Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Australia's sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a final summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of Australia's sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 84.1

Australia is the founder of the United Nations (1945) and a member of key international institutions: the UN, WHO, WTO, OECD, ASEAN+6, IMF, FATF, G20 and AUKUS. She is actively involved in the work UN Security Council (5 times since 1946), is a member of the five Eyes and the Asia-Pacific formats (APEC, Quad). Australia is the 12th largest contributor to the budget The UN and the leader in participating in peacekeeping missions in the regions The Pacific Ocean.

Australia follows a dualistic model: UN treaties and international law become binding only after ratification by Parliament. The Constitution (Article 51 (xxix)) It gives the federation foreign policy and foreign economic powers (External Affairs Power), but national legislation has priority. The ratified international norms are implemented through the laws of Parliament and regional courts.

After the elections on May 3, 2025 The Labor Party, led by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanizom won a historic victory (94 seats in the Chamber, 55.2% of the vote) . This confirmed the high level of domestic political predictability and democratic stability. The main regions and states supported policies on climate, AUCUS, and regional security.

By index The World Bank (2023) Australia has a score of 1.59 on a scale of2.5 to 2.5 and 94th percentile in the world. This is a guarantee of high quality of public services and administration. The level of government efficiency in Australia has been stable at 1.5–1.9 for 20 years.

By EGDI The United Nations for 2024 Australia ranks 8th in the world with a value of 0.9577. The digital model includes the portals myGov, Digital Identity, Service NSW and Data.gov.au with coverage level > 95 % the population.

A "Digital Identity System" is being developed for unified access to public services and the private sector. According to Edelman Trust Barometer (2025), the overall index of trust in government is 49%, slightly below the global average (55%). 62% of citizens feel social tension and inequality, although support for Albaniz remains high in the centrist electorate.

Australia Democracy 2025 celebrates the strong institution of political parties and the sustainability of trust in Parliament and the civil service.

In Australia there are American military technical facilities in Australia, including: 

– Pine Gap (Satellite Intelligence, Central Australia);

– HMAS Stirling (Perth; US nuclear Submarine maintenance base and United Kingdom within the framework of AUKUS);

– polygons in Darwin for rotation United States Marine Corps.

Officially, all facilities are under the sovereignty of Australia, but they work jointly with the United States in the information and intelligence spheres. Australia is an active supporter of international law and a participant in the ICC, ICSIG, and ICJ. Since 1929, the country has recognized jurisdiction of the Hague Court (Article 36.2 of the Statute of the Court).

Uses international law to resolve disputes on marine resources and the environment, including in disputes with Japan on whaling. Australia is a federation of 6 states and 2 territories.

The Federal Government controls foreign policy, defense, and taxes, while headquarters and territories have broad powers in health, education, and domestic policy.

The political system is balanced between the center and the regions; financial alignment is regulated by the Grant Commission.

Australian Services (ASIO, ASIS, AGO, DIO, ONI) obey the Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security and To the Inspector of National Security (IGIS). All operations are checked for compliance with the KPI Act and the Law on Wiretapping.

Internationally, ASIO and ASIS are part of the Five network Eyes, but retains the full national charter and accountability to the Minister of the Interior.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 95%.

Economic sovereignty — 88

GDP per capita Australia in 2024 this year it amounted to 60,082 USD (PPP), according to World Bank and Trading Economics. The forecast for 2025 is 61,404 USD (PPP), which is about 3.4 times higher than the global average. In the world ranking of 2025, the country is in the top 15 economies in terms of GDP per capita.

According to the data The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) reserves for February 2025 amounted to 41.9 billion USD, which corresponds to 1.5 months of imports. In national currency (Australian dollars) As of September 2025, it is AUD 107.1 billion, which is 7% higher than the historical average.

The official holder is the RBA — the country's issuing and monetary center. According to estimates by Trading Economics and AOFM (Australian Financial Asset Management), government debt in 2024 It amounted to 43.8 % of GDP, and 43.5 % is expected in 2025.

According to CEIC data (June 2023) — 38% of GDP, which is significantly lower than the OECD level (on average about 80%).

