Australia comprises a land area of about 7,692,024 square kilometres (see table 1.1). The land lies between latitudes 10 degrees 41 minutes south (Cape York, Queensland) and 43 degrees 38 minutes south (South East Cape, Tasmania) and between longitudes 113 degrees 09 minutes east (Steep Point, Western Australia) and 153 degrees 38 minutes east (Cape Byron, New South Wales). The most southerly point on the mainland is South Point (Wilson's Promontory, Victoria) 39 degrees 08 minutes south. The latitudinal distance between Cape York and South Point is about 3,180 km, while the latitudinal distance between Cape York and South East Cape is 3,680 km. The longitudinal distance between Steep Point and Cape Byron is about 4,000 km.
1.1 AREA, COASTLINE, TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE ZONES
|
 | Estimated area |  | Proportion of total area |
 |
|  |
|
 | Total | Total area | Length of coastline(a) | Tropical zone | Temperate zone |
 | km2 | % | km | % | % |
|
New South Wales | 800,642 | 10.4 | 2,137 | . . | 100 |
Victoria | 227,416 | 3.0 | 2,512 | . . | 100 |
Queensland | 1,730,648 | 22.5 | 13,347 | 54 | 46 |
South Australia | 983,482 | 12.7 | 5,067 | . . | 100 |
Western Australia | 2,529,875 | 33.0 | 20,781 | 37 | 63 |
Tasmania | 68,401 | 0.9 | 4,882 | . . | 100 |
Northern Territory | 1,349,129 | 17.5 | 10,953 | 81 | 19 |
Australian Capital Territory | 2,358 | <1 | . . | . . | 100 |
Jervis Bay Territory | 73 | <1 | 57 | . . | 100 |
Australia | 7,692,024 | 100.0 | 59,736 | 39 | 61 |
|
(a) Includes islands. |
|
Source: Bureau of Meteorology; Geoscience Australia 2002, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, viewed 22 August 2002, http://www.auslig.gov.au. |
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
|
 |  | '000 km2 |
|
Continents |  |
 | Asia | 44,900 |
 | Africa | 30,300 |
 | North America | 24,700 |
 | South America | 17,800 |
 | Antarctica | 14,000 |
 | Europe | 9,900 |
 | Australia and Oceania | 8,500 |
Total landmass | 150,100 |
|
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica. |
1.3 AREAS OF SELECTED COUNTRIES
|
 | '000 km2 |
|
COUNTRIES (SEVEN LARGEST) |
|
Russia | 17,075 |
Canada | 9,971 |
United States of America | 9,809 |
China | 9,556 |
Brazil | 8,512 |
Australia | 7,692 |
India | 3,204 |
|
SELECTED OTHER COUNTRIES |
|
Belarus | 208 |
France | 547 |
Germany | 357 |
Indonesia | 1,919 |
Japan | 377 |
Kazakhstan | 2,717 |
Papua New Guinea | 462 |
New Zealand | 268 |
Ukraine | 604 |
United Kingdom | 242 |
|
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica. |
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