Australia, island continent located between the Indian and South Pacific oceans south-east of Asia and forming, with the nearby island of Tasmania, the Commonwealth of Australia, a self-governing member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The continent is bounded on the north by the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea, and the Torres Strait; on the east by the Coral Sea and the Tasman Sea; on the south by the Bass Strait and the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the Indian Ocean. The Commonwealth of Australia extends about 4,000 km (2,485 mi) from Cape Byron in the east to Western Australia, and about 3,700 km (2,300 mi) from Cape York in the north to Tasmania in the south. Its coastline measures some 36,735 km (22,826 mi). The area of Australia, including Tasmania, is 7,682,300 sq km (2,966,151 sq mi).

The area of the continent alone is 7,614,500 sq km (2,939,974 sq mi), making Australia the smallest continent and one of the largest countries in the world.The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of six states-New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia-and two territories-the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Australia's external dependencies are the Australian Antarctic Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos Islands, the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and the Coral Sea Islands Territory. Canberra is the capital of Australia.

Population
	18,235,600
	(1996 official estimate)
Population Density
	2.4 people/sq km
	(6.2 people/sq mi)
	(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
	85% Urban
	15% Rural
Largest Cities
	Sydney3,772,700
	Melbourne3,218,100
	Brisbane1,480,100
	Perth1,262,600
	Adelaide1,081,000
	(1995 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
	95% European origin
	4% Asian
	1% Aborigine/Torres Strait
	Islanders
Languages
Official Language
	English
Religions
	26%Anglicanism
	26%Roman Catholicism
	24%Other Christian 
denominations
	24%Other
	including Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism