How Many States in Australia? 6 States, Territories Explained

This key facts table provides official administrative counts and comparative data sourced from government and reference publications.

Are there 6 or 7 states in Australia?

Australia has exactly six states — no more, no less. The confusion around “seven states” usually stems from people miscounting the Australian Capital Territory or Northern Territory as states, but both are legally classified as federal territories under the Australian Constitution.

List of the six states

• New South Wales — Capital: Sydney
• Victoria — Capital: Melbourne
• Queensland — Capital: Brisbane
• South Australia — Capital: Adelaide
• Tasmania — Capital: Hobart
• Western Australia — Capital: Perth

Overview from official sources

All six states were established through British colonization and later joined the federation between 1901 and federation. According to Britannica Kids (educational resource), Western Australia was admitted to the federation in 1900, with the other states following similar timelines (Britannica Kids – States, territories, and capitals of Australia). Each state governs its own constitutional matters, education, healthcare, and transport within its borders.

The distinction matters for everyday life: state governments control driver licensing, police services, and property law, while the federal government handles immigration, defense, and foreign policy. When people ask about “states versus territories,” they’re often really asking about which level of government makes which decisions.

Why are ACT and NT not states?

The Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory are territories because they were created after federation and remain under direct federal control. States, by contrast, have their own constitutions and were part of the federation from the beginning — or joined it through their own legislative acts.

Legal and constitutional differences

Under Section 122 of the Australian Constitution, the federal parliament can create territories and govern them directly. States operate under their own constitutions, which were either inherited from British colonial arrangements or adopted upon federation. According to Geoscience Australia (government scientific agency), the ACT was formally established in 1911 when the Canberra-Yass district was ceded to the Commonwealth (Geoscience Australia – Area of Australia States and Territories).

Territories have different levels of self-governance: ACT and NT have elected assemblies and chief ministers, but federal laws can override territory legislation. States cannot have their laws overridden by the federal parliament in the same way — this principle of federalism protects states’ constitutional autonomy.

Path to potential statehood

Both ACT and NT could theoretically become states through a process that would require a referendum, federal legislation, and likely negotiations over representation in the Senate. The Northern Territory held such a vote in 1998, but residents rejected statehood. ACT has discussed statehood but never held a formal referendum.

Why is the Northern Territory not considered a State in Australia?

The Northern Territory remains a territory rather than a state primarily because of the 1998 referendum outcome, where a majority of NT residents voted against achieving statehood. The Territory government continues to operate under federal legislation rather than its own constitution.

Historical context

The Northern Territory was originally part of South Australia before being separated in 1911. Unlike the six original colonies that became states, the NT never developed the constitutional foundations of self-governance that define statehood in Australia. Jervis Bay Territory was also formed in 1915 when New South Wales ceded land to the Commonwealth to provide the new capital with port access (Geoscience Australia – Area of Australia States and Territories).

Current governance status

Today, the NT has an elected assembly and chief minister, but federal laws take precedence. The Australian government appoints an Administrator to represent the federal executive in the Territory. Until NT residents vote to change this arrangement — or federal parliament decides otherwise — the NT will remain a territory.

The pattern here is consistent: territories exist because they were carved out of existing states or created from unclaimed federal land. They lack the historical constitutional foundation that makes states distinct entities within the federation.

How many states in Australia and their capitals?

Six states means six state capitals, plus two territory capitals, for a total of eight capital cities across Australia. Each capital functions as the seat of government for its respective state or territory.

States and capitals list

The six states and their capitals are well-established administrative centers with distinct populations and economic profiles. Wikipedia documents that all eight capital cities serve as seats of government, with populations ranging from Sydney’s 5,029,768 residents down to Hobart’s 224,462 (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities).

• Sydney (New South Wales) — Sydney represents 64.82% of the state’s total population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)
• Melbourne (Victoria) — Melbourne represents 76.47% of Victoria’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)
• Brisbane (Queensland) — Brisbane represents 48.68% of Queensland’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)
• Adelaide (South Australia) — Adelaide represents 77.31% of South Australia’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)
• Hobart (Tasmania) — Hobart represents 43.37% of Tasmania’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)
• Perth (Western Australia) — Perth represents 79.02% of Western Australia’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)

Territories and capitals

• Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) — Population 403,468; represents 100% of ACT’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)
• Darwin (Northern Territory) — Population 145,916; represents 59.38% of the NT’s population (Wikipedia – List of Australian capital cities)

Which state is richest in Australia?

Economic comparisons between Australian states reveal significant disparities, with Western Australia often emerging as the wealthiest by GDP per capita due to its mining and resources sector. However, different metrics yield different answers — total GDP, per capita income, and median wages tell different stories about which state truly leads.

Metrics for wealth

Standard economic measurements include gross state product (GSP), GDP per capita, average weekly earnings, and median household income. The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes comprehensive data on these metrics, but individual sources like Britannica Kids also track state-level economic indicators (Britannica Kids – States, territories, and capitals of Australia).

Top state by income data

Western Australia has historically led in GDP per capita, driven by iron ore, gold, and liquefied natural gas exports from the Pilbara region. Sydney and Melbourne compete for second place, with their financial services, technology, and professional services sectors driving economic output. Queensland and South Australia have lower average incomes but also lower costs of living, making direct comparisons complex.

Expert perspectives

Australia’s federal structure is unusual globally — we have states with their own constitutions alongside federal territories administered directly from Canberra. This creates a two-tier system where territories have less autonomy than states, a distinction that surprises many newcomers to Australian politics.

— Academic analysis from Students of History (educational resource)

The Canberra-Yass district was chosen in 1908 specifically to resolve the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne over which city should host the national capital. This compromise — creating a new city in federal territory rather than situating the capital in either major city — remains unique among national capitals worldwide.

— Geoscience Australia (government scientific agency)

The pattern of capital city concentration also reveals something about Australian urbanization: every state capital except Brisbane houses more than 48% of its state’s population. Melbourne’s dominance in Victoria (76.47%) and Perth’s dominance in Western Australia (79.02%) show how heavily Australians have concentrated in urban centers, particularly coastal capitals.

Related reading: Australian States vs Territories · List of Australian capital cities

Australia’s six states reveal stark economic contrasts, particularly in average incomes across states among full-time workers reaching about A$100,000 annually.

Frequently asked questions