Lyla Lindsey
Australia is a country and continent in the Southern Hemisphere, neighbouring the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the smallest continent in the world and the largest country in Oceania, a region generally considered a continent outside of the English-speaking world. Australia's closest neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and more.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Neighbouring countries | Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Malaysia |
| Closest neighbours | Papua New Guinea and New Zealand |
| Continent | Oceania |
| Area | 7,692,024 km² |
| Population | 46.3 million (as of 2024) |
| Largest city | Sydney |
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What You'll Learn
Papua New Guinea is north of Australia
Papua New Guinea shares a maritime border with Australia to the south, and the two countries are separated by the 152-kilometre (94-mile) Torres Strait. The country is just south of the equator and has a land border with Indonesia to the west and maritime borders with the Solomon Islands to the east. Papua New Guinea's varied scenery reflects its recent geological history, in which movements of the Earth's crust resulted in the collision of the northward-moving Australian Plate with the westward-moving Pacific Plate. The low-lying plains of southern New Guinea are geologically part of the Australian Plate, and New Guinea was separated from Australia by the shallow flooding of the Torres Strait only some 8,000 years ago.
The island of New Guinea was divided politically into roughly equal halves across a north-south line. The western portion, located west of 141°E longitude, was formerly a Dutch colony and part of the Dutch East Indies. After the West New Guinea dispute, it became six Indonesian provinces: Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, South Papua, West Papua, and Southwest Papua. The eastern half forms the mainland of Papua New Guinea, which has been an independent country since 1975.
During World War II, Japanese forces sought to capture Port Moresby, invading overland in mid-1942 and moving south in the Kokoda Track campaign. Australian forces carried out rearguard actions as they withdrew almost to Port Moresby. In September, an Australian counter-offensive began, and Japanese forces fought rearguard actions as they retreated north. After the war, the League of Nations authorized Australia to administer Papua New Guinea as a Class "C" mandate territory from 9 May 1921, which became the Territory of New Guinea.
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Indonesia is Australia's northern neighbour
Indonesia and Australia have a long history of contact and trade, with evidence of interaction between the two nations dating back to the 16th century, prior to the arrival of Europeans. The Makassans, for example, traded with indigenous Australians and introduced the trepang to China. There was also some intermarriage between the Makassans and indigenous Australians, with descendants remaining in northern communities to the present day. Additionally, words from the Makassarese language can still be found in Aboriginal language varieties of Australia's north coast.
Indonesia and Australia have a close relationship, with Indonesian President Joko Widodo referring to Australia as Indonesia's closest friend. However, the two countries are also deeply disparate, with former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd projecting that Indonesia is on track to surpass Australia in economic size in the 2020s and military capabilities by the 2040s.
Despite their close proximity and friendly relations, Australia is not Indonesia's most significant trading partner. Indonesia's closest ASEAN co-members, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as major economic powers like China, Japan, and the United States, are more important trade partners for Indonesia. Nonetheless, Australia is ranked 8th on Indonesia's import list, indicating a substantial level of trade between the two countries.
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New Zealand is southeast of Australia
Australia is a continent and a sovereign country. It is the smallest continent in the world and is bordered by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia's closest neighbours include Papua New Guinea to the north, Indonesia, East Timor, and New Zealand to the southeast.
New Zealand is located southeast of Australia. It is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and is one of the largest countries in Oceania, with a land area of 270,467 square kilometres. New Zealand is known for its diverse landscapes, including glaciers, mountains, lakes, and beaches. The country has a population of over 4.7 million people and is considered one of the most developed countries in the world, with a high quality of life and a high ranking on the Human Development Index.
The relationship between Australia and New Zealand is significant. They share close cultural, historical, and economic ties. Both countries have a history of British colonisation and have Commonwealth realms. They have a strong trade relationship, with New Zealand being Australia's fifth-largest trading partner. There is also a significant movement of people between the two countries, with many Australians and New Zealanders choosing to live and work in each other's countries.
