The ocean and marine realm

Australia has a significant ocean domain. It has the longest coastline in the world at 37,000 km and the world's fourth largest offshore Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). At approximately 12,000,000 km2, the EEZ is approximately 50 per cent larger in area than the Australian continental landmass (CSIRO 1998). This EEZ stretches from tropical waters to Australia's sub-Antarctic islands and offshore to the Australian Antarctic Territory.