According to ABS (2023), about 8-10% of Australian households experienced food insecurity (high access, but a price barrier). However, the country remains one of the world's leading food exporters (grain, meat, milk, wine). Own rural production covers about 90 % domestic consumption; therefore, the indicator of food self-sufficiency is high. Australia generates all of its electricity from domestic sources and exports coal, LNG, and uranium.

For 2025 The share of renewable sources has reached about 50% in electricity generation, the remaining 50% — gas and coal. The share is expected to grow by 2030. Renewable energy sources up to 70%, and by region (South Australia, Tasmania) — it's already 100%.

Australia is one of the world leaders in reserves of micro and macro resources.

- 2nd place in the world in terms of coal (9.53 billion tons of reserves);

- 1st – for bauxite (1.725 billion tons) and iron ore (11.8 billion tons);

- 1st – lithium reserves (4 million tons);

- 3rd – for copper and nickel. The state program Critical Minerals Reserve (2025) has been created for strategic control over rare earth elements and uranium materials. According to According to the National Water Agency (Net Water Grid Authority), the country has 4,920 m3 of fresh water per person per year.

The main sources are the Murray–Darling River system and desalination plants in Perth, Sydney and To Adelaide. The interstate Basin Plan (restoration of 3,200+ GL of water) is in effect for 2025 for ecological and agricultural water supply.

The main infrastructure is the New Payments Platform (NPP Australia), introduced in 2020 and managed jointly by the RBA and banks. It provides instant 24/7 payments and support for innovative services (Osko, PayID). The processing is under the jurisdiction of the Reserve Bank's Payments System Board.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) is the No. 5 currency in the world in terms of Forex trading volume (about 6-7% of global turnover). In the country's foreign trade, the share of transactions in AUD exceeds 45%, including in regional agreements with New Zealand and Southeastern Asia.

Full currency control and clearing is carried out by The Reserve Bank of Australia through the RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) system. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is a constitutionally independent issuing authority. Functions: banknote issuance, inflation and balance of payments control, reserve management and Cash Rate (4.35% in October 2025).

The policy of monetary rigidity is combined with deflationary targeting (2-3%), while maintaining a high reputation for financial and credit sovereignty.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91%

Technological sovereignty — 82.4

Total investments Australia's R&D investments in 2023 amounted to 1.75% of GDP, in 2024 — 1.74%, forecast for 2025 — 1.7% of GDP.

Moreover, the state contribution to the total financing of science decreased to 0.53% of GDP (2025) against the background of "underfunding in comparison with the OECD average." The overall goal of the long-term strategy is to achieve 3% by 2035.

Australia has moved to a "new wave of import substitution" through National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) and state subsidies for the production of critical materials, batteries and high-tech agricultural systems. The 2025 federal budget has significantly increased the financing of domestic technology chains, but the level of import dependence remains limited (over 60% of components are of imported origin).

According to the data The World Bank, the general level of admission to higher education in Australia — 106 % (2022). Almost half of 20-year-olds in Australia are at university (≈ 50%), which is higher than the OECD average and puts the country in the top 10 in terms of higher school enrollment. In 2025, the number of Internet users in Australia reached 26.4 million (about 98 % population).

Implementation of the NBN (National Broadband Network) national program provided access to 99 % households have access to fixed or satellite Internet. Average speeds in 2025: mobile Internet — 103 Mbit/s, fixed — 78 Mbit/s.

Key digital platforms are myGov (Single Access to Services), Service NSW/Vic/QLD (regions), Data.gov.au, Digital Identity. By 2025, all 68 high-frequency public services will have digital access, and more than 95 % the population has used them at least once.

According to the data World Bank and DFAT, Australia's high-tech imports in 2024 This year it amounted to USD 8.19 billion. Main partners is China (technological equipment), USA and Japan. The share of high tech in the region's total imports is 5-6%, which indicates an average import dependence with high exports of agricultural and resource products.

Australia is implementing the Digital Government Strategy program until 2030, under which all services will be digitized by 2025. The level of digitization already exceeds 95%, the country ranks 8th in the world according to the UN EGDI rating (2024).

The infrastructure includes data hubs and a national AI audit system. Australia is developing its biotech cluster through CSL, Moderna Australia, CSIRO Biotech Labs, NCRIS and the National the NRF Foundation. CSL's new Melbourne center and Moderna factory make the country one of the few in the Southern Hemisphere with mRNA vaccine production.

