Why visit
Canberra is small. The National Gallery, Australian War Memorial, Parliament House, and Lake Burley Griffin. A weekend is enough before heading to Sydney or Melbourne.
Australia at a glance
Country center
-27.0°, 133.0°
Coast
Has coastline
Country area
7,692,024 km²
2,969,906 mi²
Country population
26.6 million
3/km²
Subregion
Australia and New Zealand
Currency
Australian dollar ($)
AUD
Dial
+61
Language
English
Demonym
Australian
Internet
.au
UN
Member state
ISO code
AU / AUS
Where in the world
-27.0° · 133.0°
Australia
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Did you know
- Australia is the only country that occupies an entire continent.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth: visible from space.
- 91% of Australians live on the coast; the interior is mostly unpopulated desert.
- Australia has more camels than the Middle East: feral camels in the outback, brought in the 1800s for exploration.
- Canberra exists because Sydney and Melbourne could not agree on which should be the capital.
Traveler notes
- Multiple free national institutions
- Canberra balloon festival in March
- Most travelers skip it for Sydney. Don't entirely
Plan checks
- Choose a neighborhood first: many capitals have tourist centers that are not the best places to stay.
- Public transport passes usually beat taxis and rideshares for multi-day visits.
- Bring layered clothing and verify trail/park access before arrival.
Explore more
Frequently asked about Canberra
What currency is used in Canberra?
Canberra uses the Australian dollar ($), ISO code AUD.
What languages are spoken in Australia?
The primary language is English.
What is the international calling code for Australia?
The calling code is +61.
Other Oceania destinations
Tuvalu
Tuvalu is a destination in Oceania with coastlines and warm-water travel at its core. Plan around season, swim conditions, and regional island or coastal routes.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a destination in Oceania with coastlines and warm-water travel at its core. Plan around season, swim conditions, and regional island or coastal routes.
Sydney
Sydney is the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Bondi and Manly beaches, the Blue Mountains, and a harbor city where ferries beat taxis for most routes.
Melbourne
Melbourne is coffee culture, graffiti laneways, live music, Queen Victoria Market, the Great Ocean Road 90 minutes away, and Phillip Island's penguin parade.
Cairns
Cairns is the Great Barrier Reef's main port. Live-aboard dive trips, Daintree rainforest, Kuranda scenic railway, and crocodile-rich river cruises.
Queenstown
Queenstown is New Zealand's adventure capital. Bungee (where it was invented), Milford Sound day-trips, ski resorts, wineries at Gibbston, and Lake Wakatipu's setting.