Australia quick facts
- Australia is both a country and the smallest continent.
- The capital of Australia is Canberra, not Sydney.
- Australia’s population was 27,801,023 at the end of 2025.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia for more than 60,000 years.
- In 1902 Australia became one of the first countries to give women the vote.
What is Australia?
Australia is both a country and a continent. Britannica describes it as the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth.
It lies in the Southern Hemisphere, between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Its official name is the Commonwealth of Australia, and its capital city is Canberra.
Australia is home to the world’s oldest continuing culture. The Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived on and cared for the land for more than 60,000 years.
| Australia at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Capital | Canberra |
| Population | 27,801,023 (31 December 2025) |
| States and territories | 6 states and 2 mainland territories |
| National language | English |
| Currency | Australian dollar |
| Became a nation | 1 January 1901 |
Where is Australia?
Australia is south-east of Asia. To the north-west, the Timor and Arafura seas separate it from Indonesia. To the north-east, the Coral Sea and the Torres Strait separate it from Papua New Guinea.
New Zealand lies to the south-east, across the Tasman Sea. Far to the south, across the Indian Ocean, is Antarctica.
Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are the opposite of those in Europe and North America. Christmas comes in the middle of summer, and many families celebrate at the beach.
How big is Australia?
Australia is enormous. Britannica says the mainland stretches nearly 4,000 km (2,500 miles) from west to east, and nearly 3,200 km (2,000 miles) from north to south.
The island of Tasmania lies about 500 km further south, across the sea. There are also many smaller islands.
Even so, Australia has far fewer people than most countries of its size. Most Australians live near the coast, especially in the south-east, while much of the dry centre, called the outback, has very few people.
The flag of Australia
The Australian flag is dark blue. In the top left corner is the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom, which shows Australia’s history as a British colony.
Below the Union Jack is a large white star with seven points, called the Commonwealth Star. On the right are the five stars of the Southern Cross, a group of stars that can be seen in the night sky from the Southern Hemisphere.
States and territories
Australia is made up of six states and two mainland territories. Each one runs many of its own affairs, and each has its own capital city.
| State or territory | Capital | Population (Dec 2025, thousands) |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Sydney | 8,641.1 |
| Victoria | Melbourne | 7,121.9 |
| Queensland | Brisbane | 5,712.1 |
| Western Australia | Perth | 3,076.5 |
| South Australia | Adelaide | 1,910.6 |
| Tasmania | Hobart | 579.1 |
| Australian Capital Territory | Canberra | 487.2 |
| Northern Territory | Darwin | 267.5 |
New South Wales has the most people, and its capital, Sydney, is Australia’s largest city. It is famous for its harbour, the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Canberra, the national capital, sits between Sydney and Melbourne. It was chosen as a compromise, so that neither of those two big rival cities became the capital.
The people of Australia
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says Australia’s population was 27,801,023 on 31 December 2025. It grew by 412,500 people in a year, a growth rate of 1.5%. Western Australia grew fastest, at 2.2%, and Tasmania slowest, at 0.5%.
People from all over the world have made their homes in Australia. The government says more than 30% of people living in Australia were born overseas, and more than 300 languages are spoken in Australian homes.
English is the national language. After English, the languages most often spoken at home are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Italian.
The First Australians
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Australians. Their cultures, languages, stories and art go back tens of thousands of years, making them the oldest continuing cultures on Earth.
When Europeans arrived and settled, Indigenous people were treated very badly. The government says the early treatment of Indigenous Australians was marked by conflict and cruelty.
In 2008, the Australian Parliament made a formal Apology to Indigenous Australians, especially to the Stolen Generations, children who were forcibly taken from their families. National Sorry Day is held every year on 26 May, and NAIDOC Week in July celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements.
A short history of modern Australia
1788: the British set up a colony at Sydney Cove, the start of European settlement.
1850s: gold was discovered, and the gold rush that followed brought people to Australia from all over the world.
1901: the separate colonies joined together to form one nation, the Commonwealth of Australia.
1902: Australia became one of the first countries in the world to give women the right to vote.
1945: Australia became a founding member of the United Nations.
