Lyla Lindsey
Australia is widely recognized as both a country and a continent. Officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, it is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories. It is the smallest continent, with a land area of 8.56 million square kilometres (3,310,000 sq mi) and is the largest landmass in the continent of Oceania. Australia has a highly developed economy and one of the world's highest per capita incomes.
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What You'll Learn
Australia's status as a country and continent
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 has a total area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania. Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories. Its population of almost 28 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard.
Australia's status as a country is indisputable, as it meets the definition of a country: "a nation with its own government, occupying a particular territory". Since 1901, Australia has had its own stable liberal democratic political system and a mostly unchanged constitution.
However, Australia's claim to being a continent is less clear-cut. There is no scientific definition of a continent, but they tend to be large land masses with their own tectonic plates, isolated enough to foster unique cultures, plant life, and animal populations. Australia is the smallest continent, with a land area of 8.56 million square kilometres (3,310,000 sq mi). It is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent.
The continent of Australia is sometimes referred to as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to differentiate it from the country of Australia. The name "Sahul" comes from the Sahul Shelf, which is part of the continental shelf of the Australian continent. The continent consists of mainland Australia, Tasmania, and the island of New Guinea, which includes Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea.
In the past, Australia was sometimes described as an island continent, and the term Oceania was used to refer to a "great division" of the world, which included Australia and other Pacific islands. Today, Australia is widely recognised as both a country and a continent, and its unique geography, flora, and fauna make it a fascinating place.
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Australia's unique flora and fauna
Australia is a mega-diverse country, home to a large variety of unique flora and fauna. The continent supports nearly 600,000 native species, and a very high proportion of these are found nowhere else in the world. In fact, more than 80% of its plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia. This high level of endemism can be attributed to the continent's long geographic isolation, tectonic stability, and the effects of a unique pattern of climate change on the soil and flora over geological time.
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) was established in 1973 to coordinate research in the taxonomy, identification, classification, and distribution of flora and fauna. ABRS maintains free online databases cataloguing much of the described Australian flora and fauna. The government has also created more than 500 national parks and passed several pieces of legislation to protect its unique fauna.
Some of Australia's well-known animals include kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats, dingos, platypuses, and echidnas. The country is also home to 140 species of snakes, with more venomous than non-venomous species. Australia's marine mammal fauna includes 48 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), 3 species of pinnipeds (seals), and the dugong.
One of the most well-known Australian native plants is Sturt's desert pea, which has vibrant red leaf-shaped flowers with a black centre. The Tasmanian Midlands is another significant hotspot, home to more than 180 rare and threatened plant and animal species, including the Tasmanian devil and the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle.
While Australia boasts a diverse range of unique flora and fauna, it is facing threats from invasive species, human activities, and climate change. Conservation efforts are in place to protect the country's biodiversity, but species loss remains a significant challenge.
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Australia's diverse culture
Australia is officially the Commonwealth of Australia, a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. It is one of the world's oldest federations, comprising six states and ten territories.
Australia is a megadiverse country, with a wide variety of landscapes and climates, from deserts in the interior to tropical rainforests along the coast. This diversity extends to its people, cultures, and lifestyles.
The country has a population of about 25.4 million, making it one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse populations in the world. Australia has one of the highest foreign-born populations globally, with the world's ninth-largest immigrant population. Its people include a diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, with two-thirds of South Sea Islanders identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages and had one of the oldest living cultures in the world.
Australia's written history began with Dutch exploration in the 17th century, followed by British colonisation. The country's diverse population also stems from extensive immigration from many different countries and cultures.
Australia's culture and diversity are celebrated through various initiatives, including cultural exchange programs in schools, and the Australian Human Rights Commission works to address systemic racism.
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Australia's government and constitution
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. It comprises six states and ten territories, with a highly urbanised population of almost 28 million. Canberra is the nation's capital, while its most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, both with a population of more than five million.
The Australian Constitution, also known as the Commonwealth Constitution, is the fundamental law that governs the country's political structure. It establishes Australia as a federation under a constitutional monarchy governed by a parliamentary system. The Constitution's eight chapters outline the structure and powers of the three constituent parts of the federal level of government: the Parliament, the Executive Government, and the Judicature.
