Total area:
7,686,850 km2

Land area:
7,617,930 km2; includes Macquarie Island

Comparative area:
Slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
none

Coastline:
25,760 km

Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation

Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm

Territorial sea:
12 nm

Disputes:
Territorial claim in Antarctica

Climate:
Generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain:
Mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Natural resources:
Bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, crude oil

Land use:
Arable land 6%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 58%; forest and woodland 14%; other 22%; includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment:
Subject to severe droughts and floods; cyclones along coast; limited freshwater availability; irrigated soil degradation; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as the doctor occurs along west coast in summer; desertification

Note:
World's smallest continent but sixth-largest country

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