Which country is both a continent and an island?

Australia is the country commonly described as both a continent and an island.

Australia occupies the main landmass of the Australian continent and is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans. This gives it the memorable nickname “the island continent.” It is also the smallest of the seven traditionally taught continents, while the country of Australia includes the mainland, Tasmania, and thousands of smaller islands.

The wording involves a useful geographical distinction. Australia is not simply a giant island in the usual continental classification: continents are defined by geological, historical, and conventional geographic systems, not just by whether water surrounds them. In strict terms, the Australian continent can also include New Guinea and Tasmania on the same continental shelf, while the sovereign country of Australia does not include New Guinea.

Australia is often confused with Greenland, the world’s largest island, or Antarctica, which is a continent surrounded by ocean but not a country. New Zealand is an island country in Oceania, but it is associated with Zealandia rather than being both a continent and an island in the standard quiz sense.