how many states in australia

Australia has six states. These form the primary divisions of the country, each with its own government and parliament.

States List

Here's a breakdown of Australia's six states , including their capitals and key facts:

State| Capital| Area (km²)| Population (approx.)| Notable Features
---|---|---|---|---
New South Wales| Sydney| 801,150| 8.3 million| Largest population; beaches, Opera House 13
Victoria| Melbourne| 227,444| 6.8 million| Cultural hub; Great Ocean Road 3
Queensland| Brisbane| 1,729,742| 5.5 million| Great Barrier Reef; tropical north 13
Western Australia| Perth| 2,527,013| 2.8 million| Vast outback; mining economy 13
South Australia| Adelaide| 983,482| 1.8 million| Wine regions; desert landscapes 1
Tasmania| Hobart| 68,401| 570,000| Island state; rugged wilderness 13

These states joined to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.

Territories Overview

While the query focuses on states, Australia also has 10 territories (3 internal, 7 external) that aren't states but handle some self-governance. Internal ones include the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) and Northern Territory (Darwin). External examples: Christmas Island, Norfolk Island.

TL;DR: 6 states total—no changes as of 2026. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.