Australia's economic history is the story of the transformation of an indigenous economy and a small convict settlement into a nation of nearly 23 million people with advanced economic, social and political structures. It is a history
of vast lands with rich, exploitable resources, of adversity in war, and prosperity and nation building. It is also a history of human behaviour and the institutions created to harness and govern human endeavour. This account examines key themes such as the centrality of land and its usage, the role of migrant human capital, the tension between development and the environment, and Australia's interaction with the international economy.