Australia
The land down under, colonized from 1788.
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It has a land area of 7,688,287 km², making it the sixth-largest country in the world, and is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Colonial region
- Continent
- Australia (colonial region, grouped under Asia/Pacific super-region)
- First appears
- Europa Universalis IV
- Notable provinces
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Queensland
- Indigenous nations
- Aboriginal tribes
Lore & Background
The ancestors of Aboriginal Australians began arriving from Southeast Asia 50,000 to 65,000 years ago. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke more than 250 distinct languages. Australia's written history commenced with Dutch exploration of most of the coastline in the 17th century. British colonisation began in 1788 with the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales. The colonies federated in 1901, forming the Commonwealth of Australia.
Reader's Guide
In Europa Universalis, Australia is part of the 'Australia' colonial region, typically grouped under the 'Asia' or 'Pacific' super-region. Its typical trade goods include gold, fish, grain, and later wool, not spices. Colonization of Australia first appears in Europa Universalis IV.
Did You Know?
- The name Australia is derived from the Latin 'Terra Australis', a name used for a hypothetical southern continent since ancient times.
- Governor Lachlan Macquarie officially recommended the name Australia to replace New Holland in December 1817.
- Colloquial names for Australia include 'Oz', 'Straya', and 'Down Under'.
More in World & Locations
Elsewhere in Europa Universalis
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