Damon Mcknight
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a large country, comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the world's sixth-largest country by area, spanning 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 square miles). Australia is the smallest of the seven traditional continents and the largest in Oceania. It is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and boasts 35,877 kilometres of coastline.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Land Area | 7,692,024 square kilometers |
| World Ranking | 6th largest country |
| Percentage of Land Area | 1.5% of world's land area |
| Length of Coastline | Approximately 37,000 kilometers |
| Exclusive Economic Zone | 8,148,250 square kilometers |
| Agricultural Land | Approximately 53.6% of total land area |
| Forest Area | Approximately 17.2% of total land area |
| Urban Area | Approximately 0.5% of total land area |
| Highest Point | Mount Kosciuszko at 2,228 meters |
| Lowest Point | Lake Eyre at -15 meters |
Note: The data is based on the latest information available as of January 2023.
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What You'll Learn
Australia's land area is 2.989 million square miles
Australia is officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, and it is a country that comprises the Australian continent's mainland, Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world, with a total area of 2.989 million square miles or 7,688,287 square kilometres. This makes it the largest country in Oceania.
Australia is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas. The mainland lies between latitudes 9 degrees and 44 degrees south and longitudes 112 degrees and 154 degrees east. It is the world's smallest continent and is sometimes considered the largest island, often referred to as the "island continent".
The country has a diverse landscape, ranging from arid and semi-arid regions, which make up most of the mainland, to tropical rainforests along the coast. The Great Dividing Range runs along most of eastern Australia, and Mount Kosciusko, at 2,228 metres, is the highest mountain on the mainland. The Murray-Darling is the major river system, draining most of inland New South Wales and Southern Queensland towards Lake Alexandrina and the sea in South Australia.
Australia has six states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, as well as two mainland self-governing territories: the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
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Australia is the world's sixth-largest country
The Australian mainland is relatively flat, with an average height of 325 metres, and is home to the Great Dividing Range, which runs along most of eastern Australia, dividing the central lowlands from the eastern highlands. Mount Kosciuszko, at 2,228 metres, is the highest mountain on the mainland. The country also has a vast river system, with the Murray-Darling being the major one, draining most of inland New South Wales and Southern Queensland towards Lake Alexandrina and the sea in South Australia.
In terms of biodiversity, Australia is a megadiverse country, with 10% of the global permanent meadows and pastureland in 2021 and approximately 17% forest cover. The country has a rich history, with the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians arriving from Southeast Asia between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages and possessed one of the world's oldest living cultures.
Australia is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, maintaining its largely unchanged constitution alongside a stable liberal democratic political system since Federation in 1901. The country is divided into six states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, each with its unique geography and contributions to the country's diverse and vibrant culture.
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Australia is the smallest of the seven continents
Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country that comprises 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 square miles), making it the sixth-largest country globally and the largest in Oceania.
Despite its relatively large size compared to other countries, the Australian continent is considered the smallest of the seven continents. With a total land area of 8.56 million square kilometres (3,310,000 square miles), it is not only the smallest but also the lowest, flattest, and second-driest continent on Earth, with Antarctica being the driest.
The Australian continent includes not only mainland Australia but also 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 continent is situated in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres, near Maritime Southeast Asia, and is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Historically, the term Oceania was used to refer to a "great division" of the world in the 19th century. However, in the 1950s, the concept of Australia as one of the world's continents gained popularity in English-speaking countries, replacing the term Oceania. Today, the term Oceania often refers to the broader region encompassing the Australian continent, Zealandia, and various islands in the Pacific Ocean that are not included in the traditional seven-continent model.
Australia, as a country, is highly urbanised and has a significant immigrant population. It boasts the world's 14th-largest economy and the second-highest human development index globally. The continent of Australia is sometimes referred to as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to differentiate it from the country of Australia.
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Australia has 35,877 km of coastline
Australia has a coastline that stretches for 35,877 kilometres (22,293 miles) when excluding offshore islands. This vast coastline is a result of the country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. The shores of mainland Australia and Tasmania makeup the majority of Australia's coastline, with Tasmania surrounded by tens of thousands of smaller bordering islands.
The coastline of Australia is a diverse and ever-changing landscape, with measurements behaving like a fractal, differing at various scale intervals. The smaller the scale interval, the more detailed the measurement, resulting in a longer coastline. This "magnifying" effect is more prominent for convoluted coastlines compared to smoother ones.
The Australian coastline is a mix of large sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, and mangrove swamps, with over 10,000 beaches along its length. The Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans meet along this coastline, providing a unique and dynamic marine environment. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, stretches for more than 2,300 kilometres along the northeast coast, further showcasing the diversity of Australia's marine landscape.
For thousands of years, Indigenous Australian clan groups along this coastline have preserved a longstanding maritime tradition, connecting with the sea country and conserving marine life across large areas. The conservation and protection of this diverse coastline continue today, with organisations like the Australian Maritime Safety Authority promoting the preservation of the marine environment and infrastructure safety for navigation.
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Australia is the world's flattest inhabited continent
Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is the world's flattest inhabited continent. It has a total area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 square miles), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania.
The Australian mainland is relatively flat, with an average height of 325 metres (1,066 feet) compared to 870 metres (2,850 feet) for all continents. The Great Dividing Range runs along most of eastern Australia, dividing the central lowlands from the eastern highlands. At 2,228 metres (7,310 feet), Mount Kosciuszko is the highest mountain on the mainland. The continent's extensive age, long-term geographical isolation, and extremely varied weather patterns have resulted in a unique biome.
Australia has a diverse range of habitats, from tropical rainforests to alpine heaths and deserts. The country is home to about 250,000 species of fungi, 800 species of birds, and the largest number of reptile species in the world, totalling 755 species. The high level of endemism in Australia is attributed to the continent's long geographic isolation, tectonic stability, and the effects of unusual patterns of climate change on the soil and flora over time.
The geology of Australia can be categorised into different sections, indicating that the continent grew from west to east. The western portion has an Archaean cratonic shield, the centre has Proterozoic fold belts, and the east has igneous and metamorphic rocks, as well as Phanerozoic sedimentary basins. The Australian landmass has a wide variety of rock types spanning various geological time epochs, covering more than 3.8 billion years.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has a total area of 7,688,287 sq km (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world.
The land area of Australia is 2.989 million sq mi compared to the USA's 3.797 million sq mi. Australia is about the same size as continental USA.
Australia is the smallest of the seven traditional continents.
Australia has 35,877 km (22,293 mi) of coastline, excluding all offshore islands.
The Australian mainland is relatively flat, with an average height of 325 metres (1,066 ft) compared to 870 metres (2,850 ft) for all continents.
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