National Geographic’s latest travel stories about Australia. As a result, the population centers continue to be in the coastal areas. The highest point on the Australian mainland is Mount Kosciuszko, New South Wales, at 2228 metres above sea level. The southeast, however, does have fertile plains. Most of the interior of the continent is arid to semi-desert because of low rainfall. Australia's Geographic Features The diversity of Australia’s features are significant and for those not familiar with the scale of the country, it is easy to think of it as a relatively small island. Most of Australia and Oceania is under the Pacific, a vast body of water that is larger than all the Earth’s continental landmasses and islands combined. Why Australia is banning climbers from this iconic natural landmark Play. The Geography of Australia Borders: Australia is an island and a continent. Australia is one of the largest countries on Earth, and the only … Due to its isolation from the rest of the world, Australia was an uninhabited island until about 60,000 years ago. Australia, an island continent, is the smallest of the continents, with a land mass of about 8.5 million square kilometers. You can opt-out at any time. The runner up for Australia’s longest river is the Murrumbidgee River in New South Wales at 1,485 kilometres. About 35 per cent of the continent receives so little rain, it can be classified as desert. Our editorial is always independent ( learn more ) It includes Australia, the smallest continent in terms of total land area. Australia is considered a developed nation, and it has the world's 12th-largest economy and sixth-highest per-capita income. The iconic image of Uluru that is so familiar in travel brochures and magazines belies the surprising shape of the rock when viewed from space. The total desert area equates to 18 per cent of the total mainland area of Australia. It also has the greatest number of reptile species in the world as well as some of the most venomous snakes and other dangerous creatures like the crocodile. Australia, the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. The first sight of Sydney, whether from the sea or the air, is always spectacular. It is located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans in the Southern hemisphere. There’s a fun picture round too, to divide the geography … The Great Dividing Range is a significant geographical feature of Australia. In 1986, The Australia Act furthered the cause. The River Murray and its tributary, the Darling River, are the main rivers in the Murray-Darling River Basin. Another surpassing Mount Koscuiszko is Mawson’s Peak on Heard Island, which is 2745 metres high and forms the summit of an active volcano called Big Ben. You may already know that the Australian continent includes the Australian mainland and nearby islands, but how well-versed are you in some of the finer details of its geography? The first of these is Australia. Europeans did not discover Australia until 1770 when Captain James Cook mapped the island's east coast and claimed the land for Great Britain. It rises 345 metres in height and is estimated to have been laid down around 500 million years ago in an inland sea. It is separated because of its location in the middle of the Indo-Australian Plate and the fact that, due to its location, there was no mountain building during its development. with an average elevation of only 330 metres. In its waters, around 89% of Australia's fish species both inland and offshore are restricted only to the country. On October 9, 1942, Australia and Great Britain ratified the Statute of Westminster, which began to formally establish the country's independence. Australia covers an area of 7,741,220 sq km. The name “Oceania” justly establishes the Pacific Ocean as the defining characteristic of the region. Covering an area of 7,617,930 sq.km (2,969,907 sq mi), Australia is the largest island and the smallest continent, the world’s 6 th largest country and the largest country in Oceania. As such, 92% of its vascular plants, 87% of its mammals, 93% of its reptiles, 94% of its frogs, and 45% of its birds are endemic to Australia. It shares no land borders with any other country. Apart from Antarctica, Australia is the driest continent in the world. Australia also has a number of large islands in the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans and the Coral and Timor Seas as part of its External Territories as well as several closer to the mainland which are larger than 1000 square kilometres.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'australias_guide-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',143,'0','0'])); Despite the popular references to Australia at the bottom of the world in the Southern Hemisphere. The name “Oceania” justly establishes the Pacific Ocean as the defining characteristic of the continent. 117,410. It shares its name with the country that claims control over it. Create account to play. It includes Australia, the smallest continent in terms of total land area. It is slightly smaller than the US mainland. They were: In 1901, Australia became a nation but remained a member of the British Commonwealth. It includes a number of hills, mountains and plateaux. What can be seen above the surface of the surrounding plains today is merely the eroded remains of what was a much larger mass of sandstone that was thrust upward and tipped over by geological upheaval 300 -400 million years ago. Geographical and climatic features Australia is the smallest of the world's continents. Australia's climate is mostly arid to semiarid, but the south and east are temperate and the north is tropical. Which other pieces of geography trivia about Australia do you know? The Australian mainland is in fact the world’s largest island and is often referred to as an island continent. GeoGuessr is a geography game which takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognize your surroundings. The Largest Rock on the Planet is in Australia. Australia Map - Physical Map of Australia Zoom Map Description: The Physical Map of Australia showing major geographical features like elevations, mountain ranges, ocean, lakes, plateaus, peninsulas, rivers, plains, landforms and other topographic features. Australia is a continent and an island located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Instead, Australia's