Australia

Capital: Canberra · Oceania

Australia is a developed power of the Southern Hemisphere, known for its vast landscapes and high quality of life. Occupying an entire continent, it spans over seven million square kilometres yet has only around 26 million people, mostly in coastal cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Rich in minerals and farm exports, it is closely tied to Asian markets. As a member of the Western democratic camp, Australia plays an increasingly weighty role in Indo-Pacific strategy and the AUKUS partnership. Taiwan and Australia enjoy busy ties in education, tourism and trade, and it is a popular destination for Taiwanese students.

Capital: Canberra
Population: 27,614,411
Area: 7,692,024 km²
Currency: Australian dollar
Languages: Australian English, Auslan

Country profile

Background

Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 60,000 years ago and developed complex hunter-gatherer societies and oral histories. Dutch navigators led by Abel TASMAN were the first Europeans to land in Australia in 1606, and they mapped the western and northern coasts. They named the continent New Holland but made no attempts to permanently settle it. In 1770, Englishman James COOK sailed to the east coast of Australia, named it New South Wales, and claimed it for Great Britain. In 1788 and 1825 respectively, Great Britain established New South Wales and then Tasmania as penal colonies. Great Britain and Ireland sent more than 150,000 convicts to Australia before ending the…

Location

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

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Natural resources

alumina, coal, iron ore, copper, lithium, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, rare earth elements, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, opals, natural gas, petroleum

Ethnic groups

English 33%, Australian 29.9%, Irish 9.5%, Scottish 8.6%, Chinese 5.5%, Italian 4.4%, German 4%, Indian 3.1%, Australian Aboriginal 2.9%, Greek 1.7%, unspecified 4.7% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant 18.1% (Anglican 9.8%, Uniting Church 2.6%, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6%, Baptist 1.4%, Pentecostal 1%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 3.5%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 2.7%, Buddhist…

Languages

English 72%, Mandarin 2.7%, Arabic 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, other 15.7%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)

Government

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Economy

high-income and globally integrated economy; strong mining, manufacturing, and service sectors driving slow but steady growth; net exporter, driven by commodities to East Asian trade partners; weak productivity and aging population straining labor force participation

Australia · Travel guide

Understand

The sixth largest country in the world by area, Australia has a relatively small (but growing) population of 25 million. A G20 member, it has high quality of life and is constantly ranked among the world's most livable countries. It is a significant player in the economic and political spheres of the Indo-Pacific region.

History

Aboriginal people have been living in Australia for at least 65,000 years. They arrived in successive waves from South and Southeast Asia. With rising sea levels after the last Ice Age, Australia became largely isolated from the rest of the world and the Aboriginal groups developed a variety of cultures, based on a close spiritual relationship with the land and nature, and extended kinship. For thousands of years Australian Aboriginal people maintained a hunter-gatherer culture, or (in some areas) a semi-sedentary culture, in association with a complex artistic and cultural life, including a very rich tradition of story and song. The modern impression of Australian Aboriginal people is largely built around an image of the "desert people" who have adapted to some of the harshest conditions on the planet (equivalent to the bushmen of the Kalahari), but many others lived in forested and well-watered regions. Australia provided a comfortable living for the bulk of the Aboriginal people among the bountiful flora and fauna on the Australian coast – until the arrival of Europeans. Although a lucrative Chinese market for shells and bêche de mer (sea cucumber) had encouraged Indonesian fishermen to visit the north coasts of Australia for centuries, it was unknown to Europeans until the 1600s, when Dutch traders to Asia began to "bump" into the northwestern coast. The Makassan contact from Sulawesi also brought many Indonesian cultural elements to th

Getting there

Entry requirements Everybody (except New Zealanders) requires a visa in advance of travel. If you are visiting for a holiday of less than 90 days, there are three types of visas you may apply for, depending on your nationality.

