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Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy comprising six states and ten territories. The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. The territories include the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory, and Norfolk Island. Australia has a rich and diverse history, with the first people making their way to the continent around 65,000 years ago.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| States | New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia |
| Territories | Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay Territory, Northern Territory, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Christmas Island, Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Government | Each state has a governor appointed by the monarch. The Australian Capital Territory has no governor or administrator, and its head of the Executive is the Assembly and the chief minister. |
| Geography | During the last Ice Age, Australia was around 20% larger than it is today, with sea levels around 120m lower. |
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What You'll Learn
States and territories
Australia is divided into six states and ten federal territories, three of which are internal territories and seven are external territories. The six states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. Each state has a governor, appointed by the monarch, and its own constitution, legislature, executive government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies.
The three internal territories are the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Jervis Bay Territory, and the Northern Territory. The ACT and the Northern Territory operate similarly to the states, with representation in Parliament and the Senate, but they do not have constitutional status as states, and their legislation can be overridden. The Jervis Bay Territory is the only non-self-governing internal territory.
The seven external territories are the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Australian Antarctic Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and Norfolk Island. These territories are regulated by Acts of the federal Parliament, which determine their legal and political structure. While most external territories are subject to the judiciary and legislature of either a state or internal territory, some are governed by federal departments.
Each state and internal territory (except the Jervis Bay Territory) has its own legislature and judicial system, although the Federal Parliament and the High Court of Australia can override territorial legislation and judicial decisions, respectively. The states are partially sovereign, having ceded some rights to the federal government, while the territories are legally subordinate to the federal government.
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Federated states
Australia is a country comprising six federated states: New South Wales (including Lord Howe Island), Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania (including Macquarie Island), Victoria, and Western Australia. These federated states are partially sovereign, self-governing administrative divisions that have ceded some sovereign rights to the federal government. They have their own constitutions, legislatures, executive governments, judiciaries, and law enforcement agencies that administer and deliver public policies and programs.
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a system of federalism in the country. The colonies that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia as states kept the systems of government they had developed independently, but they also agreed to have a federal government responsible for matters concerning the entire nation.
The idea of Federation was first proposed in 1846 by the NSW Colonial Secretary, Sir Edward Deas Thomson, in the New South Wales Legislative Council. The proposal suggested a "superior functionary" with the power to review the legislation of all the colonies. The concept gained momentum in the following decades, with the establishment of a telegraph system between the colonies in 1872 and the influence of other federations that had emerged globally, such as the United States and Canada.
In 1897 and 1898, the second National Australasian Convention met in Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne, using the 1891 draft constitution as a starting point for discussions. Representatives from all the colonies except Queensland participated. On March 16, 1898, the convention agreed to the draft constitution, which was then approved by the colonial parliaments. The people of each of the six colonies were then asked to approve the constitution in referendums. The Constitution of Australia came into force on January 1, 1901, marking the official unification of the colonies into states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
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External territories
Australia has six federated states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. It also has ten federal territories, out of which three are internal territories: the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory, and the Northern Territory on the Australian mainland. The remaining seven are external territories:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Ashmore and Cartier Islands were accepted by Australia in 1934 and were annexed to the Northern Territory before the adoption of the Statute of Westminster in 1942. They are deemed to have become a part of Australia in 1939.
Australian Antarctic Territory
The Australian Antarctic Territory is governed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Christmas Island
Christmas Island, along with the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, are located in the Indian Ocean, 2,605 and 2,936 kilometres, respectively, north-west of Perth. Together, these two territories comprise the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. Christmas Island is one of the most unique places in the world, offering some of the best diving spots and an annual crab migration.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are Australia's most remote outpost, offering relaxing beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and a fascinating Cocos Malay culture.
Coral Sea Islands Territory
The Coral Sea Islands Territory is made up of islands situated in an area of approximately 780,000 square kilometres of the Coral Sea, extending from the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef.