The autonomy is high in the research part, average in pharmaceutical production; The country focuses on global scientific cooperation and commercialization through partnerships.

Australia is expanding its robotics sector in mining, agriculture, medicine and logistics. Key platforms — CSIRO Data 61, Australian Centre for Robotics (ACFR) at the University of Sydney and the ARCC – Robotics Challenge Centre.

More than 45 thousand are used in the country. robotic systems, including unmanned dump trucks and drones at BHP/Rio Tinto. Medium high autonomy — importing nodes from Japan and Germany, but the design and Software is being developed internally.

Australia does not have a full-scale production of chips, but is actively investing in silicon photonics technology, quantum computers and sensor electronics. The main centers are Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) (Sydney), the ANU Micro Nano Research Facility (Canberra) and the Lockheed Martin Institute of R&D MoU (2025).

The overall level of technological autonomy in microelectronics is low, and chip production is conducted in China and South Korea, but the development is underway locally.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 94% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 85.8

Australia is among the top 10 global cybersecurity leaders, ranking 7th in the ITU (Global Cybersecurity Index), and ranked 1st in the MIT ranking. The national operator is the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) in the structure of the Australian Signals Directorate — with the Cyber Shield 2025 program.

The total volume of the cyber market reaches USD 5.8 billion, growing by 8% per year. Network IX (Internet Exchange Points) developed in all major cities; IX Australia (non-profit network) manages 6 mainline centers in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.

The throughput of NSW IX in 2025 is over 900 Gb/s, the new 400 Gb/s infrastructure is deployed in conjunction with Arista Networks. The network unites national telecom nodes Equinix, Global Switch, Vocus and NextDC.

The official language of the country is English; indigenous Australian languages are promoted through SBS and ABC Indigenous Net. Media production is conducted almost entirely in English; state-owned SBS and ABC channels broadcast in 60+ languages of diasporas and aborigines. Major National Broadcasters — ABC, SBS, News Corp Australia, Nine Network. Australia is one of the first participants in the new global regulation system for tech giants.

ACCC has developed a Digital Platform Code 2025, an analogue of the European DMA, which restricts BigTech's self-promotion, imposes a duty of interoperability and prohibits exclusive installations. The law concerns Google, Meta, and Apple and aims to reduce the monopoly in the market.

According to Digital News Report 2025, Australia has one of the highest shares of local media content in the OECD — about 65% of all consumed domestic content. The largest producers are ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Holding and Stan streaming (local platform), as well as Paramount+.

It remains relatively independent from Netflix and GAFA headquarters. Australia has a well-developed software sector with export-oriented IT platforms: Atlassian (Jira, Trello), Canva, WiseTech Global, MYOB, REA Group, ThoughtWorks Australia. In 2025, the sector Software generates > 40 billion AUD and accounts for > 6% of GDP. The most sought—after niches are fintech, ERP management, design services, and logistics. 98 % of residents Australia has access to the Internet and online government services; the NBN has covered the entire populated area.

The Digital Transformation Strategy – 2025 state program guarantees 100% digitization of public services. There are myGov, Medicare Online, Service NSW and Tax Online platforms; 68 mass services are fully available online. By 2025, 55% of Australian organizations' workloads are hosted in Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud public clouds, according to ADAPT Research.

The remaining 45% are located in national and hybrid environments (NextDC, Macquarie Telecom, Canberra Data Centers). Government agencies are switching to Certified SaaS and Government Cloud (AU Gov SaaS) platforms. The sovereignty of data is regulated by the mandatory local placement of state information.

The communication network is guaranteed by domestic operators Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom, controlled by Australian investors and pension funds. According to GSMA (2025) — 34.4 million mobile connections (128% of the population). 100% of the connections are considered broadband (3G/4G/5G), and the new generation of Telstra 5G covers 99.6% of the population.

Mobile infrastructure is nationalized and regulated by ACMA. The basic law is the Privacy Act of 1988, updated in 2023-2024. according to the Privacy Act Review Report and the new AI Assurance Framework.

It points to the mandatory identification of data operators, increases fines to AUD 50 million and applies to foreign companies processing the data of Australian citizens.

The control is conducted by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), responsible for compliance with the law and auditing AI algorithms.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 94%.

