Australia

Australia, island continent located southeast of Asia and forming, with the nearby island of Tasmania, the commenwealth of Australia, a self governing member of the Commenwealth of Nations. The commenwealth of Australia is made up of six states--News south Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Wester n Australia--and two territories--the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Australia, including Tasmania but excluding external territories, covers a land area of 7,682,300 sq. km, extending from Cape …

…no earlier than July, 1995. Under complex conditions specified in the federal Constitution -- in essence, extended deadlock between the House and Senate -- both houses may be dissolved simultaneously, so that ensuing national elections would involve all seats in Parliament. This "double dissolution" is unusual, and has occurred only six times since the Constitution entered into effect (1901). All major parties support the U.S.-Australia alliance and stress the importance of close relations between Austral...