The
Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere
comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the
major island of Tasmania, and a number of other islands in the
Indian and Pacific Oceans.N4 The neighbouring countries are
Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, the
Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia to the north-east,
and New Zealand to the south-east.
The Australian mainland has been inhabited
for more than 42,000 years by Indigenous Australians.[2] After
sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and by Dutch explorers
and merchants starting in the 17th century,[3] the eastern half
of Australia was claimed by the British in 1770 and initially
settled through penal transportation as part of the colony of
New South Wales, commencing on 26 January 1788. As the population
grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing
Crown Colonies were established during the 19th century.
On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became
a federation, and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed.
Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal
democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth realm.
The capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital
Territory (ACT). The population is 21 million, and is concentrated
in the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,
Perth, and Adelaide.
