Discovering Australia

Economy Australia is one of the wealthiest Asia–Pacific nations with a strong mixed market economy dominated by its service sector, including tourism, education, and financial services. Australia is also internationally competitive in insurance services and technologies. Export plays one of the most important roles in Australia’s economy. Business Hours Business hours typically begin between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. and lunch is taken around noon for 1 hour. The workday ends between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Weather Its weather is influenced by the Indian Ocean currents and has different climate zones. The northern part of the country has a more tropical influenced climate, while the interior is arid and semi-arid. The southern parts are cooler with mild summers and cool, sometimes rainy winters. The South East ranges from oceanic to subtropical climate. Australia’s seasons are at opposite times to those in the northern hemisphere. December to February is summer; March to May is autumn; June to August is winter; and September to November is spring. National Hazards/Severe Weather Australia has a long history with natural disasters which can include bushfires, heatwaves, droughts. Severe storms and tropical cyclones may cause flooding and landslides and large earthquakes occur infrequently.

Time Zones Australia lies in 5 time zones:

+ UTC+8:00: Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) + UTC+8:45: Australian Central Western Standard Time (ACWST) + UTC+9:30: Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) + UTC+10:00: Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) + UTC+10:30: Lord Howe Standard Time (LHST)

Daylight Savings Time The states that use Daylight Saving Time (DST) are the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria. These states participate in Daylight Savings Time (DST) two times a year. Telling Time Australians use both the standard 12-hour cycle, and the 24-hour cycle, referred to as military time.

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Discovering Australia