Maps and charts to help informed debate on Australian strategic security and defence issues

Effective analysis and discussion of Australia's geo-strategic situation, strategic security and defence requirements is greatly assisted by using relevant maps and charts.

Use of a world globe and orthographic-projection maps is also often more useful than relying on mercator-projection maps alone.

Ten per cent of the surface area of the Earth is some form of Australian sovereignty, resource conservation or international search and rescue responsibility.

Maps and charts are organised into 13 categories:

 

Australia: Continental Relief

Australia is a continent, as well as a country, of 7.692 square kilometres and 83 per cent of the continent is desert or very arid. This map illustrates the continental-sized and regional variations in climatic, terrain and vegetation conditions. The red dots indicate cities with more than one million people (all located on the coast).

Australia: Strategic setting

Maps covering Australia's geo-strategic setting (orthographic projection, oceanographic, continental shelf, maritime zones, maritime boundaries, offshore resources, external territories, international search & rescue zone).

Australia: Elements of national power

Maps covering elements of Australia's national power (physical geography, demography, strategic resources, trunk railway lines).

Australia: Mainland regions

Maps covering regions of Australia with significant strategic security implications ("Top End", Kimberley, Pilbara).

Australia: Oceans

Maps covering the oceans surrounding Australia.

Australia: Sea-lanes

Maps covering national, regional and global sea-lanes that are important to Australia's strategic security.

Australia: External territories

Maps covering Australia's seven external territories (Cocos Islands, Christmas Island, Heard and McDonald Islands, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Norfolk Island, Australian Antarctic Territory).

Global strategic regions

Maps covering the world's strategic regions.

East Asia

Maps covering the East Asian region.

South East Asia

Maps covering the South East Asian region.

South Pacific

Maps covering the South Pacific region.

South Asia

Maps covering the South Asia region.

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