Geography of Australia
Location
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Geographic Coordinates
27 00 S, 133 00 E
Geographical Area
Land
7,617,930 Sq Km.
Water
68,920 Sq Km.
Land Boundary
Unknown
Border Countries
Length of Coastline
25,760 Km.
Terrain
Mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Elevation Extremes
Lowest Point
Lake Eyre -15m
Highest Point
Mount Kosciuszko 2,229m
Natural Resources
Bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land Use
Arable Land
6%
Permanent Crops
0%
Other
94%
Irrigated Land
25,450 Sq Km.
Natural Hazards
Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
Environmental Issues
Soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources.
