Queensland is second largest state in Australia size-wise which is approximately 22% of the total area of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern part of the mainland continent, about 2400 km from Brisbane (its capital) in the south, right up to the northern tip of Cape York and 1600 km east to the west from Brisbane to Birds Ville. On the eastern side, it is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. With a population of circa 4.3 million, it is Australia’s third most populous state after New South Wales and Victoria. Queensland has a climate that is temperate / tropical / humid and is often marketed as ‘The Sunshine State,’ due to its warm weather conditions.

Economically, Queensland used to be the fastest-growing states in Australia, between the financial years 1995 to 2008. However global recession in 2009 adversely impacted its economy. The down slide is evident in its tourism sector, home construction and mining segment, which has hindered Queensland’s economic progress. The state’s latest annual growth rate of 0.8% is by far its lowest economic performance in the past two decades. The mainstays of Queensland’s economy are agriculture, mining and tourism, with its major exports comprising of coal, metals, meat and sugar. Given below is a brief idea about the major segments of its economy.

Agriculture: In the state’s coastal belt, right from far north to its border in the south, sugar cane is harvested all over. In fact 94% of Australia’s entire raw sugar production is met by the state. Other activities include cattle grazing like cows and sheep for its meat and wool respectively. Along-with wheat, other major crops consists of bananas, cotton and citrus crops.

Mining: Queensland has considerable deposits of coal, coal seam gas and bauxite and some oil shale and natural gas reserves. Minerals mined in the state consist of copper, lead, silver, zinc, bauxite, gold, phosphate rock, magnesite, silica sand and dimension stones such as granite, marble, sandstone and slate. Also mined on large scale commercially are gemstones such as sapphire, opal and chrysoprase. AU$3 billion was collected in mining royalties in the financial year 2008-09. Coal seam gas industry is booming and is actively developed by the mining industry in Queensland. In-fact numerous international energy corporations are investing billions worth of projects to transform coal seam gas to liquefied natural gas and then exporting it.

Tourism: This is another important component of Queensland’s economy, contributing approximately AU$8.8 billion annually to the state coffers and employing 119,000 people or 5.7% of the workforce. The government agency Tourism Queensland is in charge of marketing Queensland as a tourist destination and plays a crucial role in the development of the state as a tourist haven.  International backpackers and students on working holiday visas make up the cream of foreign visitors. Blessed with natural scenic beauty, many tourists visit Queensland to see the top attractions here which include the Great Barrier Reef, Dreamworld and Australia Zoo among many others.