The name of the Australian continent comes from the Latin word "australis", meaning "southern". The surface area of Australia is 7,7 million square kilometers, and its population is 23 million. It is both a tectonic continent, a geographical continent and a nation. Australia was first inhabited over 50 000 years ago. The Native Australians, the aboriginals, are descendants of these settlers. 

Australia is located entirely on the Southern Hemisphere. Because Australia is isolated from all the other continents, its flora and fauna have developed in an unique direction. The continent is home to various plant and animal species that are not found anywhere else on Earth. It has been estimated that only one third of all Australian species have been discovered. The animal life of the continent is characterized by the prominence of marsupials, such as kangaroos, koalas and wombats.

Because the Australian continent also includes the islands of Oceania, the continent is sometimes called Australia and Oceania.