Area > Comparative to US places
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
slightly smaller than Kentucky
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
Elevation extremes > lowest point
Lake Eyre -15 m
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
DEFINITION:
Lowest point relative to sea level
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Forested Land
20.1%
0.3%
DEFINITION:
Forested land as a proportion of total land area, estimate by FAO
SOURCE:
FAO
Ranked 122nd. 66 times more than Iceland
Ranked 190th.
Largest city
Sydney
Reykjavik
DEFINITION:
The city with the highest population
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Largest city population
3,590,000
156,000
DEFINITION:
The population of the country's largest city
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Ranked 30th. 22 times more than Iceland
Ranked 142nd.
Largest city with population
Sydney - 4,350,986
Reykjavik - 103,036
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.
Location
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
DEFINITION:
The country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Natural hazards
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
earthquakes and volcanic activity
DEFINITION:
Potential natural disasters.
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Natural hazards > volcanism
volcanic activity occurs on the Heard and McDonald Islands
situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (elev. 1,666 m, 5,466 ft) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (elev. 1,512 m, 4,961 ft), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvotn and Hekla are Iceland's most frequently active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
northernmost point > Latitude
09°16'S
67°08'N
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of countries by northernmost point
Population density
2.47 people per sqkm
2.72 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 220th. 10% more than Australia
Population density > people per sq. km
2.65 people/m²
2.96 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 199th in 2005. 12% more than Australia
Precipitation
1,304 mm
801 mm
DEFINITION:
Average Annual Precipitation in Largest City (mm, 1931-1960)
SOURCE:
United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook
Ranked 24th. 63% more than Iceland
Ranked 45th.
Rural population density > rural population per sq. km of arable land
4.86 people/km² of arable lan
305.23 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 24th in 2005. 62 times more than Australia
Capital city with population
Canberra - 307,700
Reykjavik - 103,036
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.
Surface area > sq. km
km²
km²
DEFINITION:
Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.
SOURCE:
World Development Indicators database
Ranked th in 1970.
Ranked th in 1970.
tallest mountains > Mountain
Kosciuszko
Hvannadalshnúkur
DEFINITION:
SOURCE:
Wikipedia: List of tallest mountains by country
Terrain
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
DEFINITION:
A brief description of the topography
SOURCE:
CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011
Total area > sq. km
7,741,220
103,000
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. 74 times more than Iceland
Ranked 103rd in 2008.
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