Cultural sovereignty — 88.3

For 2025 in Australia has 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites registered (12 natural and 8 cultural). Sydney Opera House, Uluru Kata Tjuta, the Great Barrier Reef, Blue Mountains, Cockatoo, Gondwanan forests. Australia ranks 14th in the world in terms of the number of heritage sites. Australia's cultural and creative industry is estimated at AUD 111.7 billion (≈ 5% of GDP) and it provides about 600,000 jobs.

The main vectors of cultural exports are cinema (Screen Australia), contemporary art, music, and culture. Through these industries, the country forms a sustainable contribution to the postcolonial and Asia Pacific cultural ecosystem. The main body is Creative Australia (Australia Council for the Arts), which distributes state awards and fellowships.

– Australia Council Awards

– 8 categories (music, literature, theater, visual arts);

– Fellowships (80,000 AUD each) for career development;

– First Nations Arts & Culture Awards ("Red Ochre Award" and "Dreaming Award") — state recognition of Aboriginal artists. The Australian identity is based on a triad: British heritage + culture First Nations + multiculturalism.

Modern values are defined by mate-ship (friendship, equality) and larrikinism (irony, resistance to authority). Aboriginal and island culture The Torres Strait is the oldest in the world, with about 65,000 years of history. The policy is implemented through a Tax and Investment Strategy Indigenous Advancement Strategy (2.34 billion AUD per year) and the Culture and Capability Program. Management of the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).

Mechanisms of joint management ("Empowered Communities") have been created in 10 regions where Initial Part of the authority for the allocation of funds has been transferred to the nations. According to MGNSW reports and The Parliament of the country — in Australia has more than 2,500 museums and galleries, including 22 national institutions and about 250 public galleries.

National Gallery of Australia, National Museum, Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Centre for Moving Image. Funded through the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund (ICDAF) Ministries of Arts and External Affairs.

– Gondwana Choir (concert at the Barbican, London),

– Indigenous Language Case Study (UNESCO), – Digital Games Showcase Expo 2025 Osaka,

– Australian Dance Theatre: Two Blood, OzAsia Festival and Poetry in Action projects. The legal basis is the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 and the 2018 Regulation, updated in 2025.

The law restricts the export of historical and nationally significant art objects, including aboriginal works. Australia actively participates in UNESCO conventions on combating illicit trafficking in cultural property. Australian cuisine is a fusion model of British, Asian and island trends: pacific rim cuisine.

The dishes take into account local products such as kangaroo, lamb, Balmain shrimp, tropical fruits and wines. The Barossa Mountains. The impact of global migration (Greek, Vietnamese, Iranian, Italian) provides a high variety of gastronomy. According to the Australia Council and MGNSW, more than 22 million visits per year come from government-funded events. The share is 80%, including 35% who regularly attend cultural events.

Online activity (virtual museums, cinema, digital theater) covers about 70 more % residents.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 97%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 90.2

In 2023, HDI Australia's score was 0.958, which puts the country in the "very high development" category and in the top 5 of the UN world ranking. Capital Canberra has the highest HDI in In the Asia — Pacific region - 0.98. For comparison, the global average is 0.744; all states Australia is above 0.94.

According to the data The World Bank and CEIC, in 2022. Expenditures amounted to 5.2% of GDP, which roughly corresponds to the OECD average. Historical range — from 4.6% (1990) up to 6.1% (2010).

National Strategy "Education Reform 2025" It is aimed at maintaining education financing at a level not lower than 5% of GDP. According to ABS and The OECD PIAAC International Survey, the level of basic adult literacy in Australia reaches 99%, which is above the world level.

At the same time, about 12.6% of adults are at the lowest level of literacy (Level 1 and below), and 20% have poor numeracy skills. About 7.5% of adults do not have computer or digital skills.

According to OECD PISA (2022 data, published in 2023) Australian students have retained the first positions in the OECD in reading and scientific literacy:

– Reading – 498 points (≈ world top 10),

– Mathematics – 487 points,

– Science – 507 points.

The overall result: The decline has stopped after a decade-long decline and stabilization has been achieved. According to the Bureau of Statistics and the Office of Chief Scientist, about 32% of all graduates of higher education institutions have STEM qualifications, which is more than 2.3 million people (16% of the total population).

