Australia Geography

Australia is the world's smallest continent and sixth-largest country, dominated by a vast, arid interior known as the Outback that covers most of the continent's landmass. Most of the population lives in a narrow band along the eastern and southeastern coast, from Cairns down through Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide.

The Great Dividing Range, Australia's longest mountain chain, runs the length of the east coast, separating the fertile coastal strip from the dry interior and its red-earth deserts, home to landmarks like Uluru.

Offshore, the Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2,300 kilometers along the Queensland coast, the largest coral reef system on Earth, while the island state of Tasmania adds a cooler, more rugged landscape distinct from the rest of the country.