| Location: |
Oceania, continent between
the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
27 00 S, 133 00 E |
| Area: |
total: 7,686,850
sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than the
contiguous 48 states of the US |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
generally arid to
semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north |
| Terrain: |
mostly low plateau with
deserts; fertile plain in southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
| Natural
resources: |
bauxite, coal, iron ore,
copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead,
zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 54%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 21% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
21,070 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
cyclones along the coast;
severe droughts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
soil erosion from
overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming
practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water;
desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the
natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great
Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the
world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a
tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
world's smallest continent
but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and
southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known
as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer |
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