7 Reasons to Love Australia

#2 Australia is huge

Australia is much larger than most people know or believe. It’s often understated on maps and globes, given its isolation in the Southern Hemisphere and proximity to the South Pole. As anyone who has spent time there can tell you, though, Australia is a very, very big place.

For example, did you know that the continent of Australia is larger than Europe? It’s true: all of Western Europe would neatly fit inside the vast expanse of the country. Australia covers more than 7.7 million square kilometers compared to Western Europe’s 3.5 million.

Another surprising fact is that Australia is as big as the continental United States. The distance between the West and East coasts of both nations is nearly identical.