment in social infrastructure, including education, training, health and transport. The Australian workforce has seen many improvements over the past decade, leading to the surge in productivity in the 1990s.