Capital of Australia: Canberra
The capital of Australia is Canberra. Australia sits in Oceania, has a population of 26,177,413, and uses the AUD. Official languages include English.
Quick facts
- Capital: Canberra
- Continent: Oceania
- Population: ~26,177,413
- Area: 7,692,024 km²
- Population density: 3.4 people per km²
- Official language: English
- Currency: AUD
- ISO code: AU
How big is Australia?
By population, Australia ranks 55th in the world, holding roughly 0.33% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 6th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Australia has 3.4 people per square kilometre, which is far below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Oceania, Australia is the most populous country of 14.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Australia in population are Niger (26,207,977) and North Korea (26,069,416).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Brazil (8,515,767 km²) and China (9,596,961 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
English is spoken officially in 58 countries in this dataset, including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and Botswana, and 52 others.
The AUD is not unique to Australia — it is also used by Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Australia in Oceania
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji and Solomon Islands.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Oceania is the block Australia belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Australia and a page on the flag of Australia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Australia?
The capital of Australia is Canberra.
What is the population of Australia?
About 26,177,413, making it the 55th most populous country in the world.
How big is Australia?
7,692,024 square kilometres, ranking 6th by land area, at a density of 3.4 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Australia use?
The AUD, shared with 3 other countries.