Australia Geography
Australia may be the smallest continent, but it is the sixth largest country in the world. It is slightly smaller than the United States of America, but 31.5 times bigger than the United Kingdom.
Situated in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Australia’s closest neighbors are Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
Australia is the second driest continent (after Antarctica), with desert making up more than one-fifth of its area. However, this land of extremes is also home to some of the world’s most beautiful rainforests and popular snowfields.
Much of the country’s center is uninhabited, with most Australians preferring to live on the coast. The Great Dividing Range runs down the eastern seaboard, effectively separating the coast from the drier inland plains.
Due to its isolation, Australia is home to some of the world’s most unique flora and fauna, including the koala, kangaroo, platypus and echidna. Australia also houses the world’s largest atoll, The Great Barrier Reef.
