Feedback

COUNTRIES
of the WORLD

. Index

. 1996 Index

. Flag

. Geography

. People

. Government

. Economy

. Transportation

. Commun'tions

. Defense

. Feedback

===========

Australia Geography 1996

Location:

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total area:

7,686,850 sq km

land area:

7,617,930 sq km

comparative area:

slightly smaller than the US

note:

includes Macquarie Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

25,760 km

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

International disputes:

territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)

Climate:

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain:

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Natural resources:

diamonds

Land use:

arable land:

permanent crops:

meadows and pastures:

58%

forest and woodland:

14%

other:

22%

Irrigated land:

18,800 sq km (1989 est.)

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

natural hazards:

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts

international agreements:

party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

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

Thank you for making this an award winning site

Please put this page in your BOOKMARKS - - - - -

Language Translation Services

ITA Home Page	The IMMIGRATION Superhighway	Feedback
ITA WWWDesign	Flags of all Countries	Yahoo search

Revised 13-August-1997
HTML Colors; Greece Geography Economy, people, communications, transportation, flags, maps