Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country making up the landmass of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and many smaller sized islands. With a location of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi), Australia is the biggest country by area in Oceania and the globe’s sixth-largest country. Australia is the earliest, flattest, and also driest populated continent, with the least abundant soils. It is a megadiverse country, and its dimension gives it a variety of landscapes and also climates, with deserts in the centre, exotic rain forests in the north-east, as well as range of mountains in the south-east.

Indigenous Australians have actually lived in the continent for approximately 65,000 years. The European maritime exploration of Australia started in the early 17th century with the arrival of Dutch travelers. In 1770, Australia’s eastern half was declared by Great Britain and also at first settled with chastening transportation to the nest of New South Wales from 26 January 1788, a day which became Australia’s nationwide day. The European population grew gradually in succeeding decades, and also by the time of an 1850s gold rush, most of the continent had actually been discovered by European settlers and an added five independent crown colonies established. On 1 January 1901, the six nests federated, developing the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia has actually given that maintained a secure liberal autonomous political system and also well-off market economy.

Politically, Australia is a federal legislative absolute monarchy, making up six states and also ten regions. Australia’s population of almost 26 million is highly urbanised as well as greatly concentrated on the eastern coast. Canberra is the country’s funding, while the five largest cities are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, as well as Adelaide. Australia’s population analysis has been shaped by centuries of migration, with immigrants representing 30% of the country’s populace, the highest proportion among significant Western nations. Australia’s plentiful natural deposits and also strong international trade relations are important to the nation’s economic climate, which produces its income from various resources including solutions, mining exports, financial, manufacturing, agriculture and worldwide education.