Tasmania is separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait.
Tasmania is Australia's island state, lying south of the mainland. Bass Strait, named after explorer George Bass, separates Tasmania from Victoria and is about 240 kilometres wide at its broadest point. The strait contains many smaller islands, including King Island and Flinders Island.
Tasmania is known for rugged mountains, temperate rainforest, and protected wilderness. Much of its western and southwestern landscape belongs to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The island also gives its name to the Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial found in the wild only in Tasmania.
Kangaroo Island is another Australian island, but it lies off South Australia. Tasmania is much larger and is the only Australian state that is entirely an island.