Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is widely considered a developed country, but some argue that it is still developing. While Australia has a high standard of living, a high Human Development Index (HDI), and a strong economy, it faces challenges such as environmental degradation, exploitation of the poor, and social issues. Developing countries are typically defined as having lower median ages, slower population aging, and lower standards of living, including lower incomes, higher poverty rates, inadequate infrastructure, limited education, and deficient health systems. While Australia has a high life expectancy and quality healthcare, it is surrounded by developing nations, and its development assistance contributions as a percentage of GDP are low.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Industrial base | Widespread industrialization |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | High HDI |
| Life expectancy | 83.6 years |
| Infant mortality rate | 3 per 1,000 live births |
| Literacy rate | 99% |
| Post-secondary education | 80% of citizens aged 25-64 |
| Access to drinking water | 98.8% of the urban population |
| Access to electricity | 100% of the population |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% |
| Homicide rate | 0.9 per 100,000 people |
| Suicide rate | Male suicide rate of 15.3 per 100,000 |
| Income | High-income country |
| Socio-economic and political grouping | Global North |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's high life expectancy
Australia is not considered a developing country. According to UNCTAD, Australia is part of the Global North, which broadly comprises Northern America, Europe, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. In contrast, the Global South, which consists of Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia (excluding the countries mentioned earlier), and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), encompasses most countries commonly identified as developing nations.
Developing countries often face challenges such as lower median ages, slower population ageing, lower income levels, widespread poverty, high population growth rates, inadequate housing, limited educational opportunities, deficient health systems, poor infrastructure, high unemployment rates, and low access to healthcare. These factors contribute to lower life expectancies in developing countries compared to developed nations.
Now, let's focus on Australia's high life expectancy:
Australia has a relatively high life expectancy compared to many other countries. While the exact figures for Australia's life expectancy were not readily available, we can look at similar countries for reference. For example, the life expectancy in the United States was 79.25 in 2024, 78.39 in 2023, and 77.43 in 2022. In England, historical data from the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries provides insights into life expectancy rates during those periods.
The high life expectancy in Australia can be attributed to various factors, including advancements in healthcare, nutrition, clean water access, sanitation, neonatal healthcare, antibiotics, vaccines, and other technologies and public health initiatives. Additionally, improvements in living standards, economic growth, and poverty reduction have played a significant role in enhancing life expectancy in Australia and worldwide.
It is worth noting that life expectancy rates can be affected by various factors, including gender, with women tending to live longer than men, and events such as wars or pandemics, which can cause fluctuations in life expectancy rates.
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Access to healthcare
Australia is considered to be a developed country, and its healthcare system is one of the best in the world. It provides safe and affordable healthcare for all Australians, which is a key reason why Australians enjoy one of the longest life expectancies in the world. The system is jointly run by all levels of the Australian government – federal, state, and territory, and local.
The National Healthcare Agreement of the COAG (2012) sets out the common objective of Australian governments in providing healthcare – a sustainable system with improved outcomes for all. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) is the main body responsible for safety and quality improvement in healthcare. The ACSQH has developed service standards that have been endorsed by health ministers. The federal Minister for Health sets national health policy and may attach conditions to funding provided to state and territory governments.
The funding model for healthcare in Australia has seen political polarisation, with governments being crucial in shaping national healthcare policy. The system is complex and so are its funding arrangements. It is funded by the government, individuals, and private health insurance. In 2016-17, Australia spent nearly $181 billion on health, which was about 10% of the gross domestic product. The Australian government usually funds most of the spending for medical services and subsidised medicines.
Medicare is a universal public health insurance program financed through general tax revenue and a government levy. Enrollment is automatic for citizens, who receive free public hospital care and substantial coverage for physician services, pharmaceuticals, and certain other services. New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and people from countries with reciprocal benefits are eligible to enrol in Medicare.
There are two kinds of private health insurance cover: hospital cover and general treatment cover. Hospital cover pays for some or all of the costs of hospital treatment as a private patient, while general treatment cover is for some non-medical health services not covered by Medicare, such as dental, physiotherapy, and optical services. Approximately half of Australians buy private supplementary insurance to pay for private hospital care, dental services, and other services.
The rising costs of healthcare in Australia are driven by several key factors, including an aging population, the adoption of costly new technologies, and the shift from acute to chronic conditions. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was commenced in 2013 and provides a national platform for individuals with disabilities to gain access to funding and support.
Australia's healthcare system faces challenges such as rising costs, inequality in access to health services, and hospital waiting times. However, the government is investing in medical research and technological innovation through the Medical Research Future Fund to meet these challenges.
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Education and literacy
Australia is not a developing country. According to the UNCTAD, the Global South—which comprises most developing countries—broadly includes Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia (excluding Israel, Japan, and South Korea), and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand). In contrast, the Global North includes Northern America, Europe, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Developing countries are often characterized by lower incomes, high levels of poverty, high population growth rates, inadequate housing, limited educational opportunities, and deficient health systems.