55% work in science and engineering industries, 18% in management, and 77% in the private sector. Australia admits about 600,000 international students per year, ranking 3rd in the world after the United States and Great Britain.

There are 39 officially registered universities offering international programs (Cambridge, IB, TAFE and ELICOS).  About 20% of all foreigners take English ESL courses as part of ELICOS. There are 250 to 360 indigenous languages in the country, belonging to 13 families.

Most belong to the family Pama Nyung, some are isolated (Tasmania and Torres Strait). The languages alive 2023-2027 State Program funds Aboriginal language education through AIATSIS and the first Nations schools.

Official support also includes the Torres, Mandarin, and Arab communities. Australia has a wide network of fundamental R&D centers:

– CSIRO is the main national scientific agency;

– ANU National Research Infrastructure (aerospace, astronomy, atomic physics, biotechnology);

– NCRIS – National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, consisting of 180+ facilities and laboratories;

– about 40 institutes and centers at universities. In Australia, there are unified state digital platforms based on Education.gov.au, MySchool, TAFE Digital, Skills.gov.au and Study Australia. The estimated coverage of national platforms in the public education sector is more than 90% of academic units, with partial use Moodle and Zoom in universities.

Key initiatives:

– National Innovation Visa (2025) to attract global experts in R&D and AI;

– Research Training Program (RTP) at the PhD level (1.2 billion AUD per year);

– Endeavour Leadership Program (0.3 billion AUD);

– Skilling Australia Fund (≈ 2.56 billion AUD in 2025) for personnel in innovation and technology. The total state support fund for talents and STEM personnel in 2025 is estimated at about AUD 4 billion.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 90%.

Military sovereignty — 79.4

According to ASPI and the 2024-25 state budget, military spending Australia accounts for about 2.0% of GDP (≈ 56 billion AUD). Until 2034. It is planned to increase to 2.4-3% of GDP, as part of the implementation of the "Defense Strategic Review 2023" and AUKUS programs for long-term strengthening of forces.

The growth is provided against the background of increased geopolitical activity in The Indo-Pacific region. According to official data in 2025, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) It includes 61,189 permanent military personnel and about 29-32 thousand. There are about 90,000 reservists in total.

The increase is due to the record number of 2024-2025 (+17% compared to the previous year). The Ministry of Defense aims to grow to 80,000 permanent employees by 2040. Australia is implementing a major upgrade of the ADF:

— HIMARS (42 systems) deployed and Precision Strike Missile (500 km) missiles are coming;

— new deliveries of F 35A Lightning II fighters (72 units), modernization of P 8A Poseidon, C 130J 30;

— The Navy is developing the AUKUS nuclear submarine initiative (Virginia and the new SSN AUKUS class). Modern weapons are rated as high in aviation and the navy, average in the land forces. Australia has historically focused on imports (USA, UK, France), but implements the Guided program. 

Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) and creates its own industrial base. As part of the Australian Weapons Manufacturing Complex (AWMC) under an agreement with Lockheed Martin until 2029. It is planned to produce up to 4,000 GMLRS missiles per year. The share of domestic production in the procurement structure is about 30%, and will grow to 45-50% by 2030.

The main operator is the Australian Border Force (ABF), a subordinate The Ministry of Internal Affairs. ABF is engaged in customs, migration and maritime surveillance, and guards the 25,760 km long border through Maritime Border Command. Australia is one of the few Western countries where the military border system with duplication of functions remains. Coast Guard ADF.

The Australian Army Reserve includes ≈ 15,000 personnel, totaling about 30,000 ADF reservists. The reserve is actively used in internal security tasks, civil support and emergency response operations. New re-equipment and training programs are carried out according to the "Future Reserves 2030" plan.

Australia is a member of AUKUS, Five Eyes, ANZUS, and actively cooperates with NATO. However, military decisions are made independently — the Prime Minister and cabinet can send the ADF without parliamentary approval. According to ASPI, too close military ties with the United States create real autonomy (especially through the AUKUS agreement).

In 5 years, government investments in the defense sector have grown to AUD 15 billion per year, with market growth of 5% per year. The largest players are BAE Systems Australia, Thales Australia, EOS, ASC, Rheinmetall Defense Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia. The industrial base covers shipboard, laser, and communications systems, as well as AI development within the Defense AI Hub.