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) subclass 601 is available to nationals of many countries, and you must apply using the Australian ETA app with a service fee of $20. It is valid for 12 months. eVisitor (subclass 651) is for citizens of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and a few European microstates. These visas are free, but otherwise effectively identical to the ETA. You must apply online. Visitor Visa (subclass 600) Citizens of most other countries can make an application online by creating an ImmiAccount; some may need to visit an embassy or visa processing centre as part of the process. Like the ETA and eVisitor, a Visitor 600 is by default issued for a three month stay. Unlike the other options however, a 600 visa can be issued for a longer stay of up to one year. For more than a three month stay, you will likely be asked for supporting documentation about the reason for your visit and your ties to your country of origin and may need to attend an interview. Depending on your nationality, the embassy or visa processing centre may also require you to have an Australian sponsor before issuing the visa. The fee is $190 in 2024. ETAs and eVisitors are valid for multiple entries within a 12-month period. If you're eligible for either, it may be easier to stay the three months you're allowed, go to New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand or some other country reachable by a low cost airline for a few days and come back - restarting the 90-day clock. Doing this more than once, however, may cause immigration authorit

Getting around

Australia is huge but sparsely populated over much of its area and is larger than the contiguous U.S. You can sometimes travel many hours before finding the next trace of civilization, especially once you leave the south-eastern coastal fringe.

Quarantine There are restrictions on carrying fruit and vegetables (including honey) between states, and special agricultural quarantine zones within states that have additional restrictions. If you are driving over 100-150 km outside large metropolitan areas or interstate, or fly

