Lyla Lindsey
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 the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. Australia is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. The country is highly urbanized, with a population of almost 28 million, and has the world's 14th-largest economy and the second-highest human development index globally. Australia has been called the Last of Lands and the Last Frontier, reflecting the world's fascination with this unique and diverse country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Continent | Australia is the smallest continent and the largest island |
| Landmass | The lowest, flattest, and oldest landmass on Earth |
| Population | 28 million, with a high urbanisation rate |
| Diversity | One of the most ethnically diverse nations with the world's 9th largest immigrant population |
| Economy | 14th largest economy with the second-highest human development index globally |
| Culture | One of the highest foreign-born populations in the world |
| Wildlife | Unique flora and fauna, including eucalyptus trees, platypuses, kangaroos, koalas, and kookaburras |
| Geography | Arid or semi-arid with 10% of global permanent meadows and pastureland in 2021 |
| Isolation | Remote from traditional allies, with a highly diverse culture |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's unique flora and fauna
Australia is a megadiverse country with a wide variety of landscapes and climates, including deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the coast. It is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent, and its long geographic isolation has resulted in a high level of endemism among its flora and fauna. Australia's unique flora and fauna have been shaped by changes in land formation, climate, and physical separation from the rest of the world.
The country supports nearly 600,000 native species, and a large proportion of these are endemic to Australia and found nowhere else in the world. This includes 46% of birds, 69% of mammals, 94% of amphibians, and 93% of reptiles. Australia is known for its iconic eucalyptus trees, with hundreds of different kinds found across the country. The continent is also home to the world's greatest mass of coral, the Great Barrier Reef, which extends for more than 2,300 kilometres off the northeast coast of Queensland.
Some of Australia's well-known native animals include kangaroos, dingoes, wallabies, wombats, koalas, platypuses, and echidnas. The platypus and echidna are the only egg-laying mammals on Earth. Australia's marine mammal fauna includes 48 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), 3 species of pinnipeds (seals), and the dugong. The country also has unique subterranean fauna, such as the stygofaunal communities found in limestone caves underneath the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge in south-west Western Australia.
Human activities have also had an impact on Australia's flora and fauna. The use of fire-stick farming by Aboriginal people may have contributed to the extinction of large herbivores like the flightless birds from the genus Genyornis. Introduced species such as red foxes, cane toads, and Indian mynah birds have affected native fauna through predation and competition. Conservation efforts are in place, with the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) coordinating research and maintaining databases to catalogue and protect Australia's diverse flora and fauna.
Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. It is a large country, comprising the mainland Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, numerous smaller islands, and remote offshore territories. It is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is the world's smallest continent. With its diverse landscapes, unique flora and fauna, and a rich cultural history, Australia has earned monikers such as "the Oldest Continent," "the Last of Lands," and "the Last Frontier."
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The Great Barrier Reef
The reef is a vital economic driver in Australia, sustaining more than 60,000 jobs and contributing $6.4 billion annually to the national economy, mainly through tourism. It is also a significant site for Indigenous Australians, who have lived on and alongside it for thousands of years and have a profound spiritual connection with the reef.
Despite these efforts, the health of the reef has significantly declined over the past three decades due to coastal developments, pollution, and human interference. Climate change poses a significant threat, with rising sea temperatures causing coral bleaching and increased ocean acidification. To protect the reef, the Australian and Queensland governments have also committed to phasing out commercial gill net fishing from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area by June 2027.
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Australia's diverse culture
Australia is a country with a diverse culture and one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world. With a population of about 25.4 million, it is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse populations globally. Australia's written history began with Dutch exploration of most of its coastline in the 17th century, followed by British colonisation.
The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians arrived from Southeast Asia 50,000 to 65,000 years ago during the last glacial period. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages and had one of the world's oldest living cultures. Today, Australia acknowledges the diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations and pays respect to the Custodians of the Land and Waters of these Nations.
Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent, and the sixth-largest country by total area. It has a wide variety of landscapes and climates, including deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the coast. Australia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, with much of its biota being unique due to its long geographic isolation.
Australia's demographic makeup is influenced by its diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, its British colonial past, and extensive immigration from various countries and cultures. It has a highly urbanised population, with most people living on the eastern seaboard, and its most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, each with over five million people. Australia ranks highly for quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties, and political rights.
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The country's remoteness
Australia's remoteness is a defining feature of the country. It is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent, and it is highly urbanised. The Australian continent is the smallest, lowest, and flattest on Earth. It is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, with the Coral Sea lying off the Queensland coast and the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.
The country's isolation has resulted in a unique ecosystem, with many species found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the platypus, kangaroo, echidna, koala, and hundreds of types of eucalyptus trees. The flora and fauna of Australia are the product of long geographic isolation, and the country has been described as the “Oldest Continent”, the “Last of Lands”, and the “Last Frontier”.
The remoteness of Australia is also reflected in its distance from traditional allies and trading partners. It is approximately 12,000 miles (19,000 km) from Australia to Great Britain via the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, and about 7,000 miles (11,000 km) across the Pacific Ocean to the west coast of the United States. This isolation has shaped the country's economy and cultural landscape.
Australia's unique position as an isolated continent has contributed to its diverse culture and highly developed economy. The country has one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world, with people immigrating from over 200 countries since World War II. This diversity is further reflected in the variety of landscapes and climates found within Australia, ranging from arid deserts to tropical rainforests.
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Australia's ancient history
Australia has a rich and ancient history. The Australian continent is the world's smallest, and the country is the sixth-largest by total area. It is also sometimes considered the world's largest island and is often dubbed the "island continent".
The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from Southeast Asia between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago, during the last glacial period. This makes Aboriginal Australians the world's oldest continuous living culture. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages.
A 2021 study mapped the likely migration routes of the Aboriginal people as they moved across the Australian continent to its southern reaches of what is now Tasmania, but which was then part of the mainland. The modelling is based on data from archaeologists, anthropologists, ecologists, geneticists, climatologists, geomorphologists, and hydrologists. It is intended to compare the modelling with the oral histories of Aboriginal peoples, including Dreaming stories, as well as Australian rock art and linguistic features of the many Aboriginal languages.
Mitochondrial DNA research suggests that Aboriginal people reached Eyre Peninsula (South Australia) 49,000–45,000 years ago from both the east and the west. Radiocarbon dating suggests that they lived in and around Sydney for at least 30,000 years. In Parramatta, Western Sydney, it was found that some Aboriginal peoples used charcoal, stone tools, and possible ancient campfires.
Because of its long geographic isolation, much of Australia's biota is unique. About 94% of its amphibians, 93% of its reptiles and flowering plants, 69% of its mammals, and 46% of its birds are endemic. In January 2025, there were 168,386 named species on the Australian National Species List. However, it is estimated that 70% of Australian species have not yet been discovered and classified, and there may be 600,000 Australian native species.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Australia is not the last country in the world. However, it is sometimes referred to as "the Last of Lands" or "the Last Frontier" due to its geographic isolation and the fact that it is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent.
Australia is known as "the Last of Lands" because it is highly geographically isolated. It is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas, and from New Zealand by the Tasman Sea. Australia is also the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth.
Australia is both a country and a continent. It is the only country that covers an entire continent. The continent of Australia is sometimes referred to as "Sahul", "Australinea", or "Meganesia" to differentiate it from the country of Australia.
