a large island country, situated between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific: a former British colony, now an independent member of the Commonwealth, constitutional links with the United Kingdom formally abolished in 1986; consists chiefly of a low plateau, mostly arid in the west, with the basin of the Murray River and the Great Dividing Range in the east and the Great Barrier Reef off the NE coast. Language: English; Aboriginal languages also spoken. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: Australian dollar. Capital: Canberra. Pop: 24 446 341 (2017 est). Area: 7 682 300 sq km (2 966 150 sq miles)