Australia does not have nuclear weapons and does not manufacture warheads. It is a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the South Pacific Nuclear-Weapon-free Zone (Rarotonga, 1985). Under AUKUS, the country has gained access to nuclear reactor technology for submarines, but there will be no warheads on these boats.

Australia is part of the five major intelligence networks. Eyes and develops the national Space capabilities:

– Defense Space Command (established in 2022) under the control of the RAAF, engaged in surveillance and satellite programs;

– Joint Defense Facility Pine Gap (jointly with the USA) — the Center for Global Signal Intelligence (SIGINT); – The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) — the national cyber and electronic intelligence agency.

The AUROSAT network of laser communications satellites and the SmartSat CRC consortium provide structural autonomy in the military space sector.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state —owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and industry databases of UN/NGO — 95% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. The highest standard of living and social support Australia consistently ranks in the top 10 in terms of HDI (0.958), economy and quality of life, and provides a well-developed system of healthcare, pensions and assistance.

Life expectancy exceeds 82 years, aging is compensated by a well-thought-out migration policy and high-quality urban planning. Economic self-sufficiency, strong trade balance and diversification GDP per capita is 61,400 USD (PPP), high exports of raw materials and food.

Australia ranks first in terms of lithium and bauxite reserves exported.

The leading level of digitalization, technology and scientific infrastructure 98% Internet coverage, myGov, NBN and Digital Identity are samples for the region. The largest national IT companies (Atlassian, Canva, WiseTech), the development of biotechnology, the expansion of the robotics cluster and quantum technologies.

Advanced education system and STEM ecosystem Higher school enrollment is 106%, adult literacy is 99%, and the share of STEM graduates is 32% (2.3 million people). Deep cultural sovereignty: the balance between European and Aboriginal heritage 20 UNESCO sites, 2,500+ museums and galleries, powerful institutions — Creative Australia, Arts Council, intensive support for First Nations cultures (2.34 billion AUD/year).

Relative military autonomy with the development of alliances and its own industry Costs — 2% of GDP, a major modernization program (HIMARS, F 35, nuclear submarines), a growing industrial base (up to 50% of weapons by 2030). Global reputation and international involvement Member of the UN Security Council, key alliances (AUKUS, ANZUS, Five Eyes), active participant in international courts, stable legal framework. Environmental sustainability and resource diversification.

The high potential of renewable energy sources (50% of electricity), the largest reserves of fresh water, and the existence of a national policy in the field of water supply and rehabilitation.

Weaknesses. High taxes and cost of living, high cost of housing Australia ranks in the top 15 global rankings for the cost of living and real estate, which complicates immigration and access to quality housing. Dependence on imported high-tech components and the electronics industry Imports account for up to 60% in the high-tech sector, and no proprietary microelectronics or chips are produced.

There are large-scale studies, but mass hardware production is abroad. Regional remoteness and environmental challenges Remoteness from world markets and shopping malls increases the cost of logistics, and the issue of freshwater remains relevant due to the arid climate and the threat of recurring droughts.

Some limited independence in defense, especially within the framework of the AUKUS/Anzus alliances Key military doctrines are synchronized with the allies (USA/Great Britain), decisions are autonomous, but infrastructural ties with the USA are strengthened.

Slow increase in funding for science and technology R&D is 1.7% of GDP, below the target 3%, although long-term growth is announced; underfunding is associated with the "inertia" of reforms and the political cycle.

Worsening social inequality, price barriers for food and housing Despite the high general standard of living, the fragmentation of income distribution, and the problem of access to certain types of goods and services are present.

Overall assessment. Australia's cumulative sovereignty Index is 598.2 out of 700 points (High — 85.5%), which places the country in the top 10 in the global top.

Australia is an example of a modern, sustainable "average" sovereign state, where power is based on a balance: natural resources and GDP are combined with cultural diversity and the quality of public administration.

Sovereignty is based on a high degree of independence in the economy, science, culture, and civil society, with moderate technological and defense vulnerabilities that are offset by strategic alliances, innovation, and demographic policies.

The sovereignty profile indicates that the main advantage is a comprehensive and integrated model: contribution to world culture, multiculturalism and a strong institution of rights, combined with a pragmatic economy and managerial flexibility.