Australia comprises 7.692 million square kilometres.
Although this is just five per cent of the
world's land
mass (149.45 million square kilometres), Australia is
the planet's
6th largest country after Russia, Canada,
China, the United States of America
and Brazil. It is
also the only one of the largest six nations that is
completely surrounded by water.
Australia's land mass is:
- almost as great as that of the USA
- about 50 per cent greater than Europe, and
- 32 times greater than the United Kingdom.
Australia is the smallest of the world's
continents. It is
also the lowest, flattest & apart from Antarctica the
driest.
The highest point on the Australian mainland is Mount
Kosciuszko, New South Wales, at 2228 metres above
sea level. The lowest point is the dry bed of Lake Eyre,
South Australia, which is 15 metres below sea level.
The mainland and Tasmania are surrounded by
many
thousands of small islands and numerous larger ones.
Nearly 40 per cent of
the total coastline length
comprises island coastlines. As an island nation,
coastlines play an important role in defining national,
state and territory
boundaries.
Nearly 20 per cent of Australia's land mass
is
classified as desert. As well as having a low average
annual rainfall,
rainfall across Australia is also variable.
The rainfall pattern is concentric
around the extensive
arid core of the continent, with rainfall intensity high
in the tropics and some coastal areas.
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