How Australia is governed
Australia is a democracy. Voters elect people to make laws for them, and all Australian citizens over 18 must vote in elections.
The government is led by a prime minister. Britannica says the head of state is the British monarch, King Charles III, who is represented in Australia by a governor-general.
Power is shared between the national government in Canberra and the governments of the states and territories.
Australia’s nicknames
Australia has been given many nicknames. Britannica says it has been called “the Oldest Continent”, “the Last of Lands” and “the Last Frontier”.
People also call it “Down Under”, because it lies so far south of Europe, below the equator. Australians themselves often call their country “Oz”.
Life in the outback
The outback is the huge, dry inland part of Australia. It is hot and dusty, and it is a long way from the big cities.
Some children live on remote farms, called stations, a very long way from the nearest school. They have lessons over the internet or by radio instead. Doctors may fly in by plane to reach people who are sick.
Kangaroos, emus and wild camels roam there. Life in the outback can be tough, but many people love the wide open spaces, the red earth and the bright stars at night.
Seasons upside down
In the south of Australia, summer runs from December to February and winter from June to August. That is the opposite of countries in the north of the world.
The far north of Australia is warm all year. Instead of four seasons, it has a wet season, with heavy rain and storms, and a dry season.
Talking like an Aussie
Australians speak English, but they have lots of their own words. Many are short and friendly.
G’day: hello.
Arvo: afternoon.
Brekkie: breakfast.
Barbie: a barbecue, a meal cooked outside on a grill.
Mate: a friend. Australians often call people “mate” even when they have only just met.
Australia and the world
Australia works with other countries to keep the peace. The government says that since 1947, more than 65,000 Australians have served in more than 50 peace and security missions around the world.
Australia also trades with countries all over the world. Before 2020, its economy grew every single year for 28 years in a row.
Amazing Australian animals
Australia has been cut off from other continents for millions of years, so many of its animals are found nowhere else on Earth.
Kangaroos are marsupials, mammals whose babies grow in a pouch. They hop on powerful back legs. Discover more in our kangaroo facts.
Koalas are marsupials too. They live in eucalyptus trees and eat their leaves. Meet them in our koala facts.
The platypus is one of the strangest animals in the world, a mammal with a duck-like bill that lays eggs.
The kookaburra is a big kingfisher famous for its loud call, which sounds like someone laughing.
Landscapes and the Great Barrier Reef
Australia has deserts, rainforests, snowy mountains and thousands of beaches. Uluru, a huge red rock in the Northern Territory, is sacred to its traditional owners, the Anangu people.
Off the north-east coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system on Earth. It is home to thousands of kinds of fish, corals and other sea creatures.
Much of Australia’s rock is very old. Britannica says most of the rocks that form the foundation of its landscapes are hundreds of millions of years old, and some are far older still.
Three things people get wrong
Sydney is not the capital of Australia. The capital is Canberra.
Australia is not only a desert. It also has rainforests, snowy mountains and green farmland.
Australian history did not begin in 1788. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived there for more than 60,000 years.
Did you know? More than 300 languages are spoken in Australian homes.
Try it
Find Australia on a globe. Trace a line from Australia to where you live. Is it summer or winter in Australia right now?
Knowledge check
What is the capital of Australia?
Show answer
Canberra.
How many states does Australia have?
Show answer
Six, plus two mainland territories.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Australia?
The capital of Australia is Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. It lies between Sydney and Melbourne, the country’s two biggest cities.
How many people live in Australia?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says Australia’s population was 27,801,023 on 31 December 2025, after growing by 412,500 people in a year.
How many states are in Australia?
Australia has six states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. It also has two mainland territories.
Who were the first people in Australia?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were the first Australians. They have lived on and cared for the land for more than 60,000 years.
When did Australia become a country?
Australia became a nation on 1 January 1901, when the separate British colonies joined together to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
Is Australia a country or a continent?
Australia is both. It is the smallest continent and also one of the largest countries on Earth, lying in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Australia — continent and country, location, size, neighbours, capital, head of state and the age of its rocks
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: national, state and territory population, December 2025 — national and state populations and growth rates
- Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: about Australia — First Peoples, the Apology, gold rush, federation, votes for women, the UN, languages, migration and government
