Australia became a
commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able
to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly
develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and
to make a major contribution to the British effort in
World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include
pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and
management and conservation of coastal areas, especially
the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change
Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the
British monarch to an independent republic, was defeated
in 1999.
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