Lexi Webster
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, lying between the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. Its capital, Canberra, is located in the southeast between Sydney and Melbourne, the country's economic and cultural centres. Canberra is part of the Australian Capital Territory, which attained self-governing status in 1988. While Australia is relatively isolated from many other countries, its closest neighbouring countries include New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country closest to Australia's capital | New Zealand |
| Other countries close to Australia's capital | Papua New Guinea, Indonesia |
| Capital of Australia | Canberra |
| State of Australia's capital | Australian Capital Territory |
| Population of Australian Capital Territory | 453,324 residents |
| Average level of degree qualification in the territory | 37.1% of the population hold a bachelor's degree or above |
| Median weekly income for people in the territory over 15 | $998 |
| Top 5 countries of birth for inhabitants born outside of Australia | India, England, China, Nepal, New Zealand |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians in the territory | 2.0% |
| Main exports | Higher education, government services, personal travel |
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What You'll Learn
Canberra is the capital of Australia
Canberra is the only mainland Australian city where snow-capped mountains can be seen for much of the winter, although snow in the city itself is uncommon. The city is home to notable landmarks such as the National Library of Australia, the High Court of Australia, the Australian National Gallery, the Australian War Memorial, and Parliament House.
Canberra has a population of around 435,000 people and is known for its low crime rate, high quality of life, and well-planned urban design. The city was designed by American architect Walter Burley Griffin, who won an international competition for the project in 1911. His plan featured geometric motifs and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks such as Black Mountain, Mount Ainslie, Capital Hill, and City Hill.
Canberra is the seat of government for Australia and hosts the majority of foreign embassies in the country, as well as regional headquarters for many international organisations and non-profit groups. The city has a thriving tourism industry and is known for its cultural attractions, including museums, galleries, and performing arts venues.
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New Zealand is Australia's closest neighbour
Australia and New Zealand are close neighbours, with only around 1,500 kilometres (900 miles) between them across the Tasman Sea. New Zealand is situated to the southeast of Australia and is composed of two major islands: the North Island and the South Island, which is larger. New Zealand has a smaller total area of 268,000 square kilometres, compared to Australia's 7,688,287 square kilometres. The two countries share a strong relationship, with many commercial travel options available between them, including a three-day cruise ship journey. There is also a high level of freedom of movement, with citizens able to visit, live and work in both countries without restrictions.
New Zealand's population is projected to be around 4.7 million as of 2019, while Australia's population is estimated at approximately 25 million. Australia's capital is Canberra, located in the southeast between the larger cities of Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney is the nation's biggest city and is located in the state of New South Wales, while Melbourne is the capital of Victoria. Brisbane, located in Queensland, is another major Australian city.
New Zealand's landscape is characterised by majestic volcanoes, mountains and rich greenery, and it has a maritime climate with cool summers and winters. Australia, on the other hand, is the world's driest inhabited continent, with a highly urbanised population concentrated on the eastern seaboard, particularly in the southeast region. Despite their proximity, Australia and New Zealand have distinct environments and cultures that draw tourists from across the globe.
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Papua New Guinea is north of Australia
The capital of Australia is Canberra, which is located in the southeast between the country's two largest and most important economic and cultural centres, Sydney and Melbourne. The country is divided into six states and two territories, with eight capital cities in total.
Papua New Guinea is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia. The island of New Guinea is the second-largest in the world, after Greenland. It is about 1,500 miles (2,400 km) long and about 400 miles (650 km) wide at its widest part. The territory of Papua New Guinea was split in the 1880s between German New Guinea in the north and the British Territory of Papua in the south, the latter of which was ceded to Australia in 1902. All of present-day Papua New Guinea came under Australian control following World War I, although it remained two distinct territories.
Papua New Guinea gained its independence in 1975 and has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbours, including Australia. The country covers two time zones, with the Autonomous Region of Bougainville an hour ahead of the rest of the country. The country's capital is Port Moresby. The total coastline is longer than 10,000 kilometres (6,200 mi), and the country has an exclusive economic zone of 2,396,575 km2 (925,323 sq mi).
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Indonesia is near Australia
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, lying between the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. Canberra is the capital of Australia, located in the southeast between the country's two most important economic and cultural centres, Sydney and Melbourne.
Indonesia is a country close to Australia. The Australia-Indonesia border is a maritime boundary that runs west from the two countries' tripoint maritime boundary with Papua New Guinea in the western entrance to the Torres Straits, through the Arafura Sea and Timor Sea, and terminating in the Indian Ocean. The boundary is separated into three segments, with the first two broken by the Timor Gap. The first segment is between the Australia-Indonesia-Papua New Guinea tripoint and the point where the territorial waters of the two countries touch the eastern limits of the territorial waters claimed by East Timor. The second segment runs westward from the point where the territorial waters of the two countries touch the western limits of East Timor's territorial water claims to the Indian Ocean. The third segment is between the Australian external territory of Christmas Island and the Indonesian island of Java in the Indian Ocean.
The boundary between Australia and Indonesia is established by four treaties, the fourth of which has been signed but not yet ratified. The first treaty, signed in 1971, established part of the eastern segment of the seabed boundary, as well as Indonesia's maritime boundary with Papua New Guinea in the Torres Straits. The second treaty, signed in 1972, demarcated the rest of the eastern segment and a portion of the western segment of the seabed boundary. The third treaty, signed in 1997, extended the boundary further west, terminating at a point in the Indian Ocean where Australia's and Indonesia's exclusive economic zone limits diverge.
The proximity of Indonesia to Australia is evident through their shared maritime border and the presence of several islands and territories in the region, including Christmas Island and Java. The two countries also share a connection through their historical ties and the presence of East Timor, which gained independence in 2002 and has since impacted the border negotiations between Australia and Indonesia.
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Canberra is in the Australian Capital Territory
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. It is located in the southeast of the Australian mainland, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Canberra is situated within a territory that is an enclave surrounded by the state of New South Wales. The territory was transferred to the federal government by New South Wales in 1911, and the city of Canberra was officially named in 1913.
The ACT is an internal territory of Australia and Canberra is its primate city. The territory also includes towns such as Williamsdale, Oaks Estate, Uriarra, Tharwa, and Hall, as well as the Namadgi National Park, which comprises the majority of the land area. The ACT has a relatively dry, continental climate, with warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters.
Canberra's development has been closely regulated by the government through planning processes and the use of crown lease terms, which have tightly limited land use. The Australian federal government retains some influence over the ACT government, particularly in areas of national importance, such as the Parliamentary Triangle and Lake Burley Griffin. The National Capital Authority is responsible for planning and development in these areas.
The ACT attained self-governing status in 1988 with the enactment of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988. The territory is governed by the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, which performs the roles of both a city council for Canberra and a territory government for the rest of the ACT. The assembly consists of 25 members elected from five districts: Brindabella, Ginninderra, Kurrajong, Murrumbidgee, and Yerrabi.
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Frequently asked questions
Canberra, the capital of Australia, is closest to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.
The capital of Australia is Canberra.
Canberra is known for its stable housing market, steady employment, and rapid population growth.
As of 2016, Canberra had a population of 453,324 residents.
Canberra has a thriving arts scene and is known as the 'Festival State', with over 500 events and festivals taking place each year.
