Countries, economies and regions

Turkmenistan covers an area of 488,100 square kilometres and is bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran, with the Caspian Sea to the west. The country's diverse ethnic make-up includes 85 per cent Turkmen, 5 per cent Uzbek and 4 per cent Russian, along with other ethnic minorities.

Tajikistan is the smallest of the five central Asian states, with a total land area of 143,099 square kilometres – approximately twice the size of Tasmania. It is culturally diverse due to its unique geographical position at the crossroad of East Asia, the Middle East and Russia. 

The Kyrgyz Republic is land-locked and spans 199,951 square kilometres of rugged terrain, bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China.

Infrastructure projects in Samoa

The Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, and the Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), His Excellency Sonexay Siphandone, mutually decide to establish a Comprehensive Partnership between Australia and the Lao PDR.

Monaco is located on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded on land by France. It is the second smallest independent state in the world, occupying approximately 2 square kilometres and with a population in 2019 (est.) of 38,100.

Indonesia’s Law 33/2014 on Halal Product Assurance and its associated regulations (the Halal Law) is being phased in over a 15-year period. This will affect Australian businesses exporting food and beverage products to Indonesia.

On 28 February 2024, the Governments of the Philippines and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) expressing the shared desire of two strategic partners to enhance their cooperation in cyber affairs and critical technology cooperation.