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Although uninhabited, Heard Island and McDonald Islands are treated as constitutionally part of Australia by the central government. They are governed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is an external Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean about 1,600 kilometres northeast of Sydney. It is one of Australia's most geographically isolated communities and oldest territories. Norfolk Island's status is controversial, with the government taking measures to integrate the territory into Australia proper, including representation in parliament and compulsory voting. The Norfolk Islanders have not formally consented to this change and assert that they are not Australian.
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Indian Ocean Territories
Australia is officially divided into six federated states: New South Wales (including Lord Howe Island), Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania (including Macquarie Island), Victoria, and Western Australia. However, the country also has several territories, which are legally subordinate to the federal government.
The Indian Ocean Territories (IOT) is an administrative unit under the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. The IOT consists of two island groups in the Indian Ocean under Australian sovereignty: Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Christmas Island is located 2,605 kilometres northwest of Perth and 490 kilometres from Jakarta, Indonesia. The island is the tip of a 5,000-metre submarine volcano that is roughly 60 million years old. It is home to a diverse range of marine life and world-class Ramsar rainforests. The island's 1,800 residents come from a mix of Chinese, Malay, European, and other cultural backgrounds, and follow Muslim, Christian, Taoist, and Buddhist faiths. Christmas Island is known for its annual red crab migration, where millions of crabs travel through the jungle to the ocean to mate and spawn by moonlight between October and January.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are located 2,750-2,935 kilometres northwest of Perth and consist of 27 low-lying coral islands that form two atolls. The population of 500 people is primarily Malay (80%) and European (20%). North Keeling Island is a World Heritage Reserve known for its diverse birdlife, including the endemic Cocos Buff-Banded Rail.
The IOT Regional Development Organisation (IOT RDO) is funded by the Australian government to support sustainable development and economic growth in the IOT. The organisation is part of the Regional Development Australia (RDA) network, which consists of 50-53 committees across Australia dedicated to regional development.
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Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT and formally known as the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Australia to the west, South Australia to the south, and Queensland to the east. To the north, the Northern Territory looks out to the Timor Sea and the Arafura Sea, including Western New Guinea and various other islands of the Indonesian archipelago. The NT covers 1,347,791 square kilometres, making it the third-largest Australian federal division and the 11th-largest country subdivision in the world.
Historically, the Northern Territory was part of colonial New South Wales from 1825 to 1863, except for a brief time from February to December 1846 when it was part of the short-lived colony of North Australia. From 1863 to 1911, the Northern Territory was part of South Australia, and under its administration, the Overland Telegraph Line was constructed between 1870 and 1872. The Port of Darwin, established in 1869, served as the major supply point for the Territory for many decades. In 1911, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia and transferred to federal control.
The Northern Territory has a unique blend of tropical city vibes and natural wonders. Its capital, Darwin, offers a waterfront experience with an Asian-influenced food scene, WWII history, and Aboriginal culture. The city wraps around a harbour five times the size of Sydney Harbour, contributing to its relaxed vibe and tropical feel. The Northern Territory is also home to Kakadu National Park, Australia's second-largest park, which is globally renowned for its environmental and cultural significance. The park features ancient rock art, thundering waterfalls, lily-lined billabongs, and towering escarpments.
In addition to its natural attractions, the Northern Territory has a rich history and cultural significance. From the 17th or 18th century AD, traders from Sulawesi established extensive trade links with the Indigenous peoples of the region, introducing new goods and technologies. However, with the arrival of the British, there were failed attempts to settle the harsh environment of the northern coast due to starvation and despair. During the early 20th century, the southern part of the Territory was considered the "last frontier" of Australian settlement, where conflicts arose between Indigenous people and white colonists, resulting in incidents like the 1928 Coniston massacre.
The Northern Territory has a sparse population, with only 255,069 residents as of December 2024, fewer than half the population of Tasmania. However, since the end of the 20th century, its population has been one of the fastest-growing in the country, with most people living in and around Darwin.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has six federated states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
The territories of Australia include the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, the Coral Sea Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Australian Indian Ocean Territories, and the Jervis Bay Territory.
The status of Norfolk Island is controversial. While the Australian government has taken measures to integrate the territory into Australia, including representation in parliament and compulsory voting, the Norfolk Islanders have not formally consented to this change and consider themselves independent of Australia.
