Area > A note
includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
includes only metropolitan France ; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbook, December 2003
Area > Comparative to US places
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
slightly less than the size of Texas
DEFINITION:
This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
SOURCE:
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Forested Land
20.1%
27.9%
DEFINITION:
Forested land as a proportion of total land area, estimate by FAO
SOURCE:
FAO
Ranked 122nd.
Ranked 97th. 39% more than Australia
highest towns > Town/City
Cabramurra
Saint-Véran
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of highest towns by country
Irrigated land
25,450 sq km
26,000 sq km
DEFINITION:
The number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 25th in 2003.
Ranked 23rd in 2003. 2% more than Australia
Irrigated land (per capita)
1.3 sq km
per 1,000 people
0.4 sq km
per 1,000 people
DEFINITION:
The number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 10th in 2003. 197% more than France
Ranked 52nd in 2003.
Land area > sq. km
7,682,300
547,660
DEFINITION:
Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes."
SOURCE:
Food and Agriculture Organisation, electronic files and web site.
Ranked 6th in 2008. 13 times more than France
Ranked 46th in 2008.
Land use > arable land
6.15 %
33.46 %
DEFINITION:
The percentage of used land that is arable. Arable land is land cultivated for crops that are replanted after each harvest like wheat, maize, and rice
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 141st in 2005.
Ranked 17th in 2005. 4 times more than Australia
Land use > other
93.81 %
64.51 %
DEFINITION:
The percentage share of used land that is not arable or under permanent crops. This includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Ranked 85th in 2005. 45% more than France
Ranked 211st in 2005.
Largest city population
3,590,000
9,523,000
DEFINITION:
The population of the country's largest city
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Ranked 30th.
Ranked 11th. 165% more than Australia
Largest city with population
Sydney - 4,350,986
Paris - 2,144,700
DEFINITION:
Largest cities including most recent population (estimates included). Populations are figures only within the city limits, unless otherwise specified. All populations are from 2001 t0 2005 unless otherwise specified.
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook , City Population , CIA World Factbook, World Gazetteer , Official government websites.
northernmost point > Latitude
09°16'S
51°05'N
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of countries by northernmost point
Population density
2.47 people per sqkm
108.09 people per sqkm
DEFINITION:
People per square kilometre, in 1999. At this time the world average was 14.42.
SOURCE:
Heal The World Foundation.
Ranked 224th.
Ranked 93rd. 43 times more than Australia
Population density > people per sq. km
2.65 people/m²
110.66 people/m²
DEFINITION:
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.
SOURCE:
World Development Indicators database
Ranked 201st in 2005.
Ranked 81st in 2005. 41 times more than Australia
Precipitation
1,304 mm
650 mm
DEFINITION:
Average Annual Precipitation in Largest City (mm, 1931-1960)
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Ranked 24th. 101% more than France
Ranked 58th.
Rural population density > rural population per sq. km of arable land
4.86 people/km² of arable lan
76.64 people/km² of arable lan
DEFINITION:
Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.
SOURCE:
World Development Indicators database
Ranked 74th in 2005.
Ranked 59th in 2005. 15 times more than Australia
Capital city with population
Canberra - 307,700
Paris - 2,144,700
DEFINITION:
Capital cities including most recent population (estimates included). Populations are figures only within the city limits, unless otherwise specified. All populations are from 2001 t0 2005 unless otherwise specified.
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook , City Population , CIA World Factbook, World Gazetteer , Official government websites.
tallest mountains > Mountain
Kosciuszko
Mont Blanc
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of tallest mountains by country
Total area > sq. km
7,741,220
549,190
DEFINITION:
Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways."
SOURCE:
Food and Agriculture Organisation, electronic files and web site.
Ranked 6th in 2008. 13 times more than France
Ranked 46th in 2008.
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