The Constitution was drafted between 1891 and 1898 by representatives of the six self-governing British colonies in Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. The final draft was then approved by each state in a series of referendums from 1898 to 1900. After some minor changes and royal assent on 9 July 1900, the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act became law.
Australia's system of government combines elements from the political systems of both the United Kingdom and the United States. Federal government power is partially separated between the Legislature (the bicameral Parliament, including the monarch, the Senate, and the House of Representatives), the Executive Government, and the Judicature.
Australia has strong protections for civil and political rights and has signed numerous international rights treaties. Important documents protecting human rights include the Constitution, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the Age Discrimination Act 2004.
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Australia's foreign relations
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 a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories.
The Department of External Affairs was one of the inaugural departments created when the Australian colonies federated in 1901. However, it largely remained an appendage of the Prime Minister's Department. Outside of the prime minister, the role of Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, established in 1910, remained the most significant conduit for Australian foreign relations.
In 1921, Australia appointed its first official representative in Asia, with the appointment of Edward S. Little as trade commissioner to China, based in Shanghai. In the same year, Egbert Sheaf was appointed as a trade commissioner to "the East", based in Singapore. The initial trade commissioner service was partially funded by state governments and ultimately failed due to a lack of support from Prime Minister Stanley Bruce and state premiers.
The appointment of the Lyons government in 1932 marked a renewed interest in foreign policy, complemented by the establishment of foreign policy departments at universities and non-governmental advisory bodies. Prime Minister Joseph Lyons took a keen interest in foreign relations and exerted significant influence over the government's foreign policy.
The first accredited diplomat sent to a foreign country was Richard Casey, appointed as the first Minister to the United States in January 1940. This was followed by the arrival of the first Australian high commissioner to Canada and the appointment of ministers to Japan in 1940 and China in 1941.
With the entry of Japan into World War II in December 1941, Australia became increasingly vulnerable to attack. As a result, the Curtin Government made the critical decision to seek closer military protection from the United States. Since then, the United States has been Australia's most important security ally. The close security relationship between the two countries was formalized in 1951 by the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty, which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements.
In the late 20th century and early 21st century, a new element in Australia's foreign relations was the growing relationship with the People's Republic of China. After establishing diplomatic relations in December 1972, Sino-Australian relations grew rapidly, with China becoming Australia's main trading partner. However, since 2017, relations between the two countries have deteriorated due to Australian criticism of policies and actions under General Secretary Xi Jinping.
In recent decades, Australia has sought to strengthen its relationship with Asian countries, making this the focus of its network of diplomatic missions. In 2021, Australia signed a significant security partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS) to uphold security in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Australian Passport Office and its agents provide a secure, efficient, and responsive passport service for Australians travelling abroad. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) promotes and protects Australia's international interests, tackling global challenges, increasing trade and investment opportunities, protecting international rules, and maintaining regional stability.
The New Colombo Plan (NCP) is an Australian government initiative that provides opportunities for Australian undergraduate students to develop their Indo-Pacific capability and Asia literacy through immersive learning and internships in the region. The Office of the Pacific and the Office of Southeast Asia are enhancing Australia's engagement with partners in these regions.
Australia has generally strong protections for civil and political rights and has signed up to a wide range of international rights treaties. Important documents protecting human rights include the Constitution, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the Age Discrimination Act 2004. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Australia since 2017.
Australia is a highly developed economy with one of the highest per capita incomes globally. Its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade relations are crucial to its economy. It ranks highly for quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties, and political rights.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Australia is a country. Officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, it is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.
Yes, Australia is also a continent. It is the smallest, lowest, flattest, and second-driest continent on Earth.
A country is defined as "a nation with its own government, occupying a particular territory". A continent, on the other hand, is usually a large land mass with its own tectonic plate, isolated enough to foster unique cultures and plant and animal populations. However, there is no scientific definition for categorizing continents.
Australia has a total area of 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania.
Australia has a highly developed economy and one of the highest per capita incomes globally. It is known for its unique flora and fauna, including eucalyptus trees, platypuses, kangaroos, and koalas. It also has a diverse culture and one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world.
