Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is divided into six states and various territories. The mainland comprises five states and three territories, with the sixth state being Tasmania, an island south of the mainland. The five mainland states are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia. The three mainland territories are the Jervis Bay Territory, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory. The states originated as separate British colonies before Federation in 1901. The territories, by contrast, are directly subject to the Commonwealth government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of states | 6 |
| Names of states | New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania |
| Number of territories | 6 external territories, 3 internal territories |
| Self-governing territories | The Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, Norfolk Island |
| Area | The world's sixth-largest country by total area |
| Previous political status | Six British colonies |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's states originated as separate British colonies
Australia is divided into states, and these states originated as separate British colonies. Before 1901, Australia consisted of six British colonies, which were partly self-governing but under the law-making power of the British Parliament. These colonies were: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania (originally known as Van Diemen's Land).
The Colony of New South Wales was founded in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). Over time, large areas were separated to form new colonies. In 1825, Van Diemen's Land became a separate colony, and in 1851, it was renamed Tasmania. The Swan River Colony, established in Western Australia in 1829, became the Colony of Western Australia. The separation of Victoria from New South Wales occurred in 1851, and Queensland became a separate colony in 1859.
During the 1880s and 1890s, there was a growing sentiment among the colonies that they would be stronger and more efficient if they worked together. The Australian Natives Association, a group of Australian nationalists, campaigned for an Australian federation within the British Empire. Several conventions were held to draft a constitution for a new country, Australia, and in 1899, the draft was approved by a vote of the people in a series of referendums.
On January 1, 1901, the Australian colonies united to become a nation, and the colonies became Australia's six states. This date also marked the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia, a federation of former British colonies. Each state has its own constitution, and through federation, the states transferred some of their law-making power to the Australian Parliament.
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The colonies united and became states in 1901
Before 1901, Australia consisted of six British colonies that were partly self-governing but under the law-making power of the British Parliament. These colonies were New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. In the 1880s and 1890s, it was suggested that the colonies would be stronger and more efficient if they worked together. As a result, several conventions were held to draft a constitution for a new country, Australia.
In 1899, the draft constitution was approved by a vote of the people in a series of referendums. On January 1, 1901, the Australian colonies united to become a nation, and the colonies became Australia's six states. Through federation, the states transferred some of their law-making power to the Australian Parliament.
The separation of the colonies and the formation of new ones contributed to the development of Australia's states. For example, in 1859, Queensland became a separate colony, and in 1855, the New South Wales Constitution Act affirmed the boundary between New South Wales and Victoria as the Murray River. The people of Port Phillip had also been pressing for independence from New South Wales, which was granted in 1847. These separations and boundary disputes contributed to the eventual formation of Australia's states.
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States transferred law-making powers to the Australian Parliament
Australia is divided into six states: New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. Before 1901, these were six separate British colonies, each with its own parliament and laws, though the British Parliament retained the power to make laws for the colonies and could overrule colonial parliaments.
In the 1880s and 1890s, it was suggested that the colonies would be stronger and more efficient if they worked together. Several conventions were held to draft a constitution for a new country, Australia. In 1899, the draft was approved by a vote of the people in a series of referendums. On 1 January 1901, the Australian colonies united to become a single nation, and the colonies became Australia's six states.
Through federation, the states transferred some of their law-making powers to the Australian Parliament. The Australian Constitution, which sets out the legal framework by which Australia is governed, established a federal system of government. Under the Constitution, the states kept their own parliaments and most of their existing powers, but the federal Parliament was given responsibility for areas that affected the entire nation, such as foreign affairs, defence, and Medicare. State parliaments, in turn, gave local councils the task of looking after the particular needs of their local communities.
The Federal Parliament, located in the nation's capital, Canberra, makes laws for the whole of Australia. The six state parliaments make laws for their respective states, and over 500 local councils make local laws (by-laws) for their region or district. Australians aged 18 and over vote to elect representatives to federal, state, and territory parliaments, and local councils to make decisions on their behalf.
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New South Wales is the oldest and most populous state
Australia is divided into six states, which were originally six British colonies that united to become a nation in 1901. New South Wales, commonly abbreviated as NSW, is one of these states and is the oldest, having been founded as a British penal colony in 1788. It originally comprised more than half of the Australian mainland, but over time, new colonies were formed and separated from New South Wales, including Victoria and Queensland.
New South Wales is located on the east coast of Australia and is bordered by Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, South Australia to the west, and the Tasman Sea to the east. The state features diverse geography, including the Great Dividing Range, numerous river systems, extensive plains, and a long Pacific coastline. The western slopes and plains make up a significant portion of the state's area but have a much sparser population than areas closer to the coast.
The capital of New South Wales is Sydney, which is also Australia's most populous city. The state has the highest population of any state in Australia, with over 8 million residents as of 2022, and nearly two-thirds of the state's population live in the Greater Sydney area. New South Wales also has the fastest-growing population in Australia, increasing by approximately 59,000 people each year. The state is known for its cultural diversity, with more than 275 languages spoken and 144 religions practised.
In addition to its cultural diversity, New South Wales also has the largest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, making up 3.4% of the state's population. The state's economy is the largest in Australia, valued at nearly 700 billion dollars, and agriculture plays a central role, particularly in the western regions. New South Wales has a lot to offer in terms of natural beauty, from its numerous forests and tree species to the famous Snowy Mountains, which include some of the oldest mountain chains on Earth.
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Western Australia occupies the entire western third of the country
Australia is divided into six states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Western Australia (WA) occupies the entire western third of the country, 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. It is Australia's largest state, with a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi). The state's eastern border is defined by longitude 129°E, the meridian 129 degrees east of Greenwich, and has a total length of 1,862 km (1,157 mi).
Western Australia has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley region, deserts in the interior (such as the Great Sandy Desert and the Gibson Desert), and a Mediterranean climate in the southwest and southern coastal areas. The landscape in the northern and western regions consists primarily of broad plateaus articulated by several mountain ranges, with immense deserts to the east. The Kimberley region in the far north is a multisectioned plateau with a rugged coastline, strong currents, and tidal ranges reaching up to 12 metres. The Gascoyne River drains the dry, rough country south of the Pilbara, and the state's only permanently flowing streams are found in the southwestern segment of the Yilgarn block.
The majority of Western Australia's population lives in the greater Perth area, which is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia and the country's most isolated administrative centre. As of 2021, the state had a population of 2,660,026, with over 90% living in the southwest corner. Western Australia has the highest proportion of British-born residents of any state, with 10.3% in 2011 compared to a national average of 5.1%. The state has five broadcast television stations serving Metropolitan Perth and similar availability in regional areas.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Australia has six federated states: New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (TAS), Victoria (VIC), and Western Australia (WA).
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, situated on the west coast of the country.
Before 1901, Australia consisted of six British colonies that were partly self-governing but under the law-making power of the British Parliament. In the 1880s and 1890s, it was suggested that the colonies would be stronger and more efficient if they worked together. Several conventions were held to draft a constitution for a new country, Australia. The draft was approved by a vote of the people in a series of referendums in 1899. On January 1, 1901, the Australian colonies united to become a nation, and the colonies became Australia's six states.
The capital of Queensland is Brisbane, also known as Brissie.
The capital of Tasmania is Hobart.
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