Continent – Australasia/Oceania

Region – Australasia

Territories – Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island

Size – 7,686,850 km²

Geography – Flat, mostly desert. Great Dividing Range along eastern coast. Great Barrier Reef off north-east coast

Language – English

 

Religion – 26.4% Roman Catholic, 20.5 % Anglican, 20.5% Protestant, 15.3% No religion, 1.9% Buddhist,  1.5% Islam,  other unspecified religions

Monetary Unit – Australian Dollar

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

Agriculture – wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry

Industry – mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Neighbouring Countries – None

Population – 22,507,617 (2014)

Population Growth Rate – 0.8%

Average Life Expectancy – 80.6

Capital City – Canberra (population 381,488)

Most Populated City – Sydney (population 4,757,083)

Highest Mountain – Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m)

Longest River – Darling (2,739 km)

Climate – North – hot, wet summers 24°C to 36°C , hot, dry winters 19°C to 30°C
South and east – warm summers 18°C to 28°C, cool winters 8°C to 17°C
Centre and desert – hot dry summers 18°C to 36°C, cool dry winters 9°C to 19°C
South-west – hot, dry summers 14°C to 30°C, cool wet winters 18°C to 36°C

Yearly Rainfall – North – 160 cm approx, south and east – 120 cm approx, centre and desert areas – 26cm, south-west – 90cm

 

Plant Life – 20,000+ species of plants including cycad palm, grass tree, waratah, Sturt’s desert pea, banksia tree, red and green kangaroo paw, acacia, eucalyptus, grasses

Animal Life – 280+ mammals including – kangaroo, koala, platypus, wombat and spiny anteater, 300 lizard species, 140 snake species, 2 crocodile species

Bird Life –  400+ species including emu, parrot

 

Facts and Figures Pages

World Facts
Country Facts