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Australia is the smallest of the seven continents, covering an area of 7,692,024 km². It is the only country on the continent, although the geographical region of Oceania, in which Australia is situated, includes 14 independent countries and 12 dependent territories. The continent of Australia includes the mainland, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea, the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and the Coral Sea Islands, among others.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Countries | 1 |
| Continent Size | Smallest of the seven continents |
| Country Size | One of the largest countries on Earth |
| Landmass | Lowest, flattest, and oldest |
| Geography | Divided into several landmasses by shallow seas |
| Climate | Mostly desert or semi-arid |
| Flora | Eucalyptus trees, acacias (Acacia pycnantha, the national flower) |
| Fauna | Koalas, kangaroos, kookaburras, dingoes, platypuses, echidnas |
| Population | Over 23 million |
| Capital | Canberra |
| Major Cities | Sydney, Melbourne |
| Tourist Destinations | Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, the Great Barrier Reef |
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What You'll Learn
- Australia is the only country on the continent of Australia
- New Zealand is not part of the continent of Australia
- The continent of Australia is also known as Sahul, Meganesia, Australinea, and Australia-New Guinea
- Australia is the smallest of the seven continents
- Australia is a member of the Commonwealth
Australia is the only country on the continent of Australia
The continent of Australia includes the Australian mainland, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea, the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, most of the Coral Sea Islands, and some other nearby islands. The Arafura Sea and Torres Strait separate mainland Australia from New Guinea, and the Bass Strait separates mainland Australia from Tasmania.
Australia, the country, is the largest country in Oceania, occupying about 86% of the region's total area. It is slightly smaller than the contiguous United States and has a population of over 23 million people. The country has a diverse landscape, ranging from desert and semi-arid regions to temperate coastal areas, and from tropical northern parts to snowy highlands in the south-east.
Australia is known for its unique flora and fauna, including eucalyptus trees, acacias, kangaroos, koalas, and kookaburras. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Queensland, is one of the world's foremost tourist attractions. Australia's long geographic isolation and stable geology have contributed to the high level of endemism in its plant and animal life.
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New Zealand is not part of the continent of Australia
The continent of Australia, also known as Sahul, Australia-New Guinea, Australinea, Meganesia, or Oceania, is distinct from the country of Australia. The continent includes the Australian mainland, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea, the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, most of the Coral Sea Islands, and some other nearby islands.
The geographical region of Oceania, of which Australia and New Zealand are a part, covers an area of approximately 100 million square kilometers, which is about one-fifth of Earth's surface area. It includes more than 10,000 islands and has a total land area (excluding Australia but including Papua New Guinea and New Zealand) of approximately 822,800 square kilometers.
The continent of Australia is the smallest of the seven traditional continents, and the country of Australia is the largest sovereign state within this region, occupying about 86% of the region's total area. New Zealand, on the other hand, is the second-largest country in Oceania, with a land area of 270,467 square kilometers.
While Australia and New Zealand are often grouped together due to their proximity and shared history within the British Empire, they are distinct in terms of their geography and geology. Australia is a single country occupying its own continent, while New Zealand is part of the separate continent of Zealandia.
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The continent of Australia is also known as Sahul, Meganesia, Australinea, and Australia-New Guinea
The continent of Australia is sometimes referred to by several other names, including Sahul, Australinea, Meganesia, and Australia-New Guinea. These alternative names are used to distinguish the continent from the country of Australia.
The name Sahul is derived from the Sahul Shelf, a part of the continental shelf of the Australian continent. Sahul was a paleocontinent that existed during the Pleistocene Epoch, approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. It was made up of the present-day landmasses of mainland Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and the Aru Islands, as well as land bridges that connected them. During the Pleistocene Ice Age, sea levels were lower, and these landmasses were connected by dry land, forming a single Pleistocene landmass. This landmass was also known as Australinea, a name coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in 2004.
Meganesia, meaning "great island" or "great island-group", was suggested as a name for the continent in 1984 and has been widely accepted by biologists. The name Meganesia is used by zoogeographers, while archaeologists tend to use the name Sahul. The term "Greater Australia" has also been used to refer to the continent, but it has been criticised for placing greater emphasis on Australia at the expense of New Guinea.
The continent of Australia, also known as Australinea and Meganesia, is located within the Southern and Eastern hemispheres, near Maritime Southeast Asia. It is the smallest of the seven traditional continents, with a total land area of 8.56 million square kilometres. The continent includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea), the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, most of the Coral Sea Islands, and some other nearby islands. Australia, the largest landmass within the continent, is highly urbanised and has the world's 14th-largest economy.
The continent of Australia, or Australinea, is situated in the geographical region of Oceania, specifically in the subregion of Australasia, which also includes New Zealand and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. Australasia was the name given to this region before the 1970s, derived from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern". However, the term is now often used more broadly to refer to a wider region that includes lands beyond the Australian continent's continental shelf.
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Australia is the smallest of the seven continents
Australia is the smallest continent in the world, spanning approximately 3 million square miles or 8 million square kilometres. It is one of the seven continents, which were formed by the breaking up of Pangaea millions of years ago. The other six continents are Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Antarctica.
The continent of Australia is sometimes referred to as Oceania, which includes the nation of Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term Oceania was used in the 1810s to describe a "great division" of the world, and it was not until the 1950s that Australia began to be commonly taught as one of the world's continents in English-speaking countries. Today, the term Oceania often refers to the region encompassing the Australian continent, Zealandia, and various islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The continent of Australia, located within the Southern and Eastern hemispheres, is also known as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to distinguish it from the country of Australia. It includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea), the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, most of the Coral Sea Islands, and some other nearby islands. The climate of the Australian landmass is mostly desert or semi-arid, with the southern coastal corners having a temperate climate, and the northern parts experiencing a tropical climate.
Australia is the smallest continent in terms of land area, but it is the second smallest continent by population, with just over 40 million people in Oceania. It is highly urbanised and has the world's 14th-largest economy and the second-highest human development index globally. Australia also has the ninth-largest immigrant population in the world, supported by immigration from over 200 countries since World War II.
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Australia is a member of the Commonwealth
Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth and has been an active participant for over 70 years. Australia is the third-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget and is represented on the Commonwealth Secretariat's Board of Governors and its Executive Committee by the High Commissioner for Australia to the United Kingdom. The Commonwealth provides Australia with a means to strengthen democracy and development outcomes in its near region and in Commonwealth countries further afield. Australia also benefits from a substantive link and point of commonality with many countries with whom they would otherwise have limited bilateral contact.
The Commonwealth includes 54 developed and developing nations spread over every continent and ocean in the world. Its combined population of over 2 billion people accounts for approximately 30% of the world's population, with more than 60% aged 29 or under. The Commonwealth has observed more than 140 elections in nearly 40 countries since 1980. The combined gross domestic product (GDP) of Commonwealth countries was estimated at US$10.4 trillion in 2017 and was predicted to reach US$13 trillion in 2020. Half of the top 20 global emerging cities are in the Commonwealth, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, and Johannesburg.
Most Commonwealth members have constitutional links with the United Kingdom and the former British Empire. Australia became independent from the United Kingdom in several steps, gaining full independence in 1986. The country's official name used to be the "dominion of", but this changed with independence from the UK.
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Frequently asked questions
There is only one country in the Australian continent: Australia.
The Australian continent is sometimes known as Sahul, Australia-New Guinea, Australinea, or Meganesia.
The Australian continent is located within the Southern and Eastern hemispheres, near Maritime Southeast Asia.
The Australian continent is the smallest of the seven continents on Earth, covering an area of 7,692,024 km² (2,969,907 sq mi).
