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Queensland (Australia)

Queensland
alt text for flag alt text for coat of arms
Flag Coat of arms
Slogan or nickname The Sunshine State
Motto(s) Audax at Fidelis
(Bold but Faithful)
Map of Australia with Queensland highlighted
Other Australian states and territories
Coordinates 23°S 143°E / 23°S 143°E / -23; 143Coordinates: 23°S 143°E / 23°S 143°E / -23; 143
Capital city Brisbane
Demonym Queenslander,
Banana Bender (colloquial)
Government Constitutional monarchy
 • Governor Paul de Jersey
 • Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (ALP)
Australian state  
 • Self-governing colony 6 June 1859
 • Statehood 1901
 • Australia Act 3 March 1986
Area  
 • Total 1,852,642 km² (2nd)
715,309 sq mi
 • Land 1,730,620 km²
668,196 sq mi
 • Water 121,991 km² (6.58%)
47,101 sq mi
Population
(March 2016)
 
 • Population 4,827,000 (3rd)
 • Density 2.79/km² (5th)
7.2 /sq mi
Elevation  
 • Highest point Mount Bartle Frere
1,622 m (5,322 ft)
Gross state product
(2014–15)
 
 • Product ($m) $313,889 (3rd)
 • Product per capita $62,498 (5th)
Time zone(s) UTC+10 (AEST)
(does not observe DST)
Federal representation  
 • House seats 30/150
 • Senate seats 12/76
Abbreviations  
 • Postal QLD
 • ISO 3166-2 AU-QLD
Emblems  
 • Floral Cooktown orchid
(Dendrobium phalaenopsis)
 • Animal Koala
(Phascolarctos cinereus)
 • Bird Brolga (Grus rubicunda)
 • Fish Barrier Reef anemonefish
(Amphiprion akindynos)
 • Mineral or gemstone Sapphire
 • Colours Maroon
Website www.qld.gov.au
Queensland Colony
British Crown Colony

1859–1901
 

Flag Coat of arms
Flag (1876–1901) Coat of arms
Location of Queensland
Light green: Queensland

Green: Territory of Papua (annexed by Queensland in 1883)

Dark grey: Other British possessions

Government Self-governing colony
Monarch
 •  1859–1901 Victoria
Governor
 •  1859–1868 George Bowen first
 •  1896–1901 Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington last
Legislature Parliament of Queensland
History
 •  independence from the New South Wales colony 6 June 1859
 •  Federation of Australia 1901

Queensland (abbreviated as QLD, or less frequently Q) is the second-largest and third-most-populous state in the Commonwealth of Australia. Situated in the north-east of the country, it is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. Queensland has a population of 4,750,500, concentrated along the coast and particularly in the state's South East. The state is the world's sixth largest sub-national entity, with an area of 1,852,642 km2. The capital and largest city in the state is Brisbane, Australia's third largest city. Often referred to as the "Sunshine State", Queensland is home to 10 of Australia's 30 largest cities and is the nation's third largest economy. Tourism in the state, fuelled largely by its warm tropical climate, is a major industry.

Queensland was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. The first European to land in Queensland (and Australia) was Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606, who explored the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula near present-day Weipa. In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for the Kingdom of Great Britain. The colony of New South Wales was founded in 1788 by Governor Arthur Phillip at Sydney; New South Wales at that time included all of what is now Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. Queensland was explored in subsequent decades until the establishment of a penal colony at Brisbane in 1824 by John Oxley. Penal transportation ceased in 1839 and free settlement was allowed from 1842.


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