Australia is a massive country, with an area of approximately 2.97 million square miles and a population of approximately 23 million people as of 2014. In comparison, the continental United States has an area of 2.96 million square miles but boasts a much larger population of approximately 316.1 million people.
Australia gets its name from the Latin term "australis," which means "southern." The sixth-largest country in the world, Australia consists of its sprawling mainland, Tasmania and a collection of smaller island territories. Australia is the smallest of Earth's seven continents. The majority of the country is dominated by semi-arid and desert regions.
