Where is Australia in the World?

Australia is both a country and a continent. The GPS coordinates of Australia are comprised of a latitude of 25.2744° S and a longitude of 133.7751° E. The combination of these two coordinates mean that Australia is located in the southern hemisphere as well as the eastern hemisphere. As part of the southern hemisphere, Australia is situated beneath the equator and in the Indian Ocean.

Points of Extremity: North, South, East, and West

There are two points of extremity in northern Australia. On the country’s mainland, the most northern point is situated at a latitude of 10°41' S. This location is part of the placing this point in the southern hemisphere. Offshore, Australia’s northernmost point has a latitude of 09°16' S. As part of the Australian state of Queensland, this northernmost point is located on the island of Moimi, which is part of a group of islands called the Torres Strait Islands.

The southernmost point of Australia is similar to the northernmost point of the country in that there are multiple very southern points of extremity. The three most extreme points of southern Australia are…

The South Point of Australia’s mainland with a latitude of 39°08' S The Bishop and Clerk Islets with a latitude of 55°03' S South East Cape of Tasmania with a latitude of 43°38' S

The westernmost point of Australia’s mainland extends to a latitude of 113°38' E. This coordinate points to an area called Steep Point. The Heart Island and McDonald Islands archipelago is home to the most extreme point of offshore Australia in the west. The longitudinal coordinate of this point is 72°35' E and it falls on the island of McDonald.

In the east, Australia reaches a longitudinal extremity at two points. On the country’s mainland, Australia’s easternmost point is situated at a longitude of 153°38' E. This point is part of Cape Byron. The most extreme point among Australia’s offshore islands is located at a longitude of 167°57' E. This point is positioned on Australia’s Norfolk Island.

Australia’s Total Area and Current Population

The total area of the country is approximately 29,679,095 square miles. About 2,941,299 square miles are made up of land and the other 26,610 square miles are comprised of water regions. Australia‘s population size is currently around 24,942,488 people. As such, Australia’s population accounts for only 0.33% of the entire population of the world.

The commonwealth of Australia, commonly shortened to just Australia, is a sovereign country made up of Australia's large content combined with Tasmania and several other smaller islands that border the main continent. Australia is almost 3 million square miles and is the largest country in Oceania. Globally, Australia is the 6th largest country.

Modern Australia

Although indigenous people lived in the country for more than 65,000 years, the first western settlers arrived in 1770. Great Britain settled on the eastern half of the continent, and the area was largely used for penal transportation. New South Wales was established on January 26, 1788, which is now celebrated as National Day in Australia. European settlers continued to migrate to Australia, but the settlement population skyrocketed in the 1850s with a gold rush.

Until the 20th century, Australia existed as several colonies operating independently. On January 1, 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed, combining the six independent colonies into one unified political system. The political system in Australia is described as a stable liberal democratic government with a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Modern Australia has six states and ten territories within its borders.

Australia Demographics

Indigenous Australians have populated Australia for nearly 65,000 years, but today they remain less than 3% of the total population. This country has been shaped by immigration over the past 200 years, and 30% are immigrants. The population of Australia is close to 26 million people. Although there is no official language, English is commonly accepted and widely spoken. Australia has a highly developed country with a high-income economy and has the world's 12th largest economy.