<Tr> <Th> Areas </Th> <Td> 10 km (3.9 sq mi) (Coral Sea Islands)--5,896,500 km (2,276,700 sq mi) (Australian Antarctic Territory) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Subdivisions </Th> <Td> Local government areas Cadastral divisions </Td> </Tr> <P> Australia (officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia) is a federation of six states, together with ten federal territories . The Australian mainland consists of five of the six federated states and three of the federal territories (the "internal" territories). The state of Tasmania is an island about 200 kilometres (120 mi) south of the mainland . The remaining seven territories are classified for some purposes as "external" territories . Aside from the Australian Antarctic Territory, which is Australia's claim to part of Antarctica, Australia is the world's sixth - largest country by total area . </P> <P> All states and the two largest internal territories are partially self - governing, as well as being represented in the federal parliament; the other territories are administered by the federal government . Since 2015, federal control has also been extended to the formerly self - governing territory of Norfolk Island . The third internal territory is the Jervis Bay Territory (JBT) which is located on the coast of New South Wales south of Sydney and east of Canberra . Three of the external territories are inhabited; the others are uninhabited, apart from temporary - resident scientists . </P>

Australia is made up of how many states and territories