Ruqayyah Snyder
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 of the seven continents and one of the largest countries on Earth. Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. It is highly urbanised, with 67% of its population living in metropolitan areas. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse nations, with nearly a quarter of its population born in other countries. Australia has a unique ecosystem, with many animal species found nowhere else in the world, such as the kangaroo, koala, and platypus.
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What You'll Learn
Geography and climate
Australia is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, located between the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. Australia is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent, with a total land area of 8.56 million square kilometres (3,310,000 sq mi). It has a total area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania.
The continent of Australia 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 continent is sometimes referred to as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to differentiate it from the country of Australia. The country of Australia has a population of approximately 27,966,300 people, with a population density of 3.4 persons per square kilometre of total land area, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. The population is heavily concentrated on the east coast, particularly in the southeastern region between South East Queensland and Adelaide.
Australia has a diverse range of landscapes and climates, including deserts in the interior and tropical rainforests along the coast. The famous Outback, or remote rural areas, contains the country's largest deserts, with extreme temperatures, scarce water, and sparse vegetation. 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's rivers have the lowest discharge into the sea of any continent, and their slow-moving nature results in a build-up of salt on the land, adversely affecting the soil.
The country's warm, sunny climate and abundance of open spaces have fostered a love of the outdoors among Australians, who are passionate about sports such as swimming, surfing, sailing, and tennis. Australia's global isolation and unique flora and fauna, including eucalyptus trees, acacias, kangaroos, koalas, and platypuses, further contribute to its distinct character.
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Population and demographics
Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world, with nearly a quarter of its population born outside the country. The country has the world's 9th largest immigrant population, with people from the United Kingdom, other European countries, China, Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East calling Australia home. As of 5 August 2025, Australia's population is estimated to be 27,966,300, making it the 54th most populous country in the world and the most populous country in Oceania. It has a population density of 3.4 persons per square kilometre of total land area, which makes it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. The population is heavily concentrated on the east coast, particularly in the south-eastern region between South East Queensland and Adelaide.
Australia is highly urbanised, with 67% of the population living in metropolitan areas in 2018. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide are the metropolitan areas with more than one million inhabitants. The country is also experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age.
English is the national language of Australia, but more than 300 languages are spoken in Australian homes. Excluding English, the top five languages spoken are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Italian.
Australia is a stable, democratic, and culturally diverse nation with a highly skilled workforce and one of the strongest performing economies in the world. It is the largest landmass in the continent of Australia, which is sometimes referred to as Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to differentiate 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, and most of the Coral Sea Islands, among others.
Australia has a unique ecosystem due to its remote location, and as a result, many animal species are found only in Australia, such as the platypus, kangaroo, echidna, and koala. The country has 516 national parks that protect its diverse flora and fauna, including hundreds of eucalyptus tree species and the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha), which is the national flower. The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Queensland, is the greatest mass of coral in the world and one of the world's foremost tourist attractions.
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History
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 of the seven traditional continents, and one of the largest countries on Earth.
The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from Southeast Asia 50,000 to 65,000 years ago during the last glacial period. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages and had one of the world's oldest living cultures.
In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia, and a rush to find riches brought thousands of new immigrants. By 1859, six separate colonies existed. Australia became a nation in 1901, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. One year later, Australia became one of the first countries in the world to give women the right to vote. In 1945, Australia became a founding member of the United Nations.
Australia is one of the world's most ethnically diverse nations. Nearly a quarter of Australians were born in other countries, and over 300 languages are spoken in Australian homes. It is also a highly urbanised country, with 67% of the population living in metropolitan areas in 2018.
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Wildlife and nature
Australia is one of the most important nations on Earth for biodiversity. It is one of only 17 'megadiverse' nations and has more species than any other developed country. The country is home to 46% of bird, 69% of mammal, 94% of amphibian, and 93% of reptile species that inhabit the continent.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is the country's largest private owner of land for conservation. It protects 4.8 million hectares of land in popular regions such as the Kimberley, Cape York, Lake Eyre, and the Top End. The AWC works to restore ecosystems and protect endangered species. Australia is also a member of the International Whaling Commission and is opposed to commercial whaling — all cetacean species are protected in Australian waters.