Cities & destinations in Australia 345

Adaminaby Adelaide Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park - Winaityinaityi Pangkara National Park Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park - Winaityinaityi Pangkara National Park Aireys Inlet Airlie Beach Alice Springs Alpine National Park Alpine National Park Alpine Way Alstonville Anne Beadell Highway Apollo Bay Ardrossan Ardrossan Arkaroola Arkaroola Armidale Arnhem Land Arnhem Land Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area Ascot Vale Ashmore and Cartier Islands Ashmore and Cartier Islands Astronomy Australia Limited Astronomy Australia Limited Australia Australia Australian Indian Ocean Territories Bairnsdale Bairnsdale Bald Rock National Park Ballarat Ballarat–Skipton Rail Trail Bangalow Bangalow Barmah National Park Barmah National Park Barossa Valley Barraba Barrington Tops National Park Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve Bass Strait Bass Strait Batemans Bay Beaconsfield Beaconsfield Beerwah Beerwah Bega Bega Belair National Park Belconnen Bellenden Ker Bellingen Bellingen Ben Lomond National Park Benalla Benalla Bermagui Berowra Valley National Park Berowra Valley National Park Berry Berry Bingara Black Mountain Black Mountain Blackall Blackall Blackheath Blue Mountains National Park Bodalla Bodalla Boggabri Bondi Beach Booti Booti National Park Border Ranges National Park Boronia Boronia Botany Bay Bouddi National Park Bouddi National Park Bourke Bourke Bournda National Park Bournda National Park Bowen Bowen Brisbane Broken Hill Brooklyn Budderoo National Park Budgewoi Bunya Mountains National Park Bunya Mountains National Park Burleigh Heads Busselton Byron Bay Cairns Camballin Canberra Cape Jervis Cape Range National Park Carcoar Carcoar Carlton Carlton Carmila Carmila Charleville Charlotte Pass Charlotte Pass Charters Towers Charters Towers Childers Childers City Clare Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour Collector Condobolin Coolah Tops National Park Coolongolook Coolongolook Cooran Cooran Cottan-Bimbang National Park Cowra Cowra Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park Croydon Currarong Currarong Currie Currie Delungra Derwent Valley Council Dharawal National Park Dharawal National Park Dimboola Dimboola Dongara Dorrigo Dorrigo Dubbo Dungog Dunolly Dunolly Eaglehawk Neck East Coast (Tasmania) East Sydney Eastern New England Ebor Emmaville Erldunda Eucla Exeter Exeter Fitzgerald River National Park Fitzgerald River National Park Forster Forster Fort Lytton National Park Fort Lytton National Park Franklin Frankston French Island Gardens of Stone National Park Gardens of Stone National Park Gascoyne Gawler Ranges National Park Gibb River Road Gin Gin Gippsland Gladstone Gladstone Glenelg Gold Coast Gondwana Rainforests of Australia Goorambat Grand Pacific Drive Grand Pacific Drive Great Australian Bight Marine Park Great Dividing Range Great Sandy National Park Great Sandy National Park Greater Hobart Grove Gumeracha Gundagai Gundaroo Hall Hall Harrietville Harrietville Hartz Mountains National Park Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heathcote Heathcote National Park Heathfield Horsham Horsham Hungerford Huon Valley Council Huskisson Hyden Ipswich Jabiru Jindabyne Jindabyne Jurien Bay Kadina Kakadu National Park Kallista Kamay Botany Bay National Park Kanangra-Boyd National Park Kangaroo Island Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve Keith Keith Kilkivan Kilkivan Kimberley Kin Kin Kin Kin King Island King Island Kinglake Kootingal Kootingal Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Kununurra Lakes Entrance Lakes Entrance Lamington National Park Latrobe Leeton Leonora Leonora Lightning Ridge Lithgow Lord Howe Island Lorne Lorne Lower Glenelg National Park Maclean Maclean Macquarie Park Macquarie Pass National Park Macquarie Pass National Park Maffra Maffra Malabar Headland National Park Malabar Headland National Park Maldon Maleny Mallacoota Mallacoota Manilla Manly Mansfield Mansfield Maroochydore Marree Maryborough Maryborough Mebbin National Park Mebbin National Park Medlow Bath Melbourne Melbourne Airport Meningie Meningie Menzies Merimbula Merimbula Merredin Minlaton Minlaton Mole Creek Mole Creek Karst National Park Mole Creek Karst National Park Mooloolaba Moonta Moree Moreton Bay Moreton Bay Moruya Moruya Mount Augustus National Park Mount Augustus National Park Mungo National Park Muswellbrook Nabiac Namadgi National Park Nambucca Heads Nambung National Park Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Naracoorte Narrandera Narrandera Nattai National Park New Brighton New Brighton New Italy New Italy New Norcia Newcastle Nimmitabel Nimmitabel Noojee North Canberra North Sydney Nubeena Numinbah Valley Numinbah Valley Nundle Ocean Shores Ocean Shores Omeo Omeo Oodnadatta Oodnadatta Track Orbost Outback Oxley Wild Rivers National Park Paluma Paterson Paterson Perisher Ski Resort Perth Peterborough Phillip Island Picton Pilbara Porcupine Gorge National Park Port Broughton Port Campbell Port Campbell Port Elliot Port Germein Port Germein Port Hedland Port Hughes Port Pirie Port Wakefield Portarlington Rainbow Beach Rapid Bay Redcliffe Peninsula Redcliffe Peninsula Renmark Robe Robertson Rocky Cape National Park Rolleston Rolleston Rosebery Rottnest Island Salisbury Samoan Samoan Scamander Scone Seymour Seymour Shark Bay Shepparton Shepparton Shire of Loddon Shire of Loddon Shire of Noosa Shire of Noosa Singleton Smythesdale Smythesdale Snowy Mountains Sorell Sorell South Canberra South Hedland South West South West South Western Highway South Western Highway Southeast Asia Southeast Tasmania Southeast Tasmania Southeastern New South Wales Southport Southport Springsure Springsure Stanley Stanley Stradbroke Island Stradbroke Island Strzelecki Track Sutherland Shire Sydney Sydney Harbour National Park Tallangatta Tallangatta Tarcutta Tarcutta Tecoma Tewantin Texas Texas Thallon Thallon Thargomindah Theodore Theodore Thirlmere Lakes National Park Thirlmere Lakes National Park Thredbo Tibooburra Tibooburra Tiwi Islands Tomaree National Park Tomaree National Park Toowoomba Top End Torquay Torquay Tuggeranong Tumut Ulverstone Urana Urana Vacy Vacy Vincentia Wagga Wagga Walcha Walgett Walgett Warragul Warragul Warrandyte Warwick Warwick Watarrka National Park Werris Creek West Coast West Coast West Wyalong White Cliffs Whitsunday Islands Wollemi National Park Wollongong Wollumbin National Park Wonthaggi Wonthaggi Woodburn Woodburn Woolgoolga Woolgoolga Wyong Wyrrabalong National Park Yallingup Yamba Yamba Yarraville Yeppoon Yorkeys Knob

Country fields from Wikidata (CC0); flag via Wikimedia Commons; profile from the CIA World Factbook (public domain); travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA).