Australia, comprising the mainland, Tasmania, and several offshore islands, is a continent like no other. Situated between latitudes 9° and 44° south and longitudes 112° and 154° east, it is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans, and separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor Seas. The country also claims the Australian Antarctic Territory, though this is only recognized by a few other nations.
Australia is often referred to as the "island continent" due to its geographical isolation and sheer size, making it the sixth-largest country in the world. It features 35,877 kilometers of coastline and is home to the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, stretching more than 2,300 kilometers along the northeastern coast. Despite its massive size, much of Australia is arid or semi-arid, with the vast majority of its land covered by deserts and sparsely populated.
The mainland, with an average elevation of 325 meters, is largely flat, but it is divided by the Great Dividing Range along the eastern coast. The country’s tallest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, rises to 2,228 meters, while Mount Mawson on Heard Island in the Southern Ocean stands at 2,745 meters. The major river system, the Murray-Darling, drains much of inland Australia, but the country's rivers are known for their slow flow and minimal discharge, contributing to salinization issues.
Australia’s population density is one of the lowest globally, with about 95% of people living within 100 kilometers of the coastline. This coastal concentration is driven by the country’s temperate climate along the southeastern coast, where cities like Melbourne see significantly higher population densities. The country’s varied geography, coupled with climate challenges, continues to shape the environmental and demographic landscape of Australia today.