Geography of Australia

Australia is the sixth largest country and the smallest continent in this world. The physical geography of Australia is varied and vast ranging from snowy mountains to deserts. The continent consists of the mainland, Tasmania Island, and plenty of small Islands in Pacific and Indian Ocean. The neighboring countries of Australia are East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia to the north, New

Zealand to the southeast, and the French dependency of New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu to the northeast. Located in Oceania, South Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean border the coastline of the continent.

Facts about physical geography of Australia

• Total area: 7,686,850 sq km
• Total land area: 7,617,930 sq km
• Total water area: 68,920 sq km
• Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
• Coastline: 25,760 km
• Lowest point: Lake Eyre (-15 m)
• Highest point: Mount Kosciuszko (2,229 m)
• Irrigated land: 24,000 sq km
• It is the flattest continent in the world.
• Australia has the oldest but most infertile soil on the earth.
• Most dense population is found near southeastern and eastern coasts.
• Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, is located on the eastern coast.

Geographical regions in Australia:

The landmass of the Australian continent is divided into 7 regions.

The Eastern highlands

The eastern region of the continent is characterized by highlands. This highland includes Brigalow Belt strip of east coast, the Eastern Uplands, and the Great Dividing Range.

South Australian Highlands

The Southern Australian Highlands include Eyre Peninsula, the Flinders Range, and Yorke Peninsula.

Alluvial Plains and Lowlands

Alluvial Plains and Lowlands sprawls over the southeastern part of Australia. Murray Darling basin, the Lake Eyre Basin, and some parts of Gulf of Carpentaria form this region.

The Western Plateau

The Western Plateau consists of the Nullarbor Plain. This is an inhabitable region.

Central Lowlands

Central Lowlands is located between Eastern Highlands and Western Plateau. The lowland consists of the Great Artesian Basin and the greatest river system in Australia: Lake Eyre Basin and Murray-Darling Basin.

The Central Deserts

The central part of the continent is made of the deserts.

Northern Plateau and Basins

Plateau and basins form the northern part of the country. Tropical rainforests, grasslands, and desert cover most of the northern landmass of Australia.

Political geography of Australia

Politically, Australia is divided into six states:

• South Australia
• New South Wales
• Queensland
• Western Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria

Apart from the six states, the Australian landmass is divided into two mainland territories:

Northern Territory
Australian Capital Territory

There are some external territories in Australia:

• Christmas Island
• Norfolk Island
• Cocos Islands
• Coral Sea Islands
• Ashmore and Cartier Islands
• McDonald Islands
• Heard Island
• Australian Antarctic Territory

Australian continent consists of a number of small territories. The federal government administrates the Jervis Bay Territory in New South Wales as a major seaport and a naval base.

Climate of Australia

Sand dunes and deserts cover almost 40 percent and 18 percent of the Australian landmasses respectively. For this reason, a larger part of the continent experiences semi-arid climate. The northern portion of the continent has tropical climate while the southeast and southwest parts of the country has temperate climate. Annual rainfall varies in different regions. Dust storms are very common in Australia. Tornado, cyclones, thunderstorms, floods, bushfires, and droughts are common natural hazards in the continent.

Last updated on 11/11/2010