The proximity and relationship between Australia and New Zealand have led to close cooperation in various fields. They collaborate in areas such as trade, defence, and tourism. Additionally, there is a Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement between the two countries, allowing their citizens to visit, live, and work in each other's countries without the need for a visa. This arrangement further strengthens the bond between the two nations and facilitates the movement of people and skills.
New Zealand's location relative to Australia has also played a role in their shared history. Being close neighbours, they have had the opportunity to develop their relationship over time. Their proximity has likely influenced their cultural and economic exchanges, as well as their collaboration in addressing regional issues and maintaining stability in the region. The southeast position of New Zealand in relation to Australia is, therefore, an important geographical factor in the context of their bilateral ties.
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The Solomon Islands are northeast of Australia
The Solomon Islands were first settled sometime between 30,000 and 28,000 BC by people coming from the Bismarck Islands and New Guinea when sea levels were lower, and Buka and Bougainville were physically joined. Some of the earliest regular foreign visitors to the islands were whaling vessels from Britain, the United States, and Australia. They came for food, wood, and water from the late 18th century, establishing a trading relationship with the Solomon Islanders and later taking islanders aboard as crewmen. From the 1840s, islanders were recruited (or often kidnapped) as labourers for the colonies in Australia, Fiji, and Samoa in a process known as "blackbirding". Conditions for workers were often poor and exploitative, and local islanders often violently attacked any Europeans who appeared on their islands.
The Solomon Islands have a population of approximately 758,000 people (as of 2024), predominantly Melanesian, although there are small Polynesian, Micronesian, Chinese, and European communities. There are 63 distinct languages in the country, with numerous local dialects. English is the official language, but Solomons Pijin is the most commonly spoken. The per capita GDP of $340 ranks the Solomon Islands as a lesser-developed nation, and more than 75% of its labour force is engaged in subsistence farming and fishing.
Australia was the first country to establish diplomatic relations with the Solomon Islands upon the latter's independence on 7 July 1978. The two countries have strong people-to-people links, shared democratic values, and a longstanding history of cooperation. Australia is an important economic partner and the Solomon Islands' largest development partner, supporting almost all areas of society and the economy, with programs spanning health, justice, education, governance, gender, climate, infrastructure, and private sector development. In 2003, the Solomon Islands Government requested Australian assistance in addressing the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, and Australian and Pacific Island police and troops arrived under the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).
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New Caledonia is close to Australia
New Caledonia is a group of islands located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. The islands are part of the Melanesia subregion, a French overseas collectivity, and are approximately 750 miles (1,200 km) from Australia. New Caledonia is a unique island refugium, having drifted from Australia around 66 million years ago, preserving Gondwanan plant and animal life no longer found elsewhere.
The archipelago includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Chesterfield Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of Pines, and some remote islets. The Loyalty Islands, located east of Grande Terre, were once subjected to the practice of 'blackbirding', where locals were tricked and forced into labour in the sugarcane plantations in Queensland, Australia. New Caledonia's capital, Nouméa, is located on the southwest coast of the island and is connected to Australia by air travel.
New Caledonia has a subtropical climate with monthly temperatures ranging from 63 °F (17 °C) to 90 °F (32 °C). The east coast experiences higher precipitation and is covered in lush vegetation and forests, while the west coast is drier with savannahs and plains suitable for farming. The Diahot River, New Caledonia's longest river, flows for about 100 kilometres (62 mi) and opens into the Baie d'Harcourt.
New Caledonia is encircled by the world's second-longest barrier reef, after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The rich marine ecosystems, along with the reefs and lagoons, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. The island also boasts significant ore deposits, including nickel, iron, chromium, cobalt, and manganese, contributing to its industry in meatpacking and timber production.
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Frequently asked questions
Papua New Guinea and New Zealand are Australia's closest neighbours.
Indonesia, East Timor, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands are also close neighbours of Australia.
Papua New Guinea is a non-English-speaking country that is close to Australia.
Nauru is the smallest independent country in Oceania, covering an area of 21 km² (8 sq mi).
