I.

Introduction

Queensland, state in northeastern Australia, bounded on the north by the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the east by the Coral Sea (part of the Pacific Ocean), on the south by the state of New South Wales, on the southwest by the state of South Australia, and on the west by the Northern Territory. Queensland is the second largest of Australia’s states and territories (after Western Australia), covering about 1,727,200 sq km (666,880 sq mi), or 22.5 percent of Australia. Queensland has 7400 km (4600 mi) of coastline, with the magnificent Great Barrier Reef stretching along the shoreline in the Coral Sea. The capital of Queensland is Brisbane, on the southeastern coast.