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Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy that includes six states and ten territories. The six states that make up the Commonwealth of Australia are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. These states were initially established as colonies by European settlers in the 19th century and later federated in 1901 to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of states | 6 |
| Names of the states | New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic), Queensland (Qld), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (Tas) |
| Number of territories | 10 |
| Names of the territories | Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Northern Territory (NT), Coral Sea Islands, Jervis Bay Territory, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Indian Ocean territories (Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands), Norfolk Island, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island, Lord Howe Island, Australian Antarctic Territory |
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What You'll Learn
Australia has six states
Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories. The six states of Australia are New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic), Queensland (Qld), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), and Tasmania (Tas). In 1788, British colonisation began with the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales. By the mid-19th century, most of the continent had been explored by European settlers, and five additional self-governing British colonies were established. Upon federation in 1901, these six colonies became the founding states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Each state has its own parliament, with a premier as the head of the government. The King is represented in each state by a governor. The Commonwealth government directly administers the internal Jervis Bay Territory and the external territories, including the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, the Heard Island and McDonald Islands, the Indian Ocean territories (Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands), Norfolk Island, and the Australian Antarctic Territory.
The states have the general power to make laws except in specific areas where the constitution grants exclusive powers to the Commonwealth (the federal level of government). The Commonwealth can only make laws on topics listed in the constitution, but its laws take precedence over state laws in the event of any inconsistencies. Since Federation, the Commonwealth's power relative to the states has significantly increased due to the evolving interpretation of Commonwealth powers and the financial dependence of the states on Commonwealth grants.
In addition to the six states, Australia also includes two mainland self-governing territories: the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT). While these territories have a certain degree of self-governance, the Australian Parliament retains the authority to legislate and override territorial laws if necessary. The Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are each represented by a chief minister, and the King's representative at the Commonwealth level is the governor-general.
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New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania
Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories. The six states are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania.
New South Wales (NSW) is a state on the east coast of Australia. It was founded as a British penal colony in 1788 and originally comprised more than half of the Australian mainland. New South Wales shares borders with Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Coral and Tasman Seas to the east. Sydney, Australia's most populous city, is the state capital of New South Wales.
Victoria (Vic) is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of 227,444 square kilometres. It is the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), with a population of over 7 million. Melbourne, Victoria's state capital, is Australia's second-largest city. The state is home to numerous Aboriginal groups, including the Boonwurrung, the Bratauolung, the Djadjawurrung, the Gunai, and the Gunditjmara.
Queensland (Qld) is a state in northeastern Australia. It is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. Queensland was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians. The state has a population of over 5.5 million, with Brisbane as its capital and largest city. Queensland became a self-governing Crown colony in 1859.
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is Australia's largest state, with a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres. As of June 2024, the state has 2.965 million inhabitants, with Perth as its capital. Western Australia has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley and deserts in the interior.
South Australia (SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of 984,321 square kilometres, it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area. It is the fifth-largest state by population, with 1.8 million people. Adelaide is the state capital, with more than 77% of South Australians living in the capital or its environs. South Australia is known for its fine wine and numerous cultural festivals.
Tasmania (Tas) is an island state of Australia, located 240 kilometres south of the Australian mainland. It is Australia's smallest and least populous state, with 573,479 residents as of June 2023. Hobart is the state capital and largest city. Tasmania was permanently settled by Europeans as a penal settlement in 1803.
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Two self-governing territories
Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories. The six states are New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic), Queensland (Qld), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), and Tasmania (Tas).
The two mainland self-governing territories are the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT). While these territories have some degree of self-government, it is less than that of the states. The Australian Parliament retains the full power to legislate and can override laws made by the territorial institutions. Each territory has its own parliament, which is unicameral in the case of the Northern Territory, the ACT, and Queensland, and bicameral in the other states.
The Northern Territory gained self-government in 1978, with certain Commonwealth controls in place. The Australian Capital Territory, or Federal Capital Territory, was created in 1910 when a small pocket of land around Canberra was transferred to the federal government.
In addition to the two self-governing territories, there are several external territories that are regulated by an Act of the federal Parliament. These include the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, the Heard Island and McDonald Islands, the Indian Ocean Territories (Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands), Norfolk Island, and the Australian Antarctic Territory.
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The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory
The Commonwealth of Australia includes six states and ten territories. Two of these territories are the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT).
The Australian Capital Territory is an internal territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory and is the territory's primate city. The territory is located in the southeastern Australian mainland as an enclave surrounded by the state of New South Wales. The territory also includes towns such as Williamsdale, Oaks Estate, Uriarra, Tharwa and Hall, as well as the Namadgi National Park, which comprises most of the territory's land area. The Australian Capital Territory has a continental climate with marked seasonal and diurnal variations in temperature. Temperatures range between -10 and 42 °C; the daily maximum often exceeds 30 °C in summer (December through February).
The Northern Territory is an Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regions of Australia. It shares its borders with Western Australia to the west, South Australia to the south, and Queensland to the east. To the north, the Northern Territory looks out to the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea, and the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Northern Territory covers 1,347,791 square kilometres, making it the third-largest Australian federal division and the 11th-largest country subdivision in the world. It is sparsely populated, with a population of only 249,000 as of December 2021. The largest population centre is the capital city of Darwin, with about 52.6% of the Territory's population. The Territory's population is concentrated in coastal regions and along the Stuart Highway. Besides Darwin, the major settlements are Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek. Residents of the Northern Territory are often known as "Territorians".
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External territories: Indian Ocean Territories, Heard Island, McDonald Islands
The Commonwealth of Australia includes six states and ten territories. Two of these territories are the Indian Ocean Territories, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The other two are the Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are a group of Antarctic islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. The islands were discovered in the mid-19th century and have been an Australian territory since 1947. The Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) is a group of barren volcanic islands with a land area of 372 square kilometres and 101.9 kilometres of coastline. The islands contain Australia's only two active volcanoes, one of which, Mawson Peak, is the highest mountain in any Australian territory. The other, on McDonald Island, last erupted in 2005, extending the island by 2.45 square meters.
The islands have no ports or harbours, and all ships must anchor offshore. There is no permanent human population on HIMI, and the islands are primarily visited for research. The islands are contained within a 65,000-square-kilometre marine reserve, and the Australian government permits limited fishing in the surrounding waters.
The administration of the islands is established in the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Act 1953, which places it under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, with the non-criminal laws of the Australian Capital Territory and the criminal laws of Jervis Bay Territory applying to the Territory.
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Frequently asked questions
The Commonwealth of Australia includes six states.
The six states included in the Commonwealth of Australia are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania.
The colonies federated in 1901, forming the Commonwealth of Australia.
