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Australia: Quick Facts

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Last updated

News •

A missing teen is found alive after 6 days in the Australian woodlands • Nov. 12, 2026, 2:48 AM ET (AP)
Australia to launch AI safety regulator after OpenAI's breach of a government portal • Nov. 10, 2026, 12:02 AM ET (AP)
90-year-old Holocaust survivor dies almost a year after being shot in the Sydney Hanukkah massacre • Nov. 6, 2026, 4:12 AM ET (AP)
Australia approves seabed site where a Japanese company will store carbon pollution • Nov. 4, 2026, 9:04 PM ET (AP)
Australia argues in court that social media ban is needed to protect children's brains • Nov. 4, 2026, 1:22 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As Commonwealth of Australia
Head Of Government Prime Minister: Anthony Albanese
Capital Canberra
Population (2026 est.) 28,060,000
Currency Exchange Rate 1 USD equals 1.469 Australian dollar
Head Of State British Monarch: King Charles III, represented by Governor-General: Sam Mostyn
Form Of Government federal parliamentary state (formally a constitutional monarchy) with two legislative houses (Senate [76]; House of Representatives [150])
Official Language none1
Official Religion none
Official Name Commonwealth of Australia
Total Area (Sq Km) 7,688,126
Total Area (Sq Mi) 2,968,401
Monetary Unit Australian dollar ($A)
Population Rank (2026) 55
Population Projection 2030 27,564,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 9.5
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 3.6
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 81.9% • Rural: (2024) 18.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2022–2024) 81.1 years • Female: (2022–2024) 85.1 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2024) 1,704,634
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2024) 62,680
1There is no official language designated in the Australian constitution. English is widely considered the de facto national language.

Photos and Videos

Australia
Map showing the country of Australia divided into its states and territories with major cities and surrounding bodies of water, including the Indian Ocean, Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, and Pacific Ocean.
Uluru/Ayers Rock, Northern Territory, Australia
Map showing Australia highlighted in tan at the center, surrounded by the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Coral Sea. Neighboring countries Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand are labeled, with Canberra marked as the capital of Australia.
Dove Lake, Tasmania, Australia
Great Barrier Reef
Low, rugged hills of the MacDonnell Ranges rise above dry, scrubby vegetation under a dramatic, cloudy sky in the Northern Territory, Australia.
Cradle Mountain rises behind Dove Lake, with dense green shrubs and trees in the foreground, in Tasmania, Australia.
Hamersley Range, Western Australia
Cobar, New South Wales, Australia
Explore the Outback of Australia
See the University of Melbourne's Medical Museum and learn about venomous animals, particularly snakes and jellyfish, and the development of antivenins
Distinctive features of Australia's Indigenous languages
Take a guided tour of the Australian Outback, visiting the Undara lava tubes, Cobbold Gorge, and Agate Creek
Explore the city of Sydney and the annual Vivid Sydney festival
Advance Australia Fair
See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic
Scott Morrison
Scott Morrison
prime minister of Australia
Anthony Albanese
Anthony Albanese
prime minister of Australia
Father and daughter
Caroline Kennedy
American attorney, author, and ambassador
The first female prime minister of Australia
Julia Gillard
prime minister of Australia
Turnbull, Malcolm
Malcolm Turnbull
prime minister of Australia
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stands at a podium in Parliament House, Canberra, delivering a speech with papers in front of him and microphones nearby.
Kevin Rudd
prime minister of Australia
Dunlop, Weary
Weary Dunlop
Australian physician
Abbott, Tony
Tony Abbott
prime minister of Australia
Ben Roberts-Smith in a dark suit and striped tie stands outside the Federal Court of Australia, with blurred columns and people in the background.
Ben Roberts-Smith
Australian business executive and soldier
default image
Pauline Lee Hanson
Australian politician
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Cheryl Kernot
Australian politician
Dodson, Patrick
Patrick Dodson
Australian activist and politician
John Howard
John Howard
prime minister of Australia
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Carmen Lawrence
Australian politician
Clive Palmer, wearing a suit and patterned tie, stands at a podium speaking, with microphones visible in the foreground.
Clive Palmer
Australian politician and businessman
default image
Alexander Downer
Australian politician
Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Australian politician
default image
Bronwyn Bishop
Australian politician
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Ken Wyatt
Australian politician
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David Morrison
Australian general

Related Places

Murray River, South Australia
Murray River
river, Australia
default image
South Alligator River
river, Northern Territory, Australia
default image
Melville Island
island, Northern Territory, Australia
default image
East Alligator River
river, Northern Territory, Australia
default image
West Alligator River
river, Northern Territory, Australia
flag of New South Wales
New South Wales
state, Australia
flag of Western Australia
Western Australia
state, Australia
flag of Victoria
Victoria
state, Australia
flag of South Australia
South Australia
state, Australia
flag of Queensland
Queensland
state, Australia
flag of Northern Territory
Northern Territory
territory, Australia
Map of the Pacific Ocean showing depth contours in varying shades of blue, major submarine features such as trenches, ridges, and basins labeled throughout the ocean, and neighboring landmasses including Asia, Australia, North and South America. Principal cities along the Pacific rim and island groups are marked, along with international boundaries.
Pacific Ocean
body of water
flag of Tasmania
Tasmania
island and state, Australia
Australian Capital Territory Flag
Australian Capital Territory
territory, Australia
Sydney: Harbour Bridge
Sydney
New South Wales, Australia

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