How Big Is Australia? - sauce
Australia ranks 54th by population, 14th by gross domestic product…and sixth by size
Covering nearly 3.0 million square miles (7.73 million km²),
Australia is the sixth-largest country, sitting just behind Brazil.
Its landmass is roughly equivalent to the combined size of
nine other countries, including 7th-ranked India.
For an American perspective, it’s the size of the contiguous U.S. west of the Mississippi River.
Yet with only 27 million residents, Australia’s average population density is nine people per square mile.
Why So Much of Australia Is Empty
The emptiness stems largely from the notorious
Outback.
Roughly two-fifths of the continent is classified as arid or semi-arid desert, encompassing the Simpson, Tanami, and Great Victoria deserts.
Summer highs above 110°F (43°C) and some of the lowest rainfall on Earth make permanent settlement costly and risky.
Consequently, more than 85% of Australians cluster in coastal metro areas such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.