The country is home to two of the world's five known extant monotreme species — the platypus and the short-beaked echidna. Monotremes are venomous, egg-laying mammals that differ from other mammals in their methods of reproduction. The platypus, for example, is an amphibious mammal with a duck bill. The echidna has a hairy body, a tubular snout, and a tongue that moves in and out of its snout at a rate of 100 times per minute to capture termites.
Australia has the world's largest and most diverse range of marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, koalas, and possums. Marsupials are characterised by the presence of a pouch, which they use to raise their young after birth. The country also has about 10% of the world's known reptile species, including snakes and lizards.
The Great Barrier Reef, off the east coast of Queensland, is the greatest mass of coral in the world and one of the world's foremost tourist attractions. The country's unique flora includes hundreds of kinds of eucalyptus trees, acacias (Acacia pycnantha, the national flower), and mistletoe.
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Politics and economy
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a highly urbanized country with the world's 14th-largest economy and the second-highest human development index globally. It has a strong and open economy, having recorded 28 straight years of annual economic growth before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The country has a highly skilled workforce and is one of the strongest-performing economies in the world.
Australia has the world's 9th-largest immigrant population, with nearly a quarter of its residents born in other countries. The country is ethnically diverse, with people from the United Kingdom, other European countries, China, Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East. It is also one of the most multicultural countries in the world, with more than 300 languages spoken in Australian homes. English is the national language, and other commonly spoken languages include Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Italian.
Australia has a highly urbanized population, with 67% of people living in metropolitan areas in 2018. The population is heavily concentrated on the east coast, particularly in the southeastern region between South East Queensland and Adelaide. The country has a low population density of 3.4 to 3.5 persons per square kilometre, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries.
The Australian economy is diverse, with high demand for its mining exports, agriculture, tourism, education, financial services, and science and technology products. In 2018-19, the mining sector accounted for 8.5% of Australia's GDP, and minerals and fuels accounted for 50.9% of its goods and exports. The country has free trade agreements with Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Peru, and it is a founding member of the United Nations.
Australia has strong protections for civil and political rights and has signed numerous international rights treaties. It has comprehensive legislation to protect human rights, including the Constitution, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the Age Discrimination Act 2004. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Australia since 2017.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia is the smallest, flattest, and driest inhabited continent in the world. It has a wide variety of landscapes and climates, including dense rainforests in the northeast, subtropical rainforests near the mid-eastern coast, broadleaf rainforests in the southeast and Tasmania, and large deserts in the interior of the country.
Australia is the 54th most populous country in the world, with a population of around 28 million people. It is highly urbanised, with 67% of the population living in metropolitan areas. The population is heavily concentrated on the coastal fringes, with 95% of people living within 100 km of the coast.
Australia has a diverse range of unique flora and fauna. It is home to many of the world's deadliest animals, including 36 species of poisonous funnel-web spiders and 20 types of venomous snakes. It is also known for its marsupials, with two-thirds of the world's marsupial species being native to Australia. Other well-known Australian animals include koalas, kangaroos, dingoes, kookaburras, and the only egg-laying mammals, the platypus and echidna.
The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians arrived from Southeast Asia between 50,000 to 65,000 years ago, and by the time of British settlement, they spoke 250 distinct languages and had one of the oldest living cultures in the world. In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia, bringing thousands of new immigrants, and by 1901, six separate colonies existed, which joined to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australia has one of the strongest performing economies in the world and is the 14th largest economy globally. It has a diverse range of industries, including mining, agriculture, tourism, education, financial services, and science and technology. Australia is also highly multicultural, with people from almost 200 countries living there and over 300 languages spoken.
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