Australia Facts for Kids | Australia for Kids | Geography

Australia Facts

Australia for Kids

Here are some interesting Australia Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

Name: Commonwealth of Australia
Government: Democracy
Population: About 26.4 million (2023)
Urban Population: 90%
Capital: Canberra with 472,000 people
Language: English
Unemployment: 12%

Click to listen to the Australian anthem

Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($) = 100 cents
Religion: mainly Christians
Timezones: 3
National Symbols: Golden wattle (flower), opal (gemstone), green and gold (colours) and the Commonwealth Star (a seven-pointed star)
National Animals: Kangaroo, emu
National Holiday: 26 January (Australia Day)
National Anthem: Advance Australia Fair

Australia Geography
Australia Maps

Australia is an island country in the Southern hemisphere and belongs to Oceania/Australia. Australia is referred to as country and as continent as the country sits on its own continental shelf. The country is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Map of Australia

Australia is the smallest continent of the seven continents. The continent is often referred to as Oceania. Australia is one of the largest countries in the world while Greenland is considered the biggest island in the world.

Australia is also the driest inhabited continent of the world.

Did you know that Australia is the largest country in the Southern hemisphere and the largest country without land borders?

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, after Russia, Canada, USA, China and Brazil.

The country is divided into six states (Southern Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania) and two self-governing territories: Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory (which is around Canberra, the capital city).

The country's interior consists of arid and semi-arid areas which are referred to as 'outback'. About 70% of Australia are outback, while the coastal plains are more fertile and house the majority of Australia's population. About 35% of Australia's land area are covered by deserts.

Most of Australia's population live in the eastern and southern parts of the country and along the coastline.

Australia is roughly the same size as the USA without the states of California and Texas.

Australia belongs to the Commonwealth countries. Read more here.

10 Australia Superlatives

The highest mountain of Australia is Mount Kosciuszko with 2,228 m/ 7,310 ft. This mountain is in the Great Dividing Range.
The Great Dividing Range is the longest mountain range in Australia stretching over 3,500 km/ 2,175 miles.
Uluru, previously referred to also as Ayers Rock, is located in the centre of the country and is the largest alone standing rock in the world.
The longest river of Australia is the Murray River with 2,508 km/ 1,558 miles.
The Great Barrier Reef in Eastern Australia is the biggest coral reef system in the world. The reef consists of more than 3,000 reefs and 900 islands. The Barrier Reef is home to over 350 species of corals and over 1,500 species of fish.
Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal.
Sydney is Australia's biggest city with more than 5 million inhabitants.
Australia's largest desert is the Great Victoria Basin which covers most of Western Australia and South Australia.
New South Wales is the most populous state of Australia. 65% of the country's population live in New South Wales.
The largest state of Australia is Western Australia.

More about the most famous Landmarks of Australia here.

Australia Facts | Australian Cities

The biggest cities in Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. These cities are all located at the coast or close to the coast and are the only metropolitan cities in Australia with more than one million inhabitants.

Canberra is Australia's capital city and the only major city of the country further away from the coast. Canberra is located about 150 km/ 93 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean coastline and about 280 km/ 173 miles to the southwest of Sydney.

Canberra is the capital city of Australia

Australia Facts: Sydney is Australia's largest city with about 5 million inhabitants, which means that about 20% of all Australians live in this metropolitan city.

The main city in the country's interior is Alice Springs while Darwin is the biggest city in the Northern Territory.

Australia Facts
Australia Attractions for Kids

There are many great attractions in the country. Some of these are - listed in alphabetical order:

Adelaide: the main city in South Australia is home to about half a million people. Adelaide is surrounded by fertile agricultural land and wine regions. Did you know that Adelaide is also known for one of the largest Christmas parades in the world?

Adelaide Christmas parade - image: amphora_au/shutterstock.com

Annual Christmas parade in Adelaide

Arnhem Land: The Northern Territory is home to a large population of aboriginal people who have a deep spiritual connection with the land and proudly will share their experiences with visitors.

