The Australian mainland comprises six states and two territories. Ranked in order of population (common abbreviations follow in parentheses) :

• New South Wales (NSW)
   
  • Sydney - Australia's first and largest city, the capital of New South Wales
     
• Victoria (VIC)
   
  • Melbourne - Australia's second largest city and the nation's first capital city. 
     
• Queensland (QLD)
   
  • Brisbane - sun-drenched capital of Queensland
     
• Western Australia (WA)
   
  • Perth - the most remote continental capital city on earth, on the south-western edge of Western Australia
     
• South Australia (SA)
   
  • Adelaide - the City of Churches, a relaxed South Australian alternative to the big eastern cities
     
• Tasmania (TAS) - a small triangular island state located off the south coast of the Australian mainland
   
  • Hobart - small but fascinating capital of Tasmania
     
• The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) - the seat of federal government, focused on Canberra, Australia's largest inland city
   
  • Canberra - the purpose-built, planned national capital of Australia
     
• Northern Territory (NT) - ranging between the "Red Centre" and the tropical Far North.
   
  • Darwin - Australia's smallest and northern-most capital, at the top of the Northern Territory

Australia also possesses a number of island territories in the Indian and Pacific Oceans:

• Ashmore and Cartier Islands
• Christmas Island
• Cocos Islands
• Coral Sea Islands
• Heard and McDonald Islands
• Lord Howe Island, New South Wales
• Norfolk Island
• Macquarie Island