Australia Facts for Kids

As of 2012, Australia has an estimated population of over 22 million people.


Australia is the world's 6th largest country by area.


Due to its large size and isolation from the rest of the world, Australia is sometimes known as the ‘island continent’.


The largest cities in Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.


A desert area known as the ‘outback’ covers much of the land.


The name ‘Australia’ comes from the Latin word ‘australis’, meaning southern.


It is estimated the humans have lived in Australia for around 45000 years.


The indigenous people of Australia are Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.


The highest mountain on mainland Australia is Mt Kosciuszko, standing 2228m (7310ft) above sea level.


The world's largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef, is found off the north-eastern coast of Australia.


Australia has a range of different landscapes, including urban areas, mountain ranges, deserts and rain forests.


Australia is home to a variety of unique animals, including the koala, kangaroo, emu, kookaburra and platypus.


Although they usually keep to themselves, there are a range of dangerous snakes in Australia, such as the Brown Snake, Tiger Snake and Taipan.


Australia has over 750 different reptile species, more than any other country in the world.


Australia is a relatively wealthy country with a high life expectancy.


Australia hosted the 1956 (Melbourne) and 2000 (Sydney) Summer Olympics.

12 Interesting Facts about Australia (Amazing)

1) It is the 6th largest country in the world, occupying an entire continent of some 7.6 million square kilometres.


2) It has the world's 3rd largest ocean territory, spanning three oceans and covering around 12 million square kilometres.

3) Vegetation covers nearly 7 million square kilometres or 91 percent of Australia. 

4) The largest Greek population in the world beside Athens in Greece can be found in Melbourne Victoria.

5) Most of Australia's exotic flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

6) The Indigenous 'Dream Time' is the foundation for tens of thousands of years of spiritual aboriginal art, traditions, legends, myths, folklore and culture.

7) The only nation-continent of 20 million people in the world.

8) The wattle was adopted as the national floral emblem in 1912.

9) The first Australian Friendly Society with the motto of 'Advance Australia' was the Australian Natives' Association (ANA) formed in Victoria in 1871.

10) More than 80 percent of Australians live within 100 kilometres of the coast making Australia one of the world's most urbanised coastal dwelling populations.

11) Over 200 different languages and dialects are spoken in Australia including 45 Indigenous languages. The most common non-English spoken languages are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin.

12) The world's highest proportion of migrant settlers in a developed nation with over 25% of Australians born in another country.