
Australia is the planet's sixth-largest country, with a landmass of 7,682,300 km sq. It is smaller than Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. When compared to the USA, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, the two countries are roughly the same size. Australia has two of the world's largest states: Western Australia, at 2.5 million square km, and Queensland, at 1.8 million square km.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australia's landmass compared to other countries | Australia is the planet's sixth-largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. |
| Landmass compared to the USA | Australia: 7,682,300 km sq /2,966,152 miles sq |
| U.S.A: 9,147,593 km sq / 3,531,905 miles sq | |
| Landmass compared to the USA (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) | The two countries are roughly the same size with some similarities in that they both have desert regions as well as mountains. |
| Largest state in the US compared to Australian states | Alaska at 1.7 million square km. |
| Western Australia at 2.5 million square km. | |
| Queensland at 1.8 million square km. | |
| Australia's territory in Antarctica | Australia has a large region in the Antarctica called 'Australian Antarctic Territory' which covers nearly half of the Antarctic continent. |
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What You'll Learn

Australia is the world's sixth-largest country
In terms of size, Australia is comparable to the United States without Alaska and Hawaii. Both countries have similar features, including desert regions and mountains. However, Australia is far bigger than most people realise. For example, driving from Perth to Sydney is like travelling from Spain to Syria, covering a distance of 2,442 miles.
Australia holds the record for two of its states being the second and third largest in the world. Western Australia covers 2.5 million square kilometres, while Queensland spans 1.8 million square kilometres. To put this into perspective, the largest state in the US is Alaska, which covers 1.7 million square kilometres.
Tasmania, while tiny in comparison to the rest of Australia, boasts natural attractions that rival any other part of the country. It is ideal to spend at least four weeks exploring Tasmania to truly appreciate its scenery, history, and towns.
Australia is also known as "The Oldest Continent", "The Last of Lands", and "The Last Frontier". It is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent, with a diverse range of landscapes and climates, including interior deserts and tropical rainforests along the coast.
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Western Australia is one of the world's largest states
Australia is a continent, an island, and a country. It is far bigger than most people realise. Excluding external territories, Western Australia occupies the western 32.9% of the country's land area. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the northeast, and South Australia to the southeast.
Western Australia is the largest state in the country, with a total land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) or 2.5 million square kilometres. It is the second-largest country subdivision in the world, only surpassed by Russia's Sakha Republic. To put it into perspective, the US state of Alaska, the largest in the country, covers 1.7 million square kilometres.
Western Australia is home to around 630 species of birds, of which around 15 are endemic to the state. The flora of Western Australia comprises 10,162 native vascular plant species, with a further 1,196 species currently recognised but unpublished. The ecoregions of Western Australia include the sandstone gorges of the Kimberley on the northern coast, the drier Victoria Plains tropical savanna inland, and the semi-desert Pilbara shrublands, Carnarvon xeric shrublands, and Western Australian mulga shrublands to the southwest.
The state's economy is driven by its mining sector, which includes the world's largest iron ore mining industry, as well as offshore petroleum and natural gas resources. Gold mining is also significant, with the state extracting 6.9% of the world's gold production in 2022. Other major export commodities include alumina, nickel, wheat, copper, lithium, chemicals, and mineral sands. Western Australia is a major producer of bauxite, providing 11% of the world's total production. The state's agricultural production, including wheat and pastoralism, also significantly contributes to the economy.
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Australia is smaller than the USA
Australia and the USA are both among the largest countries in the world, but the USA is significantly bigger. Australia is around 7.7 million square kilometres, making it the sixth-largest country globally. In contrast, the USA is the third-largest, spanning about 9.8 million square kilometres. This means the USA is approximately 1.28 times larger than Australia.
When comparing the landmass of Australia and the USA, it is important to consider the population density of each country. The USA has a population of over 333 million people, resulting in bustling cities and urban sprawl. In comparison, Australia has a population of approximately 26 to 27 million people, with a much lower population density. This offers a sense of tranquility and space, such as in the Australian Outback.
The difference in population density between the two nations results in varied lifestyles and environments. The USA is known for its vibrant, busy cities, while Australia offers calm, open spaces. For example, travelling from Sydney to Perth in Australia is comparable to travelling from New York to Los Angeles in the USA in terms of distance. However, the population of the entire country of Australia is similar to that of the single state of Texas in the USA, which has about 30 million people.
While the USA is larger overall, Australia holds the record for two of its states being among the largest in the world. Western Australia covers 2.5 million square kilometres, and Queensland spans 1.8 million square kilometres. In comparison, the largest state in the USA is Alaska, which is smaller than Western Australia at 1.7 million square kilometres.
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Australia is a continent, an island, and a country
Australia is a continent, a country, and an island continent or the world's largest island. It is the smallest of the seven continents, with a land area of 8.56 million square kilometres (3,310,000 sq mi). The country of Australia comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.
The continent of Australia is sometimes referred to as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to differentiate it from the country of Australia. The continent includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea, the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and most of the Coral Sea Islands, among others.
Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania, with a total area of 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi). It is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent, with an average height of 325 metres (1,066 ft). It has a wide variety of landscapes and climates, including deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the coast.
Australia is sometimes considered the world's largest island, and it is often dubbed the "island continent". It has 35,877 km (22,293 mi) of coastline (excluding all offshore islands). Australia is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas.
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Australia is comparable in size to the USA (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)
Australia is the planet's sixth-largest country, with a land area of 2.989 million square miles (7,682,300 km sq). In comparison, the USA (including Alaska and Hawaii) is 3.797 million square miles (9,147,593 km sq). Excluding Alaska and Hawaii, the USA is around 3.532 million square miles (3,531,905 miles sq). This makes Australia and the continental USA roughly the same size.
To put this into perspective, travelling from Sydney to Perth in Australia is about the same distance as travelling from New York to Los Angeles in the USA. Despite being similar in size, Australia has a much smaller population than the USA, with the whole of Australia having roughly the same number of people as the state of Texas.
Australia is a continent, an island, and a country. It is the world's largest island, accounting for just 5% of the world's land area. Australia holds the record for two of its states, Western Australia and Queensland, being the second and third largest in the world, respectively. Western Australia is 2.5 million square kilometres, and Queensland is 1.8 million square kilometres.
The USA, on the other hand, has Alaska as its largest state, measuring 1.7 million square kilometres. When comparing Australia to other countries or continents, it is important to consider the Mercator projection, a way to create a 2D map that accurately resembles the Earth. Using this projection, Australia nearly covers the whole of Europe and dwarfs the United Kingdom when placed beside it.
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Frequently asked questions
Excluding Alaska and Hawaii, Australia and the USA are roughly the same size.
Australia is the planet's sixth-largest country after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil.
Western Australia and Queensland are the second and third largest states in the world, respectively.
Australia is 7,682,300 km sq.
No, the USA does not recognize Australia's territory in Antarctica, but other countries like Britain and France do.














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