Located southeast of Asia, Australia is a single continent occupied by a single country. The continent and nearby island of Tasmania, form the 6th largest country on Earth. Australia is 7,682,300 sq km (2,966,200 sq mi and is inhabited by 22 million people. This makes Australia the most sparsely populated continent with the exception of Antarctica.
Six states and two territories make up Australia. States include: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the island state of Tasmania. Territories include Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory which is the location for Canberra, the capital city of Australia.
Australia is the world's flattest and driest landmass after the Antarctica. The vast interior of Australia is known as the outback, which consists of the worlds biggest desert area after the Sahara in Africa. The green eastern coastal plains are separated from the outback by the world's fourth longest mountain range called the Great Dividing Range. Most of Australia's ski fields are located in the Great Dividing Range around the New South Wales and Victoria border.
Australia borders no other country because it is surrounded by ocean. In fact Australia has more beaches than any other country, about 37,000. The Great Barrier Reef on Queensland's coast is the largest reef and coral formation on Earth, extending for 2001 km (1250 miles) in length. The reef is the world's richest area of marine life, and forms a natural barrier from the Pacific Ocean. This makes Queensland's coast ideal for diving, but also unsuitable for surfing. However the rest of the Australian coastline contains countless beaches, with a reputation for some of the best surf breaks on the planet. Surfing is a popular national pastime and sport in Australia and explains why Australians win surfing competitions the world over.
The Australian continent contains almost all the Earth's climatic zones include tropical, subtropical, semi arid, arid, , mediterranean, temperate, and sub-alpine. The country has large areas of savanna plains, the biggest desert area outside of the Sahara, and regular snow fall in the Australian Alps, and the mountains of Tasmania. The seasons in reverse to the northern hemisphere, so January and February are the warmest months, while June and July are the coldest.
Australia is geographically isolated from other continents and contains distinctive plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. Eucalyptus forests dominate much of coastal and inland Australia. Scrub species are interspersed with trees in the outback due to less rainfall which stand in direct contrast to the many subtropical rainforests on the north east coast encompassed mainly in the Gondwana Rainforest region. Lush temperate rainforest can be found in New South Wales, Victoria, and the island state of Tasmania. Daintree National Park contains the Daintree rainforest which is the oldest rainforest on Earth. Karri forests on Australia's south west corner contain some of the worlds highest trees, with some trees surpassing 90 m (300 ft) in height.
Australia is also home to many unigue animal species such as the platypus, which is an aquatic, furred mammal with a bill like that of a duck. The Platypus belongs to an animal group known as monotreme's. Another animal belonging to this group is the spiny anteater, or echidna. Most native mammals are marsupials. These include koalas, kangaroos, possums, flying foxes, and the ferocious Tasmanian Devil. Australia also contains many varieties of reptiles, including the saltwater crocodile the largest crocodilian in the world, and lizards of which there are over 500 different species including goannas, geckos, and dragons. The Australian continent is also home to the worlds most venomous snakes and spiders, as well the deadly Box Jelly Fish and Blue Ring Octopus which are among the most poisonous creatures on Earth. Australia is populated by many colourful bird species such as parrots, budgerigars, rosellas, gallahs, finches and cockatoos. The Emu is Australia's largest bird and is related to the Ostrich. An early name for Australia on some maps was "The Land of Parrots".
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