The landmass that we refer to as Australia is the smallest continent that can be found anywhere in the world. Meganesia and Australia are terms sometimes used in place of Australasia when referring to the Australian continent. This is done to prevent people from conflating the continent with the country of Australia, which would be confusing.
The continent of Australia is distinguished from the nation of Australia by these labels, which can also be used interchangeably. This natural feature may be found on the Australian continental shelf, the same region containing New Guinea’s island. The nations of Australia and New Zealand are the countries that are included in the classification of the continent known as Australasia.
Key Facts
Australia is also known for its beautiful landscape and scenery. The landscape is home to different types of species. Here are some key facts included.
- Many islands surround the continent and make up forty per cent of its entire shoreline. These islands form a ring around the continent. Over 970,000 square miles of space is taken up by the continental shelf that extends between the islands and links them to one another. This region includes both the Brass Shelf and the Sahul Shelf. People sometimes refer to Australia as an island continent because it occupies most of the continent and one landmass by itself.
- One of the most prominent qualities of Australia’s plant life is the capacity of the country’s flora to adjust to the dryness of the environment. This is one of the reasons why Australia’s plant life is so diverse.
- Members of well-known plant families, such as the Fabaceae, Myrtaceae, and Proteaceae, typically exhibit this particular adoption in their morphology. The tree species that are native to New Guinea are a combination of those that are native to Australia as well as those that are native to the rainforests.
- Over forty million years ago, the landmass known as New Guinea and Australia was separated from the rest of the planet by an enormous continent. Over that period, the climate underwent several changes, with aridification emerging as the most prominent trend.
- The icy Antarctic Circumpolar stream impacted the whole planet’s climate once Antarctica severed its connection to South America. On the other hand, this accelerated the trend toward drying out in Australia. In the aftermath of the drying out of the inner lakes and seas, the broad-leaf deciduous forest was succeeded by a sclerophyllous tree forest, more representative of contemporary Australia.
- Due to its geographical seclusion, distinctive temperature pattern, and geological consistency, much unique flora and fauna can only be found on this continent. Close to 800 species of birds call Australia home, of which just 45 per cent are endemic to the mainland. Some of the species that belong to this group are Australian ravens, laughing kookaburras, crested pigeons, and pied currawongs.
- This group also contains pied currawongs. It is common practice in Australia to regard the kangaroo, platypus, emu, and koala as the country’s national animals. Another species conceived and brought to life on this continent is the Tasmanian devil. In New Guinea, there are around 578 species of birds, of which 324 are native.
Conclusion
Australia is the world’s biggest island and continent since it is surrounded by sea. As Australia is big enough to constitute a continent, most people think Greenland is the biggest island.
Nevertheless, Australia is the world’s largest country with no land borders and the sixth-largest country overall. In addition, it is the biggest single nation in the Southern Hemisphere, yet, this achievement could be more noteworthy when one considers that more than half of the world’s countries are located in the Northern Hemisphere.