current physical landscape features were formed mainly by erosion. Geoscience Australia is the government's technical adviser on all aspects of geoscience, and custodian of the geographical and geological data and knowledge of the … Australia is a member state of the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), and Pacific Islands Forum.The UN is an international organization that was founded in 1945 after WWII by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, promoting social progress, better living standards, and human rights. Most of the first settlers in Australia were convicts who had been transported there from England. The southeast, however, does have fertile plains. Following the establishment of New South Wales in 1788, five more colonies were founded by the mid-1800s. The Australia Geography Printables include the following worksheets: an Australian mapping sheet {map rivers, countries, mountains, and other geographical information} an Australian country factsheet to write down information about Australia including when it became a country, current population, climate, type of government, and more. An Overview of the History and Geography of New Zealand, Geography and History of the Island Nation of Samoa, History and Geography of the Florida Keys, Geography of the Territories of the United States, M.A., Geography, California State University - East Bay, B.A., English and Geography, California State University - Sacramento. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from California State University. A Tour of Hidden Australia 10 questions. The country's judicial system is based on English common law and is composed of the High Court as well as lower-level federal, state, and territorial courts. Australia is ancient and it has some of the oldest geological features in the world. Copyright © 2020Australias Guide Pty Ltd. Geography, Climate, and Biodiversity Australia is located in Oceania between the Indian and South Pacific Oceans. Australia has a strong economy due to its extensive natural resources, well-developed industry, and tourism. The highest peak on the Australian mainland is Mount Kosciuszko which is 2228 metres above sea level. Other island countries nearby Australia include East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, and … In reality, it is a place so large and unique that the outsider view does not begin to describe its physical diversity. Properly called the Commonwealth of Australia, its territory consists of the entire continent and smaller outlying islands. In 1911, Australia's Northern Territory became a part of the Commonwealth (prior control was by South Australia.). The diversity of Australia’s features are significant and for those not familiar with the scale of the country, it is easy to think of it as a relatively small island. It is made up of more than 3,000 individual reef systems and coral bays and supports more than 1,500 species of fish, 400 species of hard coral, "one-third of the world’s soft corals, 134 species of sharks and rays, six of the world’s seven species of threatened marine turtles, and more than 30 species of marine mammals," including endangered species, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Topping the list is Mt McClintock in the eastern sector of the Territory at 3490 metres with Mt Menzies in the western sector a close second at 3355 metres, both considerably higher than Mount Koscuiszko. 50,188,934. Australia is in fact the lowest continent in the world in terms of its elevation. It is known for a high life expectancy, its education, quality of life, biodiversity, and tourism. The runner up is the Great Sandy desert in Western Australia at 267,250 square kilometres. It is four times the size of Indonesia and Mexico. It is one of the largest countries on Earth. These worksheets on Australia are focused on the Geography of Australia and they are free to download, print off and use today. The larges of these is Melville Island in the Northern Territory with an area of 5,786 square kms. Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged. Australian Geographic acknowledges the First Nations people of Australia as traditional custodians, and pay our respects to Elders past and present, and their stories and … No Ayers Rock or … Find out just how much you know with this geography quiz. Australia: geography and landscape. Australia also has two major mainland territories— the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory (which contains Australia’s capital city of Canberra). The largest Australian desert is the Great Victoria desert at 348,750 square kilometres, spanning Western and South Australia. For more details, see our Privacy Policy. The lengths of the 10 longest rivers in Australia were re-calculated in September 2008 by Geoscience Australia using data from the National Topographic Database. It is an island nation that comprises the Australian continent as well as the island of Tasmania and some other small islands. The coastal areas and islands receive more rain and are much better suited to settlement. Most of Australia and Oceania is under the Pacific, a vast body of water that is larger than all the Earth’s continental landmasses and islands combined. 35 Geography questions and answers for your home pub quiz We may earn commission from links on this page. Fraser Island off the Queensland coast is Australia’s fifth largest island but the World’s largest sand island. Many international travelers visiting Australia underestimate the distances between cities and travel times. The outcomes of this review are available in this Information Paper. Many international travelers visiting Australia underestimate the distances between cities and travel times. Average, 10 Qns, EnglishJedi, Feb 28 17. This document includes some material prepared by Australian government department Geoscience Australia, associated organisations and/or other authorities. Australia is located in Oceania between the Indian and South Pacific Oceans. Australia is the smallest continent (and the largest island) in the world, and terrain ranges from baking red desert to lush green rainforest, and from world-renowned surfing beaches to snow-clad mountains. It is the largest country entirely in the southern hemisphere and the largest country without any land borders. 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