People living in rural NSW have the highest proportion of post-secondary school qualifications compared to the rest of rural Australia, according to the latest economic and social snapshot of the country.

The 2008 Country Matters: Social Atlas of Rural and Regional Australia was released today by federal Agriculture Minister, Tony Burke.

The Atlas describes the economic and social trends affecting 7.5 million people living outside Australia’s capital cities.

"Across Australia the number of people who attained vocational qualifications grew by 18.1pc between 2001 and 2006 but the largest increase in people obtaining certificates or diplomas was in small towns at 25.2pc," Mr Burke says.

"The Snowy River region in south-eastern NSW had a particularly high level of people with post-school qualifications at 67.5pc - much higher than the national average of 52.5pc."

The Atlas also showed:

* NSW had the lowest percentage of DINK (double income, no kids) households in regional centres, small towns and rural areas

* NSW had the greatest proportion of household Internet connections in small towns (55.5pc).

* Most NSW communities still depend heavily on agriculture including at Conargo (66.7pc of total employment) and Carrathool (50.1pc).

among the areas with the largest number of farmers were Moira (1474 farmers) and Griffith (1061 farmers).

* The number of young people (aged 15–24 years) declined in Moree (19.7pc), Walgett (20pc) and Warren (35.2pc).

The Atlas, produced by the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS), is an online tool that primarily draws on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2006, 2001 and 1996 Population Census.

* To use the Atlas online visit www.brs.gov.au/socialatlas