Leslie Massey
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is the world's driest and flattest inhabited continent, with landscapes ranging from deserts in the interior to tropical rainforests along the coast. The country is known for its unique plant and animal life, as well as its Outback, which evokes a sense of strength and independence for Australians.
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What You'll Learn
Climate and landscapes
Australia's climate varies significantly due to its large geographical size. The country experiences a wide range of climatic conditions, with six distinct climate groups: equatorial, tropical, subtropical, desert, grassland, and temperate. The temperate zone occupies the coastal regions of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and most of South Australia. This area experiences four distinct seasons, with summer lasting from December to February and winter from June to August. The tropical regions of Australia, on the other hand, have distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry season typically lasts from April to October, with lower temperatures and clearer skies, while the wet season occurs between November and March, with higher temperatures and high humidity.
The largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid, with frequent droughts. The southern latitude and landlocked location of the Australian Capital Territory result in cool to cold winters. Canberra, for example, experiences warm, dry summers with cool nights and thunderstorms, while the higher mountains to the west are snow-covered for much of the winter and early spring. The Northern Territory also exhibits two distinct climate zones. The northern end, including Darwin, has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity and two seasons: the wet season from October to April and the dry season from May to September.
As a whole, Australia is the second driest continent after Antarctica. The country receives low annual rainfall, with 80% of the land receiving less than 600 mm (24 in) of rainfall annually and 50% receiving less than 300 mm (12 in). The dryness is largely due to the subtropical high-pressure belt, which brings dry air down onto the continent. The Intertropical Convergence Zone also influences the climate, bringing the Australian monsoon to parts of northern Australia during the summer.
The variability of Australia's climate is further influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, resulting in extensive droughts and significant wet periods. The country holds numerous heat-related records, including the continent with the hottest extended region year-round and the areas with the hottest summer climate. However, Australia's winter is relatively mild due to its separation from the polar regions by the Southern Ocean.
Australia boasts a diverse range of landscapes, from bright pink lakes to World Heritage-listed national parks. The ancient rock formations of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, with their rich Aboriginal history, offer a striking sight. The Bungle Bungle range in Purnululu National Park, Western Australia, features iconic chasms, gorges, and signature yellow and black striped domes. The Kimberley region is home to the four-tiered Mitchell Falls, nestled amidst tropical rainforests and dramatic cliffs. Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges is a vast, sunken natural amphitheatre surrounded by rugged mountains. The Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in South Australia is renowned for its pastel pink hue, often a dry, sparkling salt bed that transforms into a dazzling lake during rare downpours.
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Population and urbanisation
Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with 90% of its population living in just 0.22% of the country's land area. As of the 2016 census, more than two-thirds of Australians lived in a capital city, with 40% of the population residing in the two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney is known for its famous harbour, while Melbourne has the highest population living in its city centre due to the large number of high-rise apartment buildings. Both cities have a population of over five million people.
Australia's population of almost 28 million is heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard, with 87% living within 50 kilometres of the coast. Inner-city living is becoming increasingly popular due to greater access to employment opportunities, services, and transport. The country has one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world, and its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade relations are crucial to its economy.
The population of Australia is highly urbanised, with the majority of people living in metropolitan areas or regional centres. However, there are still some small regional areas with lower populations and more affordable costs of living. These areas may offer a lower cost of living, but they often face challenges in terms of infrastructure and access to essential services like healthcare. As the population continues to grow, these regions may struggle to keep up with the demand for services and infrastructure.
Australia is a large country, with a total area of 7,688,287 square kilometres, making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania. Despite its size, the population is not evenly distributed, with most people choosing to live in urban areas or along the coast. This uneven distribution has led to a highly urbanised nation with a significant proportion of the population living in close proximity to one another.
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History of human habitation
Australia's human habitation history is a long and complex one, stretching back thousands of years. The earliest evidence of human presence in Australia has been the subject of extensive research and debate among scholars and archaeologists. While there are some contentious claims of human habitation dating back 120,000 years, the widely accepted timeframe for the arrival of humans in Australia is between 48,000 and 65,000 years ago.
The first inhabitants of Australia were the ancestors of modern Aboriginal Australians, who migrated from Southeast Asia during the last glacial period. They crossed into Australia via land bridges and short sea crossings when the sea levels were lower. The Madjedbebe rock shelter in Arnhem Land is considered one of the oldest sites showing human presence, with fossils and a rock shelter dated to around 50,000 to 65,000 years ago.
Aboriginal Australians established diverse and complex hunter-gatherer societies across the continent. They spoke approximately 250 distinct languages and had a deep connection to the land, utilising stone tools, fire-stick farming, and building semi-permanent shelters. Radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence suggest that Aboriginal people lived in the Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, with stone tools and possible campfire remnants discovered in Western Sydney.
The Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically distinct from mainland Aboriginal peoples, settled the Torres Strait Islands around 4,000 years ago. They were seafarers who relied on seasonal horticulture and the resources of the reefs and seas for their livelihood.
The first European contact with Australia began in the 17th century when Dutch explorers mapped the coastline and named the continent "New Holland." British colonisation commenced in 1788 with the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales, marking the beginning of a significant transformation in the human habitation and cultural landscape of Australia.
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Culture and society
Australia is a highly urbanised country with more than 75% of its population living in urban centres, many of which are located along the coast. It is a pluralistic society with a strong egalitarian streak, rooted in liberal democratic traditions. Australian society reflects its British penal history and the subsequent waves of migration from elsewhere in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and almost every other continent. This has resulted in a distinct cultural identity and style, with multiculturalism influencing everything from food to celebrations.
The cultures and worldviews of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are diverse, multifaceted, and complex, forming the oldest surviving culture on Earth. While the Aboriginal population was historically small and persecuted, there has been a revival of Aboriginal identity and positive measures from the government to address past wrongs, leading to a renaissance in Aboriginal arts.
Art is important both culturally and economically to Indigenous society, with central Australian Indigenous communities having the highest per capita concentrations of artists anywhere in the world. The Hermannsburg School, led by Albert Namatjira, received national fame in the 1950s for their desert watercolours. Leading critic Robert Hughes saw contemporary Indigenous art as "the last great art movement of the 20th century".
Food is an integral part of Australian culture, with a variety of immigrant traditions and customs influencing the national culinary landscape. Italian food, for example, is now a significant part of the national cuisine, with pizza and pasta being among the most popular dishes in Australia. Chinese contributions include not just food but also medicine and therapy, such as acupuncture and Shiatsu massage.
A sense of adventure and a love for the outdoors are also key aspects of Australian culture, with many Australians taking advantage of the country's beautiful natural landscapes. The beach and outback cultures are thriving, with Australians finding countless ways to enjoy their stunning coastlines and diverse landscapes.
Finally, Australia has a strong sporting culture, with sports such as cricket, rugby, Australian Rules Football, soccer, and tennis being passed down through generations. Sporting excellence creates community pride and engagement and plays a vital role in Australia's relationships with the world.
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Politics and economy
Australia is a highly developed country with a mixed economy. As of 2023, it was the 14th-largest economy in the world by nominal GDP. The country's economy is dominated by its service sector, which in 2017 comprised 62.7% of the GDP and employed 78.8% of the labour force. Australia has a strong trade relationship with countries in East and Southeast Asia, which collectively accounted for about 64% of exports in 2016. China is Australia's main export and import partner.
Mining has contributed significantly to Australia's economic growth, from the gold rush in the 1840s to the present day. The mining industry's total value-added to the country's GDP was 8.4% in 2009-10. Australia's economy has shown resilience, avoiding a recession from 1991 until 2020. It was one of the few countries that did not experience negative growth during the 2008-2009 global recession.
The politics of Australia operate under a written constitution, which sets out the country as a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition. Australia is a federation, with power divided between the federal government and the states. The country has a stable liberal democratic political system, with a compulsory two-party voting system. The current political structure includes the legislative (Parliament), the executive (the prime minister and the cabinet), and the monarch, currently King Charles III, as the head of state. The governor-general represents the monarch locally and performs most of the head of state functions. The prime minister, currently Anthony Albanese, is the head of government.
Each of Australia's six states has its own bicameral parliament, except for Queensland, which has a unicameral parliament. Each state has a governor and a premier, who is the head of the state government. The states have equal representation in the Senate, and the number of seats in the House of Representatives is roughly proportional to the state's population. Elections are generally held within a ten-month window every three years.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent. From the air, its vast plains may seem to be one huge desert, sometimes the colour of dried blood, more often tawny like a lion’s skin.
Australia is a megadiverse country, with a wide variety of landscapes and climates. It has deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the coast. Inland from the coast runs a chain of highlands, known as the Great Dividing Range.
Australia has a highly urbanised population of almost 28 million, heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Sydney and Melbourne are the country's most populous cities, each with more than five million inhabitants.
Australia has a diverse culture and one of the world's highest foreign-born and immigrant populations. It has a highly developed economy and one of the highest per capita incomes globally.
The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from Southeast Asia 50,000 to 65,000 years ago. By the time of British settlement, they spoke 250 distinct languages and had one of the world's oldest living cultures. British colonisation began in 1788 with the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales.
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