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Australia is a land of incredible landscapes, from the searing desert outback to tropical rainforests and world-famous landmarks such as Uluru. From Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide – there are endless opportunities for business, study and leisure with our growing economy and stable political environment.
Australian Geography
See also on our website – Australian Deserts – Australia’s Highest and Biggest – Comparing Coastlines of Countries
| Location | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean | |
| Geographic coordinates | 27 00 S, 133 00 E | |
| Area | total land water note | 7,686,850 sq km 7,617,930 sq km 68,920 sq km includes Lord Howe Island & Macquarie Island |
| Area – comparative | slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states | |
| Coastline | 25,760 km | |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea contiguous zone exclusive economic zone continental shelf | 12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| Terrain | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast | |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point highest point | Lake Eyre -15 m Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
| Natural resources | bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum | |
| Land use (2005) | arable land permanent crops other | 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland) 0.04% 93.81% |
| Irrigated land (2003) | 25,450 sq km | |
| Renewable water resources (1995) | 398 cu km | |
| Freshwater withdrawal (2000) | per capita: 1,193 cu m/yr total: 24.06 cu km/yr (15% domestic – 10% industrial – 75% agricultural) | |
| Natural hazards | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires | |
| Environment issues | soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources | |
| Environment – international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | |
| Geography – note | world’s smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and south-eastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the “Fremantle Doctor” affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world |
Updated August 2011. You may notice that we show information from a variety of dates. We are unable to find the same type of information for more recent dates than what we show here. The information provided above is for entertainment purposes only. For more information, please visit any of the Australian government websites and the
