Omar Bennett
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy consisting of six states and ten territories. Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth, which is an international association of 56 member states, most of which are former territories of the British Empire. The Commonwealth nations are connected through shared values and their use of the English language.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of countries in the Commonwealth of Nations | 56 |
| Date of formation of the Commonwealth of Australia | 1 January 1901 |
| Number of Australian states | 6 |
| Number of Australian territories | 2 |
| Population of Australia | Almost 28 million |
| Area of Australia | 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi) |
| Position of Australia in the list of largest countries in the world | 6th |
| Position of Australia in the list of largest countries in Oceania | 1st |
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What You'll Learn
Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth
Australia is officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia. It is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania.
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 when six self-governing British colonies—Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia—agreed to unite and form a federation. This federation established a system of federalism in Australia, with the colonies agreeing to have a federal government responsible for matters concerning the whole nation.
Australia has been an active participant in Commonwealth organisations, programs, and meetings for over 70 years. It is the third-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget and is represented on the Commonwealth Secretariat's Board of Governors and its Executive Committee by the High Commissioner for Australia to the United Kingdom. Australia supports the Commonwealth's work in promoting human rights, democratic norms, and good governance among member countries. It has also provided funding for various Commonwealth development programs and initiatives, such as the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth Youth Program, and the Commonwealth Equality Network.
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Australia is a federation of six states and ten territories
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federation of six states and ten territories. The federation was formed in 1901 when the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia. This marked the beginning of Australia's autonomy from the United Kingdom, which was further established with the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act in 1942 and the Australia Acts of 1986.
Each of the six states has its own constitution, legislature, executive government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. The states have the power to make laws except in areas where the constitution grants exclusive powers to the Commonwealth, or the federal level of government. The Commonwealth's power has increased over time due to a wider interpretation of its listed powers and the financial reliance of the states on Commonwealth grants.
In addition to the six states, Australia also has ten federal territories, three of which are internal territories: the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory, and the Northern Territory. The remaining seven are external territories: the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Australian Antarctic Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and Norfolk Island. The territories are legally subordinate to the federal government, and laws for the territories are determined by the Australian Parliament. However, two territories, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, have some degree of self-government.
The Commonwealth of Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, which is a voluntary association of 56 sovereign states, most of which were formerly British colonies. The Commonwealth of Nations works towards common goals and values, such as the promotion of democracy, human rights, good governance, and world peace. Australia was one of the original members of the Commonwealth, along with Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
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Australia is a constitutional monarchy
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy made up of six states and ten territories.
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 when the colonies federated, marking the beginning of a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. Australia is one of 15 independent Commonwealth realms that share the same person as their monarch and head of state. The monarch of the United Kingdom is also the monarch of Australia, and they act exclusively on the advice of Australian state and federal ministers. The most recent monarch of Australia was Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms.
The constitutional monarchy system of government in Australia is similar to that of the former British colonies. The monarch appoints the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister, and the state governors on the advice of the respective premiers. These are the only mandatory constitutional functions of the monarch. The powers of the monarch have been delegated to the governor-general, who acts as the monarch's representative.
The prime minister, ministers, and parliamentary secretaries make an oath or affirmation of office upon their appointment, which traditionally included a promise of allegiance to the monarch. While this wording is not legally mandated, the concept of allegiance to the monarch remains significant constitutionally. Australia is also a representative democracy, where Australians elect members of parliament to represent them and make laws on their behalf.
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Australia is a parliamentary democracy
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. It is made up of six states—New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania—and two mainland self-governing territories: the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 when six British colonies agreed to unite, becoming Australian states. This federation of colonies resulted in the establishment of a federal Australian Parliament, with the power to make laws about national matters such as defence, immigration, trade, and foreign affairs.
The Australian Parliament is one of three groups defined by the Australian Constitution, which outlines how the three groups share power. The other two groups are the Executive and the Judiciary. The separation of powers ensures that no one group holds all the power. The Parliament has the power to make and change laws, the Executive has the power to put laws into action, and the Judiciary has the power to make judgments on laws.
In a parliamentary democracy, citizens choose people to represent them in parliament. In Australia, federal elections are held approximately every three years to select members of parliament who will represent Australians and make laws on their behalf. This is an example of a representative democracy, where citizens have the power to participate in decision-making through their elected representatives.
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Australia is the third-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy consisting of six states and ten territories.
The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 sovereign states, referred to as Commonwealth countries. Most of them were British colonies or dependencies of those colonies. The Commonwealth is an international organisation in which countries with diverse social, political, and economic backgrounds are regarded as equal in status, and cooperate within a framework of common values and goals.
In 2019-20, Australia provided an estimated $7.2 million in total to Commonwealth development programs, including funding for various initiatives such as the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth Youth Program, and the Commonwealth Equality Network. Australia's contributions support sustainable economic development, youth engagement, education, the rule of law, and public sector development in Commonwealth countries.
Through its assistance to Commonwealth development programs, Australia strengthens democracy and development outcomes in its near region and in Commonwealth countries worldwide. Australia's contributions reflect its commitment to promoting prosperity, reducing poverty, and enhancing development in line with the shared values and goals of the Commonwealth.
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Frequently asked questions
Six. The Commonwealth of Australia consists of six states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
No. The states are not sovereign countries and do not have independent international representation.
Australia also has several external territories, including Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. These are also not considered separate countries.
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The Commonwealth of Australia as a whole is a sovereign country, and the states and territories within it are subject to the Australian Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth.
Yes, to an extent. While the Australian Constitution outlines the powers of the Commonwealth, the states also have their own parliaments and can make laws on matters that are not exclusively reserved for the Commonwealth.
