Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world by area, after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. It has a total area of 7,688,287 sq km (2,968,464 sq mi) or 2,988,902 sq mi (7,741,220 sq km), making it the largest country in Oceania. The Australian mainland extends from west to east for nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) and from the Cape York Peninsula in the northeast to Wilsons Promontory in the southeast for nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Official Name | Commonwealth of Australia |
| World Ranking by Area | Sixth-largest |
| Total Area | 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi) or 2,988,902 sq mi (7,741,220 sq km) |
| Percentage of World's Land Area | 5% |
| Continent | Australia is the smallest continent |
| Number of Oceans | 2 (Indian and Pacific) |
| Coastline | 35,877 km (22,293 mi) |
| Exclusive Economic Zone | 8,148,250 km2 (3,146,060 sq mi) |
| Capital | Canberra |
| Largest City | Sydney |
| Global Isolation | Yes |
| Landscapes | Varied, including rainforests and deserts |
| Climate | Dry |
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What You'll Learn
Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world
Australia is officially the Commonwealth of Australia and comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas, with the Coral Sea lying off the Queensland coast and the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.
The country has a coastline of 35,877 kilometres (22,293 miles) (excluding all offshore islands) and claims an exclusive economic zone of 8,148,250 square kilometres (3,146,060 square miles). This zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Australia is a megadiverse country, and its size gives it a wide variety of landscapes and climates. These include deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the coast. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for more than 2,300 kilometres (1,400 miles).
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Australia is the smallest continent
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. It is located within the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres, near Maritime Southeast Asia.
Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world by total area, with a land area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 square miles). It is the largest country in Oceania and the largest country without land borders. It has 35,877 kilometres of coastline (excluding all offshore islands) and claims an exclusive economic zone of 8,148,250 square kilometres.
Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent. It is highly urbanised and has the world's 14th-largest economy and the second-highest human development index globally. The country has a diverse landscape, ranging from deserts in the interior to tropical rainforests along the coast.
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Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent
Australia is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest country in the world by area, spanning 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 square miles). Despite its size, Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent.
The Australian continent is the lowest, flattest, and oldest landmass on Earth. Its continental crust has an average thickness of about 23.6 miles, and its erosion-exposed bedrock is dated at more than 3 billion years. Australia's landscape is incredibly diverse, ranging from deserts in the interior to tropical rainforests along the coast. More than one-fifth of the land area is desert, with over two-thirds classified as arid or semi-arid and unsuitable for settlement. The Great Dividing Range is a notable geographical feature, a long mountain range that begins near the east coast and stretches from Queensland through Victoria to New South Wales.
The unique characteristics of the Australian continent are due to its extensive age, long-term geographical isolation, and varied weather patterns. It is one of the points of early human migration after leaving Africa, with Indigenous Australians, including Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, as the original inhabitants. The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from Southeast Asia 50,000 to 65,000 years ago, and by the time of British settlement, they spoke 250 distinct languages.
Australia's biodiversity is remarkable, with a wide variety of endemic species. It is estimated that Australia is home to about 250,000 species of fungi, out of which only 5% have been described. In terms of fauna, 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 24% of fish and insects, and 93% of amphibians that inhabit the continent are endemic to Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, located off the northeast coast, is another significant natural feature, recognised as the world's largest coral reef, extending for more than 2,300 kilometres.
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Australia's land area is 7,688,287 km2
Australia's mainland extends from west to east for nearly 4,000 km and from the Cape York Peninsula in the northeast to Wilsons Promontory in the southeast for nearly 3,200 km. The Australian jurisdiction extends a further 500 km to the south of the island of Tasmania and, in the north, to the southern shores of Papua New Guinea.
Australia is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas. The Coral Sea lies off the Queensland coast, and the Tasman Sea separates Australia from New Zealand. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, extends for more than 2,300 km along the northeast coast.
Australia's size gives it a diverse range of landscapes and climates. In addition to its famous beaches and coastal areas, the country also features deserts, tropical rainforests, and semi-permanent settlements.
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Australia's coastline is 35,877 km long
Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world by area, and it is the largest country in Oceania. It has a total area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 square miles).
Australia's coastline is 35,877 kilometres long (22,293 miles), excluding all offshore islands. If these islands are included, the coastline amounts to more than 47,000 kilometres. The coastline length by state and territory is as follows:
- Western Australia: 12,889 km (mainland) + 7,892 km (islands) = 20,781 km
- Queensland: 6,973 km (mainland) + 6,374 km (islands) = 13,347 km
- Northern Territory: 5,437 km (mainland) + 5,516 km (islands) = 10,953 km
- South Australia: 3,816 km (mainland) + 1,251 km (islands) = 5,067 km
- Tasmania: 2,833 km (mainland) + 2,049 km (islands) = 4,882 km
- Victoria: 1,868 km (mainland) + 644 km (islands) = 2,512 km
- New South Wales: 2,007 km (mainland) + 130 km (islands) = 2,137 km
- Jervis Bay Territory: 54 km (mainland) + 3 km (islands) = 57 km
The coastline paradox states that a coastline does not have a well-defined length. Measurements of coastline length behave like a fractal, meaning they are different at different scale intervals (the distance between points on the coastline at which measurements are taken). Smaller scale intervals result in longer coastlines.
For thousands of years, Indigenous Australian clan groups along the coastline have preserved a longstanding maritime tradition, with the conservation of marine life across large areas of Australia. Dutch navigators were among the first European explorers to discover the Australian coastline in the 17th century.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia is the largest country in Australia by area, with a total area of 7,688,287 sq km (2,968,464 sq mi). It is also the largest country in Oceania.
Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world by area, after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil.
Australia has 35,877 km (22,293 mi) of coastline, not including offshore islands.
The Australian mainland extends from west to east for nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km).
Sydney is the largest city in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSAs).
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