<----  <----  <----  <----  <----  <----  1901
| |
| Timeline | Split |
| OTL equivalent | Australia |
| |
| File:Australia (projection).png | |
| Capital | Canberra |
| Official Language | English |
| Government | Constitutional Monarchy |
| Monarch | |
| Governor General | the Right Hon. Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Baron Gowrie |
| Prime Minister | |
| Established | 1 January 1901 |
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Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous other islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. For around 40,000 years before European settlement commenced in the late 18th century, the Australian mainland and Tasmania were inhabited by around 250 individual nations of indigenous Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the immediate north, and European discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, the eastern half of Australia was claimed by the British in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, founded on 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in the following years; the continent was explored, and during the 19th century another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were established. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a federation, and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth realm. The population is just over 20 million, with approximately 60% concentrated in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. The nation's capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
History[]
Australia was one of the first British dominions to declare war alongside them of , which started the . By April, the newly formed , under Lieutenant General . In 1939, after the , a record 70,000 men signed up. For the majority of the war, units were stationed in various British Army bases, to defend the country.