Australia: The Island Continent Quiz

Australia: The Island Continent

• Australia is the smallest continent and the sixth-largest country in the world.
• It is also the only continent occupied by a single country.
• Australia is often referred to as Oceania or Australasia, along with New Zealand and its neighboring islands.

History of Australia

• Australia was first sighted by the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606.
• British seaman James Cook reached the eastern coast of Australia in 1770.
• The first colonial settlement was established in New South Wales in 1788.
• Gold was discovered in Australia in the early 1850s, leading to European migration.
• The Commonwealth of Australia was established as a dominion of Britain on 1 January 1901.
• All constitutional ties between Australia and Britain ended with the passing of the Australia Act in 1986.

Geography of Australia

• Australia is located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere.
• It lies between the Indian Ocean in the west and the South Pacific Ocean in the east.
• The Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S) passes almost through the middle of the continent.
• Australia stretches from 10°S to 44°S latitude and from 112°E to 154°E longitude.
• The Indian Ocean washes its shores in the north and east, and the Southern Ocean borders Australia in the south.

Political Divisions and Boundaries

• Australia is divided into six self-governing states and two central administered territories.
• The country is bordered by the Timor Sea, Arafura Sea, and Torres Strait in the north.
• Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia lie to its north-east and east, in the South Pacific Ocean.
• The Tasman Sea lies between Australia and New Zealand in the south-east.

Major Cities

• Sydney is the most populous city of Australia, often referred to as the Harbour City.
• Melbourne is an important centre of industry, commerce, and cultural activity, often called the 'sporting and cultural capital' of Australia.
• Canberra is the capital of Australia, housing the Parliament, the High Court, and many government departments and agencies.
• The National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia are significant cultural institutions in Canberra.
• Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are popular tourist attractions.