Australian States Quiz

Australian states and territories.

Australia's six states and two mainland territories — and the capital that exists only because Sydney and Melbourne could not agree.

Six states, two mainland territories

The states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania.

The mainland territories: Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory.

Australia also administers several external territories, which quizzes occasionally include.

State capitals

New South Wales — Sydney
Victoria — Melbourne
Queensland — Brisbane
South Australia — Adelaide
Western Australia — Perth
Tasmania — Hobart
Australian Capital Territory — Canberra
Northern Territory — Darwin

Unlike the United States, Australian state capitals are the largest city in each state, which makes this quiz far easier than its American equivalent. There are no traps here.

Why Canberra exists

Sydney and Melbourne both claimed the national capital after federation in 1901, and neither would concede. The solution was to build a new city in between, in a purpose-created territory carved out of New South Wales. Construction began in 1913.

This is why Canberra, not Sydney, is the capital of Australia — one of the most missed capitals in the world, for the same reason as Ankara, Ottawa and Brasília.

Scale worth knowing

Western Australia covers roughly a third of the continent and is one of the largest sub-national divisions anywhere in the world — larger than most countries.

Tasmania is the only state not on the mainland, an island south of Victoria across the Bass Strait.

The Northern Territory is vast and very sparsely populated, and unlike the states it does not have full constitutional status.

The population distribution

Australia's population clusters heavily on the eastern and southeastern coasts, with a separate concentration around Perth in the west. The interior — the outback — is among the most sparsely populated inhabited regions on Earth.

That distribution explains the state boundaries, the capital placements and why most of the country's political weight sits in two states.

Where to go next

Oceania Capitals and Oceania Flags cover Australia alongside New Zealand and the Pacific island nations.

Frequently asked questions

How many states does Australia have?

Six states — New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania — plus two mainland territories, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

Why is Canberra the capital of Australia?

Sydney and Melbourne both claimed the capital after federation in 1901 and neither would concede, so a new city was purpose-built between them in a territory carved out of New South Wales. Construction began in 1913.

Which is the largest Australian state?

Western Australia, covering roughly a third of the continent. It is one of the largest sub-national divisions in the world and is larger in area than most countries.

Are Australian state capitals the largest cities?

Yes, in every case — unlike the United States, where the capital is usually a smaller inland city. That makes the Australian version of this quiz considerably easier, with no not-the-biggest-city traps.

Play Australian States offline in the app

Australian States Quiz and the rest of the arcade are in the free Geography Quiz Arcade app: Get it on Google Play · Download on the App Store.