as the depletion of the
ozone layer and more frequent droughts, and management and
conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

Geography
Australia

Location:

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 7,686,850 sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

25,760 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in
north

Terrain:

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel,
tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal
accounting for 29% of global coal exports

Land use:

arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated
grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:

25,450 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

398 cu km (1995)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%)
per capita: 1,193 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization,
and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of
poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural
purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and
plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the
largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping
and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water
resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,