The Canberra Reporter Issue #4 | Page 6

NEWS FEATURES
AUSTRALIA ’ S RANKS SIXTH , PHILIPPINES ’ 60th
6 THE CANBERRA REPORTER | February 2017

NEWS FEATURES

PinOz multiplied

By GLORIA ROSS
FILIPINO-BORN Australian citizens , permanent Filipino- Australian residents , temporary residents , temporary workers , students and those of long-term Filipino heritage account for close to half a million people in this cosmopolitan mix .
They comprise one of the largest ethnic communities in Australia of Asian origin along with China and India .
Australia today is an example of a country where people from all over the world live in peace and harmony .
The importance of a national day ( Australia Day ) of celebration is to identify , focus , on and further enhance the values that unite all citizens .
The picture above shows a snapshot of the cosmopolitan diversity of Australia today , an example of one of the most successful multicultural nations in the world . •

PASSPORTS THAT GIVE YOU FREE ENTRY TO COUNTRIES

AUSTRALIA ’ S RANKS SIXTH , PHILIPPINES ’ 60th

THERE may be different measures to decide which are the world ’ s most powerful passports , but the most commonly accepted measure is to examine the power of every nation ’ s “ key to the world ” based on how many countries that can be visited without applying for a visa .
A total of 193 countries and territories were included in the “ key to the world ” index , separated into 95 passport power ranks .
A country ’ s ability to obtain visa waivers reflects its diplomatic relations with other countries .
In addition to this , visa requirements are shaped by security risks , reciprocal visa arrangements , and the risks of visa and immigration rules violations .
Germany ranks on top with 158 . Next six are in a tie on 153 .
By GLORIA ROSS
Singapore is the standout from Asia with 157 .
The USA and Britain are in equal third spot with a numbeer of nations
from Western Europe . Japan is in fourth with 155 , Malaysia fifth with 154 .
Australia is in sixth with 153 .
Western European countries dominate the rankings as there are so many of them with large populations in land areas smaller than Australia ’ s .
Germany is unsurprisingly the winner because it shares borders with so many different countries from regions such as Scandinavia , the North Sea near the English Channel , Eastern Europe and almost to Italy in the Mediterranean , separated only by Switzerland and Austria .
Germany is also the economic powerhouse of Europe and
considered the glue holding together the current European Union .
Barbados brags it has the most powerful passport in the Caribbean region , which is ranked 50th worldwide .
Filipinos can visit 60 countries without the need for a visa , putting them on 64th spot .
China is ranked slightly behind the Philippines on 66th spot , while Indonesia , is ranked 67th , India on 78th spot .
Afghanistan has held last spot since 2010 . Only 25 countries in the world allow passport holders visafree entry . •

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