Exploring our World: The Australian Continent
Australia is unique because it’s both a country and a continent! Geographically the Australian Continent only consists of Australia including the mainland and Tasmania as well as some smaller outlying islands. However there are two other names which this area can be referred to and often cause confusion.
Australasia is a region that includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and neighboring islands in the Pacific. It is a subregion of Oceania and is based on geographical and cultural similarities.
Oceania is the broadest term and refers to a vast region of the Pacific Ocean. It has 14 countries including Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Oceania is a geopolitical and cultural region, not a continent.
Let’s discover what makes the Australian Continent so interesting.
Australia has about 26 million people.
Most people speak English.
Some people also speak Aboriginal languages.
Other common languages include Chinese, Italian, and Greek.
Australia is the smallest continent in the world and is surrounded by water, including:
Indian Ocean, to the west.
Pacific Ocean, to the east.
Southern Ocean, to the south.
Timor and Arafura Seas, to the north.
Australia is home to many famous landmarks, such as:
Sydney Opera House, A performing arts centre located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, designed to look like giant white shells by the water. Opened in 1973 and renowned for being a masterpiece of 20th century architecture.
Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock is a massive red rock in the middle of the country standing 348 m (1141 feet) high, it is a sacred place to the local Aboriginal People.
Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, covering an area over 344,400 square kilometers (132,974 square miles), located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland.
Sydney Harbour Bridge, A famous iconic bridge built in 1932 connecting the Sydney CBD with the North Shore. It is the tallest steel arch bridge in the world measuring 134 m (439 feet) from top to water level.
Twelve Apostles, Stunning limestone rock formations, naturally formed by erosion, along the coast of Victoria. Despite their name, there was possibly never twelve with only seven of the original nine stacks visible.
Australia has a variety of landscapes, including:
Murray River, Australia’s longest river at 2,508 km (1,558 miles), located in South Australia. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest rivers of Australia including the Murrumbidgee and Darling Rivers. The catchments of these rivers form the Murray–Darling basin, covering about one-seventh the area of Australia. It is widely considered Australia’s most important irrigated region for farming.
Great Dividing Range – longest mountain range in Australia stretching more than 3,500 km (2,100 miles), running roughly parallel to the coast. It is an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills.
Mount Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia at 2,228 m (7,300 feet) located in the Snowy mountains in New South Wales.
Blue Mountains, part of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales located on the outskirts of Sydney, they are known for their blue haze when viewed from a distance.
The Outback, a region covering most of the middle of Australia, it is a term used to describe the remote, vast and sparsely populated area.
Tasmania, an island state located 240 km (149 miles) south of the mainland, separated by the Bass Strait. It is Australia’s smallest and least populated state. It is known for its rugged wilderness and beauty, rich history and unique wildlife such as the Tasmanian Devil and the extinct Tasmanian Tiger.
Great Victoria Desert – The largest desert in Australia covering over 347,750 square kilometers (134,267 square miles), it consists of many sandhills, grassland plains, pebbly areas and salt lakes.
Australia has animals you won’t find anywhere else in the world:
Kangaroo – A hopping marsupial that carries its baby in a pouch.
Koala – A cute tree-dwelling marsupial that eats eucalyptus leaves.
Platypus – A unique mammal that lays eggs and has a duck-like bill.
Emu – A large, flightless bird that can run very fast.
Wombat – A burrowing marsupial with a strong, stocky body.
Dingo – A wild dog found in Australia’s deserts and forests.
Crocodile – A large reptile found in northern Australia’s rivers and wetlands.
Australia, known as the land down under, where you can find animals, plants, and places that don’t exist anywhere else in the world! It is a fascinating continent with diverse landscapes, and a rich cultural history. It is a land of adventure and discovery!