17,000 people to become citizens on Australia Day 2013

SYDNEY, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- About 17,000 people from 145 countries around the world will become Australian citizens on Saturday's Australia Day, local media reported on Friday.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) that 4,964 people will make their pledge at citizenship ceremonies in Queensland on Australia Day, while 3,814 in Victoria and 3,763 in New South Wales on the most popular day of the year to become Australians.

The UK is the top nation of origin for new citizens, followed by South Africa, the Philippines and China.

"Some people wait six months or more -- it's a really special day, people are just jumping out of their skin," the spokeswoman said.

The number of new citizens in NSW making the pledge on Saturday is up by nearly 800 state-wide compared with the figure in 2012, according to DIAC.

The citizenship ceremonies will be held around the nation on Australia Day.

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