Is australia a continent or a country?

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odzookers

Why not both? Antarctica is, though there's hardly anyone there to debate the issue. Actually, it's a matter of definition. A continent is usually a contiguous landmass, so its definition is purely a matter of geography. "Country" refers primarily to a nation-state governed uniformly, so its definition is primarily political and/or governmental. By these definitions we can also have a continent familiarly known as "Oceania," comprising Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Melanesia, Micronesia, and odd assorted islands of the western Pacific. Remember before there was a Bangladesh? Yup--that was East Pakistan and West Pakistan, which had one government but didn't touch each other.

Singing Girl

Well it's the only country in a continent. There are islands like: New Zealand...

Skye

Both! :)

Future Eagles Mummy!!

Definitely both. Habsfan, i am not sure you were paying attention all the time.......

Oceania- if it exists - would be a region, not a continent and would not include hawaii as i believe that hawaii is a state of America?

trigga1uk

australians are taught it is a continent but your'e talking about the same people who actually teach surfing at school. Australasia is a continent, which includes new zealand and some of the local pacific islands, it has though more recently been refered to as oceania. But australia is not a continent.

When it comes to academics i really wouldnt take an australians word for it, leave them to the beer and surfing.

Harald Hardraada

Both.

aflumpire

Australia is a continent and a country. The country consists of 6 states (proveniences) and two territories on the mainland (plus the state of Tasmania), as well as other territories off the mainland

Murzy

both

christine r

both

Aussie the 2nd

It is uniquely the only island continent that is also a country....it is also the home of unique little critters like my furry little self !

cc_of_0z

Both. Australia is the only continent that is also a single country.

Elizabeth

Australia is the only island continent and a country.

John M

yes

they are both a continent and a country

only_me

both - it's the only island continent in the world and is also a country.,

Mel

A continent, a country and an island.

Cedar Lover

I liked Aussie the 2nd's Answer!
And it's BOTH!

â€¢ Koala â€¢ uÊop É¹Çpun

Both.

Australia is the worldâ€™s largest inhabited island and the smallest continent.

Australia is the largest continent occupied by one nation and is the least populated.

Twilightlover33

continent

HabsFan-in LoneStarSt8

A country.
Along with New Zealand, New Guinea, the Malay Archipelago, Hawai'i and numerous smaller areas like Samoa + Guam, it's Oceania.

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