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Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world by area, and the only country to occupy an entire continent. Part of the region of Australasia, it also includes a number of islands, the largest of which is Tasmania. Australia has been inhabited for about 50,000 years, originally by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Eastern Australia was claimed by the British in 1770, and officially settled as a British colony on January 26, 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, six self-governing Crown Colonies were established within Australia. On 1 January 1901 the six colonies federated and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has had a stable democratic political system and it remains a Commonwealth Realm that is governed as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.

Australia's neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Pacific Islands to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east. The shortest border distance is between the mainlands of Papua New Guinea and Australia at about 150 kilometres; however, the nearest inhabited island, Boigu Island, is about 5 kilometres from Papua New Guinea. This has led to a complicated border arrangement allowing access for traditional uses of the waterway across the border by Papua New Guinean people and Torres Strait Islanders.

Travel Category: Main Travel Page » Oceania » Australia

Useful travel links and resources for Australia by our editors. Find quality travel links about Australia's hotels, tours, cruises, car rentals and vacation packages in Australia.