Lexi Webster
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country and continent surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's smallest continent and the sixth-largest country by area, known for its megadiverse landscapes and climates, from deserts in the interior to tropical rainforests along the coast. With a population of nearly 28 million, Australia is highly urbanized, with most people living on the eastern seaboard in cities like Sydney and Melbourne, while Canberra serves as the nation's capital. Australia has a prosperous economy, ranking highly in quality of life, health, education, and civil liberties, and its cultural diversity is reflected in one of the world's highest foreign-born populations.
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What You'll Learn
Australia is a country and a continent
The Australian continent is sometimes referred to as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to distinguish it from the country of Australia. 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, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a highly urbanized country with a population of approximately 28 million people. Its capital is Canberra, and its most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, each with over five million people. Australia has one of the world's highest immigrant populations, and its culture is diverse.
The continent and country of Australia is located in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres, surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas, with the Coral Sea to the north and the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. Australia is part of the geographical region of Oceania, specifically the subregion of Australasia.
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Canberra is Australia's capital
Australia is officially the Commonwealth of Australia, a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth.
Canberra is the capital of Australia. It is located in the southeast, between the economic and cultural centres of Sydney and Melbourne. The site for the capital was chosen in 1909, and construction began in 1913, with the city being formally named Canberra the same year. Canberra is an entirely planned city, with a design by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, chosen through an international design contest. The city's name is derived from an Aboriginal term meaning "meeting place".
Canberra is a relatively small city, with a population of around 450,000 people. However, it is a significant cultural and political centre, housing important institutions such as the Australian Parliament House, the Museum of Australian Democracy, the National Library of Australia, the High Court of Australia, and the Australian National Gallery. The city is also home to several major universities, including the Australian National University, the University of Canberra, and the Canberra Institute of Technology.
Canberra is known for its high quality of life, safety, and clean environment. It is one of the most liveable cities in the world, with a strong focus on education and innovation. The city has a thriving cultural scene, hosting world-class concerts, exhibitions, festivals, and sporting events, as well as a diverse food culture. Canberra is also a regional hub for cycling, with over 400 km of cycle paths.
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Sydney and Melbourne are Australia's biggest cities
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 smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, with a total area of 7,688,287 sq km, making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania. Australia is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is known for its diverse landscapes and climates, including deserts and tropical rainforests. The country has a highly urbanised population of almost 28 million, with 70% of its population living in the top eight most populous cities.
The City of Sydney and its surrounding suburbs have a population of over five million, while the City of Melbourne has a population of around 149,000, which can increase to over five million when considering the greater metropolitan area. These discrepancies in definitions and boundaries can lead to variations in population data.
Sydney and Melbourne are known for their cultural and economic significance in Australia, with Sydney often associated with power, GDP, and influence, while Melbourne boasts a larger population and a thriving urban centre. These two cities are crucial to Australia's highly urbanised population distribution and play a significant role in shaping the country's social and economic landscape.
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Australia is a megadiverse country
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a megadiverse country. It is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is the smallest continent. Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania. It has a total area of 7,688,287 sq km (2,968,464 sq mi).
Australia is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, which together make up less than 10% of the world's surface but account for more than 70% of its biodiversity. Australia is home to between 600,000 and 700,000 species, or 9.6% of all species known to man. 84% of plant species, 83% of mammals, and 45% of birds are endemic, or unique, to Australia. Its isolated island location and low rainfall have given Australia the highest reptile diversity in the world, with 89-93% found nowhere else.
The kangaroo, koala, platypus, wombat, echidna, kookaburra, and emu are international symbols of Australia. Among the less recognised endemic fauna are freshwater crocodiles, 13 turtle species, and unusual lizards such as the thorny devil, bearded dragon, knob-tailed gecko, and goanna. Australia also has unique marsupials such as the numbat and the marsupial mole.
However, Australia has also experienced a high rate of species extinction. Since the arrival of Europeans, unsustainable hunting, the destruction of forests, grasslands, and wetlands for agriculture and urban sprawl, and the introduction of foreign plant and animal species have caused the extinction of over 100 endemic species. This includes mammals such as the thylacine, yallara (lesser bilby), birds such as the paradise parrot, and plants such as the magnificent spider orchid.
The Australian government has recently announced a target of zero new extinctions and is working to overhaul its environmental laws to protect nature and restore ecosystems.
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Australia has multiple time zones
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country and continent surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the largest country in Oceania and the smallest continent in the world. Australia is highly urbanised, with a population of almost 28 million, and its most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, each with over five million people.
Due to its vast size, Australia has multiple time zones. Some of these time zones are half-hour and quarter-hour time zones. The offsets in Australia range from UTC+8 to UTC+11. For example, Broken Hill in New South Wales uses Australian Central Standard Time (ACST), which is 30 minutes behind the rest of the state. Meanwhile, Eucla in Western Australia is 45 minutes ahead of the rest of the state and has its own time zone called Australian Central Western Standard Time (ACWST).
The Australian dependencies of Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island, and Christmas Island each have their own time zones and do not observe DST. Macquarie Island, which has no permanent population, has a variable time zone. Additionally, Australian Antarctic stations Casey and Davis adjust their time zones according to the needs of their personnel.
Within the mainland of Australia, there are three standard time zones: Eastern Time, Central Time, and Western Time. The states that observe DST are the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria. Queensland, on the other hand, does not observe DST, which can lead to some interesting time differences with other states, as described by one commentator: "Time zones that aren't just 30 minutes different but 15 minutes."
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Frequently asked questions
AU stands for Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia.
Canberra is the capital of Australia.
Australia has a population of almost 28 million.
Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent. It has a variety of landscapes and climates, from deserts in the interior to tropical rainforests along the coast.