Aboriginal rock art in Arnhem Land

Australian Alps: Experience mountain landscapes with snowy mountain tops even in summer and enjoy the fascinating remote wilderness. There are lovely hiking tracks especially near lake Jindabyne.

Aerial view of the Australian Alps around Lake Jindabyne

Brisbane: the city with over two million inhabitants is the centre of the Australian Gold Coast with numerous resorts for an exciting beach holiday and a bit further to the north, there is the wonderful coral reef you cannot miss!

Brisbane South Bank Parklands Beach - image: Martin Valigursky/Shutterstock.com

South Bank Parklands Beach in Brisbane

Great Barrier Reef: The world's largest coral reef is great for snorkelling and diving. Cairns is a popular beach resort town on the Northern Coast and Lady Elliott Island and Hamilton Island are wonderful family holiday islands.

Corals at the Great Barrier Reef

Melbourne: The second largest city of Australia is the main city of the state of Victoria and has lots of trendy restaurants, shops and art galleries along the Yarra River.

Melbourne

Kakadu National Park: Experience the excitement of a real jungle in Australia's biggest national park and one of the world's most unique forests and woodlands and one of Australia's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There you can also admire the Northern Territories highest waterfalls, the Jim Jim Falls.

Jim Jim Falls

Perth: The biggest city in Western Australia also housing about two million people is known for its cultural scene and is close to lovely Fremantle which has historic quarters to explore. And don't forget Rottnest Island where you can meet the friendly quokkas, the unique wallabies. Read more here.

Fremantle near Perth - image: beeboys/shutterstock.com

Fremantle/Western Australia

Pinnacles Desert Park: Hundreds of limestone pinnacles can be seen in Nambung National Park in Western Australia. There you can also spot wild emus.

Pinnacles Desert Park

Sydney: The iconic Opera House is one of the world's most famous landmarks. Then there is the Harbour Bridge, the magical setting of the Sydney Botanical Garden, Darling Harbour, The Rocks and so much more to explore.

Sydney Opera House is a world heritage site.

Sydney's famous opera house

To read about Australian landmarks and the Top 10 Visitor Attractions in Australia, click here

Australia Facts | Australian People

Australian playing the didgeridoo

Australia's first or indigenous people, are usually referred to as the aboriginal people of Australia. They make up 2% of Australia's population today. The indigenous Australians are said to be direct descendants of migrants from Africa who left the African continent about 75,000 years ago. They have migrated over the Australasian continent until they settled in Australia around 60,000 years ago.

Today aboriginal people live in all main cities in Australia but most of them still live in the desert areas of the Australian outback. On the image above, you can see a man playing the didgeridoo, a kind of wooden trumpet, which is really difficult to play. The aboriginal people are highly skilled in arts and crafts and share with visitors their vast knowledge about the land and the environment.

The 'outback' is the vast, dry and remote inland parts of the Australian continent. Some aboriginal people live still in the sacred area around Uluru, a huge rock formation in the centre of the continent.

Ayers Rock or Uluru as the rock formation is called by the aboriginal people of Australia

Uluru was formerly referred to as Ayers Rock. Many groups of aboriginal people also live in the Northern Territory in Kakadu National Park, which they call 'Arnhem Land', the land of their ancestors.

Australia Facts | Australian Animals

Australia is home to many animal species. In fact, Australia houses more than 10% of the world's biodiversity (animals and plant varieties).

Among the most well-known Australian animals are kangaroos, wombats, koalas and the dingos.

Roadsign in Australia

Roadsigns in Australia warn drivers about wild animals mainly kangaroos that might cross the roads.

Kangaroos are marsupials, which means, they carry their babies in their pouches. See the cute little joey (this is how baby kangaroos are called).

Wombats are also marsupials. Wombats have sharp teeth, but are herbivores. This means they eat grasses, bark and roots. Wombats are mainly night-active, but can also be seen out looking for food on cool and overcast days, such as this wombat on the picture below.