# 7.5.3 Average dose of radiation The dose of radiation received varies significantly between individuals and communities, and depends on locality, lifestyle, diet and type of dwelling. The global average for the individual dose of radiation from natural sources has been estimated to be 2.4 mSv/year (UNSCEAR 2000). Australian data suggest that the average annual dose in this country may be slightly lower, at approximately 2 mSv/year. Of this annual dose, less than 10 per cent comes from ingestion of food and drinking water containing radionuclides from the natural uranium and thorium series (Webb et al. 1999). --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://guidelines.nhmrc.gov.au/australian-drinking-water-guidelines/part-2/chapter-7/7.5-units-of-radioactivity-and-radiation-dose-measurement/7.5.3-average-dose-of-radiation.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.