Printable Blank Map of Australia
Delineating all 6 states and 2 mainland territories across 7.69 million square kilometers, this blank vector map captures the world's smallest continent and largest island nation. Projected in GDA2020 (EPSG:7844), it provides distortion-free geometry for Outback desert studies, Great Dividing Range mapping, and Murray-Darling basin analysis.
About this Blank Map of Australia
This printable blank map represents Australia on the authentic GDA2020 / WGS84 ellipsoidal datum. All 3 interactive visual variants—including Blank Outline, Capital City Marker (Canberra), and High-Contrast Printer B&W—are generated synchronously from identical coordinate geometry.
| Specification | Value | Compliance & Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction / Entity | Australia | Sovereign Country |
| Subdivisions Rendered | 8 States & Territories (National Boundary Outline) | Outline only; internal borders not drawn |
| Primary Capital City | Canberra | Marked on the capital variant |
| Cartographic Projection | GDA2020 / Australian Albers | Distortion-Minimized Coordinate Map |
| Reference Datum | GDA2020 / WGS84 | Geoscience Australia / EPSG:7844 |
Australia at a Glance
- Capital
- Canberra
- First-level divisions
- 8 States & Territories
This printable map shows the national outline of Australia with the capital, Canberra, marked. Internal states & territories borders are not drawn, which makes it a good base for students to sketch them in from an atlas.
How Big Is Australia? Size Comparisons
- Alaska vs AustraliaAustralia is 4.46 times larger than Alaska. Alaska is about 22% the size of Australia.
- Greenland vs AustraliaAustralia is 3.55 times larger than Greenland.
- Australia vs Contiguous United StatesAustralia is nearly the exact same size as the 48 contiguous United States (95.2% of its area).
- Australia vs Europe (without Russia)Australia is 28% larger than Europe excluding European Russia.
Geography Notes: Australia
Geocentric Datum of Australia 2020 (GDA2020)
Geoscience Australia established GDA2020 to account for Australia's rapid 7 cm/year tectonic drift.
Because the Australian continental plate is the fastest-moving tectonic landmass on Earth, GDA2020 updated national coordinates by approximately 1.8 meters northeast relative to legacy GDA94, ensuring sub-meter accuracy with modern GPS constellations.
Conformal projection parameters preserve true angular relations along the 21,260-mile coastline, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Bass Strait separation of Tasmania.
EPSG:7844 maintains geodetic accuracy from the tropical Torres Strait in Queensland south to Cape Pillar in Tasmania.
The Arid Outback vs The Coastal Urban Rim
Australia's population is overwhelmingly concentrated along the fertile southeastern coastal crescent.
Western Australia covers 2.53 million square kilometers as the nation's largest state (encompassing one-third of the continent), characterized by ancient iron ore ranges in the Pilbara and vast interior deserts.
Over 85% of Australia's 26 million residents live within 50 km of the coast, anchored by the state capital cities of Sydney (NSW), Melbourne (VIC), Brisbane (QLD), Perth (WA), Adelaide (SA), and Hobart (TAS).
Western Australia is the second-largest sub-national jurisdiction in the world after Russia's Sakha Republic, larger than Western Europe.
Curated Classroom Activities & Spatial Labs for Australia
Pedagogical lesson plans and spatial analysis activities designed specifically for printable vector maps of Australia:
Murray-Darling River Basin & Agricultural Lab
Objective: Trace Australia's primary freshwater agricultural basin across four southeastern states.
Materials: Printed blank map of Australia, blue highlighter, national water atlas.
- Trace the Murray and Darling rivers flowing through Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
- Draw the Great Dividing Range running parallel to the east coast from Queensland through NSW into Victoria.
- Locate the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) enclaved within New South Wales, home to the planned national capital of Canberra.
Six States & Two Mainland Territories Lab
Objective: Label the 6 states, 2 mainland territories, and identify major desert regions.
Materials: Printed Australia outline map, colored pencils.
- Label the 6 states: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
- Label the 2 mainland territories: Northern Territory (NT) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
- Shade the Great Victoria, Great Sandy, and Gibson deserts covering the central and western interior.
The 3 Synchronized Variants Explained
We generate 3 synchronized variations of Australia from the same master vector dataset. Each variant is aligned to identical coordinate geometry:
1. Blank Boundary Outline
The foundational boundary outline of Australia. Rendered with a clean exterior stroke and zero fill—the optimal version for in-class labeling exams, custom cartographic overlays, or clean graphic design.
2. With Capital City (Canberra)
Pinpoints the official capital city of Canberra using a high-visibility star marker and typographic callout, positioned at precise geodetic coordinates.
3. High-Contrast Printer B&W
Optimized specifically for monochrome desktop laser and inkjet printers. Uses pure black vector paths (#000000) and ultra-clean white fills to prevent ink-bleeding and toner smudging.
Tools to Use With This Map
Need Definitions for Map Projections, SVG Vectors, or Centroids?
Explore our centralized Cartography Glossary for detailed definitions of national and global geodetic datums, equal-area vs. conformal projections, TopoJSON topological arcs, and choropleth classification standards.
Frequently Asked Questions About Australia Blank Maps
Authoritative answers to common questions regarding printing, licensing, vector customization, and curriculum use:
Is Tasmania included on this blank map of Australia?▼
Yes. The island state of Tasmania is rendered south of the Bass Strait with precise geographic coordinates and scale.
What is the largest state by land area in Australia?▼
Western Australia (capital: Perth) is the largest state by area at 2,527,013 square kilometers (975,685 sq mi), comprising one-third of the continent.
Why does Australia update its geodetic datum to GDA2020?▼
The Australian tectonic plate drifts northeast at approximately 7 centimeters per year. GDA2020 adjusted national coordinates to correct for over 20 years of drift since 1994, ensuring alignment with global satellite GPS.