ABSTRACT
Australia is the world’s smallest continent and its largest island. It has a land area of 7,682,300 km2—roughly the size of the United States, excluding Alaska—and a population of approximately 18 million. The population density of two people per km2 conceals a highly localised population distribution. Vast areas of the country are arid semi-desert, unsuitable for settlement, making Australia one of the most urbanized countries in the world. More than 70 percent of Australians live in the ten largest cities, and of these, Sydney, the largest city, has a population of more than 3.5 million (Overseas Information Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 1992, p.7).
