 Symonds was injured in a tri-series game against England |
Symonds, 31, is set to miss some early games in the Caribbean after having surgery on his arm but Australia can replace him if he is unable to play.
Brad Haddin will cover for keeper Adam Gilchrist, who will miss some games to attend the birth of his third child.
Paceman Shaun Tait beat Stuart Clark to the final seamer role and Brad Hogg was preferred as spinner to Cameron White.
Captain Ricky Ponting had said he was keen to have the influential Symonds, who starred in the Aussies' 2003 World Cup triumph, available for the latter stages of the tournament.
And chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said the team's medical staff were confident he would be ready for action.
"His recovery from surgery has gone as well as could have been expected," he said.
"Given his importance to the team and the balance of the team it was felt that the risk of picking him so soon after surgery is warranted."
Hilditch insisted the selection of Haddin would improve their options, citing the 29-year-old's fine form in domestic cricket with the bat.
The chief selector also admitted Clark and White were unlucky after featuring regularly in the recently concluded tri-series.
But it was felt the quicker Tait would profit more on the expected slow pitches in the Caribbean, while the return to fitness of all-rounder Shane Watson had helped force out White.
"Shaun Tait's pace will give us extra firepower during the powerplays and at the end of the innings, and adds variation to the pace attack," Hilditch explained.
"Cameron White is extremely unlucky to miss selection in the squad. He is a young man with a bright future for Australia. We think he'll only get better with age."
Hilditch, meanwhile, insisted holders Australia would go into the tournament confident despite losing to England in the final of the CB Series.
"We think the squad is capable of winning the World Cup for a third consecutive time. We are still the best side in the world in our view," he added.
"We have been planning for the defence of the World Cup for two years. We've been pleased with the team's preparation and extremely pleased with the victory in the recent ICC Champions Trophy."
Australia have warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and England on 6 and 9 March, before getting their campaign under way against Scotland on 14 March.
Ponting expects to be in good shape for the start of the tournament despite needing cortisone injections to ease back pain during the Test series against England.
The skipper is missing the one-dayers in New Zealand and will need further injections after X-rays revealed bone spurs in his spine.
"It's just the right time now I think to get it fixed as soon as possible, so I'm not having a lot of sleepless nights through the World Cup as I've had through the summer," he explained.
Australia World Cup squad:
Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Brad Hodge, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait, Nathan Bracken, Glenn McGrath.
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