Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. paid a dividend of $0.22 per share on January 15, 2010 to all shareholders of record as of December 31, 2009.

Since Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. is regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The distributable income of the fund must be reported as separate components for tax purposes as follows:

Net Investment Income – $0.0593
Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains – $ 0.0
Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains – $0.1104
Return of Capital – $0.0503

The Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. said that the components above are only estimates and a final determination will be made at the end of the fiscal year (9/30/2010).

The Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. had total net assets of $222.3 million, or $11.55 per share, as of November 30, 2009. The fund had a concentration of assets in the materials and financial sector, with BHP Billiton Limited as the largest position at 13.8% of assets.

The Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. is a closed end fund that invests at least 80% of its net assets in common, preferred or convertible stock of Australian companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. The fund has a primary investment goal of long term capital appreciation and a secondary objective of current income.

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