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Australia is a sovereign state and the smallest continent in the world. It is also referred to as Oceania and encompasses the entire Australian mainland, the island of Tasmania, the eastern half of New Guinea, and thousands of other islands. There are three sovereign countries that divide the continent of Australia: Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. However, the broader region of Oceania includes up to 14 independent countries and 12 dependent territories.
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What You'll Learn
Australia is a country and a continent
The country of Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and several smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest country in the world by land area and the largest country in the Oceania region. Australia has a highly urbanized population of almost 28 million people, with the majority concentrated on the eastern seaboard. The nation's capital is Canberra, while its most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, each with over five million people.
Australia has a diverse culture and is ranked highly for quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties, and political rights. It is a member of various international groups, including the United Nations, the G20, the OECD, and the World Trade Organization. Australia has the world's thirteenth-highest military expenditure and is a major non-NATO ally of the United States.
The Australian continent has a total land area of approximately 8.56 million square kilometers (3.31 million square miles), making it the smallest, lowest, and flattest continent on Earth. It is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and has a coastline of over 34,000 kilometers (excluding offshore islands). The continent includes a continental shelf overlain by shallow seas, dividing it into several landmasses, including mainland Australia and the islands of New Guinea and Tasmania.
In summary, Australia is both a country and a continent, with the country of Australia comprising the majority of the Australian continent, along with several smaller islands and territories. The continent of Australia includes two other sovereign nations, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, and is the smallest and flattest continent on the planet.
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Oceania includes Australia and the Pacific Islands
Australia is a sovereign state comprising the Australian continent's interior, the island of Tasmania, and several smaller islands. It is often referred to as a country, but it is also the name of a continent. The Australian continent includes three sovereign nations: Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. It also includes the Indonesian-controlled regions of Papua and West Papua on the island of New Guinea.
Oceania is a geographic region that includes the continent of Australia (also known as Australasia) and the Pacific Island countries. It is sometimes referred to as a continent in its own right, based on its connection to the Pacific Ocean rather than its landmass. The Pacific Ocean itself has been described as a "continent of islands," containing around 25,000 islands, more than all the other major oceans combined.
The term Oceania, in its broadest sense, encompasses the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas. A more common definition excludes certain islands and archipelagoes, such as Indonesia, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Oceania, in its most restricted sense, includes more than 10,000 islands, with a total land area of about 822,800 square kilometers (excluding Australia but including Papua New Guinea and New Zealand).
The four main subregions of Oceania are Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. These subregions cover two major plates: the Australian Plate (also known as the Indo-Australian Plate) and the Pacific Plate, as well as two minor plates: the Nazca Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate.
The Pacific Islands Forum has played a role in defining the scope of Oceania, with areas like French Polynesia gaining membership in the early 2010s. The inclusion of these Pacific Island countries in the Oceania region highlights the diverse mix of economies and cultures within this broad geographic area.
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Australasia is another name for the continent of Australia
Australia is generally viewed as a country, but it is also a continent. The Australian continent consists of three sovereign countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. It also includes parts of the island of New Guinea, which are under Indonesian rule, namely Papua and West Papua.
The continent of Australia is also referred to as Australasia or Oceania. The term "Australasia" was first coined by Charles de Brosses in 1756, derived from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern". Before the 1970s, the continent was known as Australasia, but the term is now seldom used. The name "Australasia" is also used in a geopolitical context to refer specifically to Australia and New Zealand.
The term "Oceania" is often used to denote the region encompassing the Australian continent, Zealandia, and various islands in the Pacific Ocean. Oceania is considered one of the world's major continental divisions, along with Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The Pacific Ocean Handbook (1945) categorises Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific islands under the label of Oceania for "scientific reasons".
The Australian continent is the smallest, driest, and flattest continent. It has a coastline that stretches for 21,262 miles (excluding offshore islands) and a sizeable Exclusive Economic Zone.
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The Pacific Islands are independent countries
Australia is viewed in different ways: as a country, a continent, or a region called Oceania. When considered a continent, Australia comprises three sovereign countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. It also includes regions under Indonesian jurisdiction, such as Papua and West Papua.
The Pacific Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are categorized into three major ethnogeographic or island groupings: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The Pacific Islands region also includes the Pacific Island countries—sovereign nations in Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
Many Pacific Island countries were once dominated by European powers but gained independence towards the end of the 20th century. Examples of independent Pacific Island countries include the Marshall Islands, granted independence in 1979, and Papua New Guinea, which earned its independence from Australia in 1975.
The Pacific Islands region also includes dependent states and territories, such as the islands of Palau, which gained independence from the United States in 1994.
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Australia is the largest country in Oceania
Australia is a country and when viewed as such, it is the largest country in Oceania, occupying about 86% of the region's total area.
The number of countries in Oceania varies depending on the sources and how the region is defined. Some sources state that there are 14 countries in Oceania, including Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and others. Others list up to 20 countries, including additional territories and islands such as French Polynesia, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
The Oceania region includes the continent of Australia, also known as Australasia, and the Pacific Island countries. The Pacific Islands themselves can be further divided into the regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, which include thousands of small islands scattered throughout the South Pacific.
The definitions and boundaries of countries and areas within Oceania are constantly evolving, with ongoing research and changing names contributing to the dynamic nature of this geographic region.
Sydney, the most multicultural city in Oceania, boasts more than 250 spoken languages, with approximately 40% of residents speaking a language other than English at home. Melbourne, another diverse city in Australia, has the largest Greek-speaking population outside of Europe and the second-largest Asian population in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia is a country and a continent. The Australian continent consists of three sovereign countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. However, the Oceania region, which includes the Australian continent, has 14 countries and 12 dependent territories.
The 14 countries in Oceania are Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu, French Polynesia, Tonga, Niue, Kiribati, Tokelau, Western Samoa, Solomon Island, and Tuvalu.
There are 12 dependent territories in Oceania, including the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
Oceania is a region that includes the Australian continent and the Pacific Island countries.
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