Australia is a continent, not a country
Australia is often referred to as a country, but geographically speaking it is actually a continent. With an area of 7,692,024 square kilometers, Australia is the smallest of the world's continents, yet it is also the world's largest island. Australia lies between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean, and it is separated from Asia by the Arafura Sea and the Timor Sea.
Although Australia is a continent, it is also home to the Commonwealth of Australia, a sovereign country with federal parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia consists of six states (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia) and two major mainland territories (the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory). So while Australia itself is a continent, the Commonwealth of Australia operates as a single country within that continent.
The first inhabitants of the Australian continent were indigenous Australians who arrived there over 60,000 years ago. For most of its history following European settlement in 1788, Australia was considered a collection of British colonies. It was not until 1901 that the six colonies agreed to federate and form the Commonwealth of Australia. So in a sense, it was not until the 20th century that Australia transitioned from being just a continent to also being a country.
The distinction between Australia as a continent vs a country is an important one, since the geographic definition of a continent is different from the political boundaries of a nation-state. By definition, a continent is a large, continuous mass of land, while a country is typically defined by political borders and jurisdiction. Australia meets the criteria for a continent based on its physical geography and separation from other landmasses. The borders that define the Commonwealth of Australia, on the other hand, are an artificial construct that were negotiated and agreed upon in order to form a unified government.
This distinction can create some confusion, since the term "Australia" is often used interchangeably to refer to both the continent and the country. However, they are not synonymous. The Australian continent extends beyond just the Commonwealth to include other political entities such as the island of New Guinea, the Seram Islands, the eastern half of Timor, and neighboring islands. The Commonwealth of Australia, meanwhile, does not cover the entire landmass of the continent, but instead constitutes the majority of the continent's area.
The fact that Australia is a continent ranks it alongside other continental landmasses like Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Australia and Europe are the only continents that are also nations. The other continents contain many separate, sovereign countries within their borders. Africa alone contains 54 fully recognized sovereign states, for instance. So Australia's status as both a continent and a country makes it somewhat unique among the continents.
The discrepancy between Australia's geographic definition and political boundaries has practical implications in various fields. In geography and geology, "Australia" refers to the entire landmass and continental plate. But in politics, law, and international relations, "Australia" refers only to the Commonwealth nation-state. Meanwhile, in sporting competitions like soccer's World Cup and the Olympics, Australia competes as a single nation even though it represents an entire continent.
These different interpretations of what constitutes "Australia" can create ambiguities. For example, the Great Barrier Reef is considered part of the Australian continent, but portions of it fall outside Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone and belong to Papua New Guinea. Confusion also arises when Australia is compared to other countries in terms of population, GDP, etc. Since Australia has the smallest population of any continent, it can appear relatively "empty" compared to sovereign nations. But as a continent, it has unique characteristics and its population cannot easily be compared to standalone countries.
While Australia is often referred to as a country, it is in fact a continent surrounded by ocean that happens to be dominated by a single nation-state of the same name. The Commonwealth of Australia is undoubtedly a full-fledged country and a high-functioning democracy, but it does not change the underlying geographical reality that Australia is a continent. Recognizing the distinction between Australia the continent and Australia the country is important for understanding everything from indigenous history to its unique flora and fauna. So next time you hear someone reference Australia as a nation, remember that they are technically only referring to about 88% of the continent's land area that falls under the Commonwealth's governance.
