01. Geography and Climate, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002   
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Contents >> Geography and Climate >> Geography of Australia - Position and area

Australia comprises a land area of about 7,692,030 square kilometres (see table 1.1). The land lies between latitudes 10 degrees 4l minutes south (Cape York) and 43 degrees 39 minutes south (South East Cape, Tasmania) and between longitudes 113 degrees 09 minutes east (Steep Point, Western Australia) and 153 degrees 39 minutes east (Cape Byron, New South Wales). The most southerly point on the mainland is South Point (Wilson's Promontory) 39 degrees 08 minutes south. The latitudinal distance between Cape York and South Point is about 3,180 kms, while the latitudinal distance between Cape York and South East Cape, Tasmania, is 3,680 kms. The longitudinal distance between Steep Point and Cape Byron is about 4,000 kms.



1.1 AREA, COASTLINE, TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE ZONES, AND STANDARD TIMES
Estimated area
% of total area
Standard times



Total
Total area
Length of coastline(a)
Tropical
zone
Temperate
zone
Meridian
selected
Ahead of
GMT(b)
State/Territory
km2
%
km
hours

New South Wales
800,640
10.41
2,140
. .
100
150 deg E
10.0
Victoria
227,420
2.96
2,510
. .
100
150 deg E
10.0
Queensland (c)
1,730,650
22.50
13,350
54
46
150 deg E
10.0
South Australia
983,480
12.79
5,070
. .
100
142 deg 30 min E
9.5
Western Australia
2,529,880
32.89
20,780
37
63
120 deg E
8.0
Tasmania
68,400
.89
4,880
. .
100
150 deg E
10.0
Northern Territory
1,349,130
17.54
10,950
81
19
142 deg 30 min E
9.5
Australian Capital Territory
2,360
.03
. .
. .
100
150 deg E
10.0
Jervis Bay Territory
70
. .
60
. .
100
150 deg E
10.0
Australia
7,692,030
100.00
59,740
39
61
. .
. .

(a) Includes islands.
(b) Greenwich Mean Time. During daylight saving periods, an hour should be added to the times in this column.
(c) Queensland does not have daylight saving.

Source: Bureau of Meteorology and AUSLIG.



The area of Australia is almost as great as that of the United States of America (excluding Alaska), about 50% greater than Europe (excluding the former USSR) and 32 times greater than the United Kingdom. Tables 1.2 and 1.3 show the area of Australia in relation to areas of other continents and selected countries.


1.2 AREAS OF CONTINENTS
Area
'000 km2

Continents
Asia
44,614
Africa
30,319
North, Central America and West Indies
24,247
South America
17,834
Europe
10,600
Australia and Oceania
8,504
Total land mass (excluding Antarctic continent)
135,774

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; World Book Encyclopedia.



1.3 AREAS OF SELECTED COUNTRIES
Area
'000 km2

COUNTRIES (SEVEN LARGEST)
Russia
17,075
Canada
9,976
China
9,596
United States of America
9,629
Brazil
8,511
Australia
7,692
India
3,287

SELECTED OTHER COUNTRIES
Belorus
208
France
547
Germany
357
Indonesia
1,919
Japan
377
Kazakhstan
2,717
Papua New Guinea
462
New Zealand
269
Ukraine
604
United Kingdom
244

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; World Book Encyclopedia; AUSLIG.



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