Short facts about the geography of Australia

Location:

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total:  7,686,850 sq km land:  7,617,930 sq km water:  68,920 sq km note:  includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

25,760 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  24 NM continental shelf:  200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain:

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Lake Eyre -15 m highest point:  Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

Land use:

arable land:  6% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  54% forests and woodland:  19% other:  21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

21,070 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts

Environment - current 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer

Source: World Factbook