Education in Australia is compulsory between the ages of four, five, or six, and fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen, depending on the state or territory and the date of birth. The regulation, operation, and funding of education are the responsibilities of the states and territories, as the Australian Government does not have specific constitutional powers to pass laws concerning education. However, the federal government helps fund non-government schools, public universities, and subsidizes tertiary education through a national student loan scheme.
The Australian education system offers primary, secondary, and higher education. The Australian Curriculum, for pre-Year 1 to Year 9, is made up of eight learning areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, The Arts, Technologies, Health and Physical Education, and Languages. In the senior secondary Australian Curriculum, for Years 10, 11, and 12, there are fifteen senior secondary subjects across English, Mathematics, Science, and History.
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national tertiary (post-secondary) education system that has 10 different levels. Qualifications are nationally accredited and recognized internationally in many industries. Tertiary education includes higher education (universities and other higher education providers) and vocational education (registered training organizations). Vocational Education and Training (VET) is taught by Australian Government-owned Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and private registered training organizations (RTOs). These education providers are usually smaller than universities and offer more practical courses, with job-ready learning leading to over 500 different careers.
In 2018, the Education Index, published with the UN's Human Development Index, listed Australia as 0.929, the second-highest in the world. However, it is important to note that literacy levels vary within the country. For example, people in cities are more likely to have a bachelor's degree than those in regional areas. Additionally, about 30% of Australians have a diploma or higher, but only 1.2% can read at that level. Many people maintain their high-school reading level even if they go on to tertiary studies.
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Industrialization
Australia is considered a developed country, with a high quality of life, a developed economy, and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations. It has widespread industrialization and provides quality healthcare for most of its citizens.
The industrialization of Australia has been a long process, with several factors contributing to its development. One significant factor is the country's rich natural resources, particularly minerals and precious metals. The Australian mining industry has been a key driver of economic growth, dating back to the gold rush in the 1840s, which made Melbourne the richest city in the world at one point. The mining boom in the late 2000s further contributed to this growth, with the total value-added of the mining industry reaching 8.4% of GDP during this period.
Another important aspect of Australia's industrialization is its service sector, which dominates the economy. In 2017, the service sector comprised 62.7% of GDP and employed 78.8% of the labor force. This includes industries such as tourism, media, and creative industries, which have become increasingly significant contributors to the economy.
Australia has also benefited from its peaceful transition to independence, which did not significantly impact its economy or standard of living. The country has experienced intermittent economic liberalization since the early 1980s, including financial deregulation under Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Treasurer Paul Keating. While Australia has faced economic crises, such as the recession in the early 1990s, it has also demonstrated economic resilience, avoiding a recession from 1991 to 2020.
The country's geographic isolation and small, high-paid population have presented challenges for Australia to become a global force in exporting manufactured goods. However, Australia has maintained a stable economy with sustained growth, high per-capita income, and advanced technology, placing it among the top developed countries in the world.
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Economic development
Australia is considered a developed country, according to the UNCTAD classification, which includes Northern America and Europe, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. This classification is based on socio-economic and political characteristics.
However, it is worth noting that the term "developing country" is relative, and there is no universally agreed-upon definition. Australia's economic development is evident in various indicators, such as its high gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, widespread industrialization, and high quality of life. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Australian citizens rated their life satisfaction as 7.5 out of 10, higher than the 6.7 global average.
The country also has a high average life expectancy of 83.6 years, attributed to its excellent healthcare system. Australia's infant mortality rate, as of 2022, is three per 1,000 live births, one of the lowest globally. Additionally, 98.8% of the urban population has access to drinking water, and 100% of the population has access to electricity.
In terms of education, Australia has a 99% literacy rate, and 80% of citizens aged 25 to 64 have completed post-secondary education. The country also has a low unemployment rate of 5.7%, higher than many developing countries.
Despite being classified as a developed country, Australia still faces challenges and areas for improvement. For example, it has been noted that Australia has one of the lowest contributions to development assistance as a percentage of GDP among OECD countries. There is also a recognition that Australia, as a wealthy country in a developing region, should do more to assist its regional neighbors in their development.
Furthermore, Australia's consumption levels and the practices of its corporations have been criticized for contributing to environmental degradation and exploiting the world's poor. This highlights that development is a continuous journey, and even developed countries like Australia can learn from and collaborate with developing nations to address shared global challenges.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Australia is considered a developed country. It has widespread industrialization, a high quality of life, and a high life expectancy of 83.6 years, which can be attributed to its excellent healthcare system.
A developing country is a sovereign state with a less-developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) than developed countries. Developing countries often have high unemployment rates, widespread poverty, high population growth rates, low education levels, and poor infrastructure.
As a wealthy country in a developing region, Australia is in a unique position to assist its regional neighbors in their development. Australia has a high life expectancy, a low infant mortality rate, and a high literacy rate. It also has a high standard of living, with 98.8% of the urban population having access to drinking water and 100% of the population having access to electricity.
