Australia’s maritime boundaries

The Prime Minister states that India and Australia continue to work for a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The news highlights Australia’s location, surrounding water bodies, and key geographical features.

Australia: Maritime Boundaries and Key Geography

Dimension	Key Details
Location	Australia is the smallest continent and the largest country.
Bounded by major oceans	Australia is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and the South Pacific Ocean to the east.
Separation from Papua New Guinea	Australia is separated from Papua New Guinea by the Coral Sea and Torres Strait to the northeast.
Separation from Indonesia	Australia is separated from Indonesia by the Timor and Arafura seas to the northwest.
Separation from Coral Sea Islands Territory	Australia is separated from the Coral Sea Islands Territory by the Great Barrier Reef.
Separation from New Zealand	Australia is separated from New Zealand by the Tasman Sea to the southeast.
Capital	Canberra is the capital city of Australia.
Climate	Australia experiences diverse climate types due to its large north-south extent, majorly covering temperate and tropical along with other zones.
Highest point	Mount Kosciuszko is the highest point in Australia at 2,228 m (7,310 ft).
Major rivers	Major rivers comprise the Murray-Darling, Murrumbidgee, and Lachlan.
Deserts	Australia comprises expansive deserts: the Great Victoria Desert, the Gibson Desert, and the Simpson Desert.
Natural resources	Natural resources comprise gold, iron ore, lead, nickel, rutile, uranium, zinc, zircon, brown coal, cobalt, copper, ilmenite, lithium, silver, tungsten, and vanadium.