Tasmania

For other uses, see Tasmania (disambiguation).
"Tassie" redirects here. For people with this surname, see Tassie (surname).
Not to be confused with Tanzania or Tasmannia.

Tasmania
lutruwita (palawa kani)[1]
State
Flag of Tasmania
Flag
Official seal of Tasmania
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
  • Tassie
  • The Apple Isle
  • The Holiday Isle
Motto: 
Ubertas et Fidelitas (Latin)
(English: Fertility and Faithfulness)
Location of Tasmania in Australia
Coordinates: 42°S 147°E / 42°S 147°E / -42; 147
CountryAustralia
Before federationColony of Tasmania
Federation1 January 1901
Named forAbel Tasman
Capital
and largest city
Hobart
42°52′50″S 147°19′30″E / 42.88056°S 147.32500°E / -42.88056; 147.32500
Administration29 local government areas
Demonym(s)
  • Tasmanian
  • Taswegian (colloquial)[2]
  • Vandemonian (humorous)[3]
Government
• Monarch
Charles III
• Governor
Barbara Baker
• Premier
Jeremy Rockliff (Liberal)
LegislatureParliament of Tasmania
• Upper house
Legislative Council
• Lower house
House of Assembly
JudiciarySupreme Court of Tasmania
Parliament of Australia
• Senate
12 senators (of 76)
• House of Representatives
5 seats (of 151)
Area
• Total
68,402 km2 (26,410 sq mi) (7th)
Highest elevation
(Mount Ossa)
1,617 m (5,305 ft)
Population
• March 2022 estimate
Increase 571,165[4] (6th)
• Density
8.9/km2 (23.1/sq mi) (4th)
GSP2020 estimate
• Total
Increase AU$32.102 billion[5] (8th)
• Per capita
Increase AU$59,779 (7th)
Gini (2016)44.8[6]
medium · 3rd
HDI (2021)Increase 0.921[7]
very high · 8th
Time zoneUTC+10:00 (AEST)
 • Summer (DST)
UTC+11:00 (AEDT)
Postal abbreviation
TAS
ISO 3166 codeAU-TAS
Symbols
BirdYellow wattlebird (unofficial)
(Anthochaera paradoxa)[9]
FlowerTasmanian blue gum
(Eucalyptus globulus)[10]
MammalTasmanian devil
(Sarcophilus harrisii)[8]
PlantLeatherwood (unofficial)
(Eucryphia lucida)[11]
Colour(s)Bottle Green (PMS 342), Yellow (PMS 114), & Maroon (PMS 194)[12]
     
MineralCrocoite
(PbCrO4)[13]
Websitetas.gov.au
Tasmania from space

Tasmania (/tæzˈmeɪniə/; palawa kani: lutruwita[14]) is an island state of Australia.[15] It is located 240 kilometres (150 miles) to the south of the Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world, and the surrounding 1000 islands.[16] It is Australia's smallest and least populous state, with 573,479 residents as of June 2023. The state capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area.[17] Tasmania is the most decentralised state in Australia, with the lowest proportion of its residents living within its capital city.[18]

Tasmania's main island was inhabited by Aboriginal peoples.[19] It is thought that Aboriginal Tasmanians became separated from the mainland Aboriginal groups about 11,700 years ago, after rising sea levels formed Bass Strait.[20] The island was permanently settled by Europeans in 1803 as a penal settlement of the British Empire to prevent claims to the land by the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.[21] The Aboriginal population is estimated to have been between 3,000 and 7,000 at the time of British settlement, but was almost wiped out within 30 years during a period of conflicts with settlers known as the "Black War" and the spread of infectious diseases. The conflict, which peaked between 1825 and 1831 and led to more than three years of martial law, cost the lives of almost 1,100 Aboriginal people and settlers.

Under British rule, the island was initially part of the Colony of New South Wales; however, it became a separate colony under the name Van Diemen's Land (named after Anthony van Diemen) in 1825.[22] Approximately 80,000 convicts were sent to Van Diemen's Land before this practice, known as transportation, ceased in 1853.[23] In 1855, the present Constitution of Tasmania was enacted, and the following year the colony formally changed its name to Tasmania. In 1901, it became a state of Australia through the process of the federation of Australia.

Today, Tasmania has the second smallest economy of the Australian states and territories, and comprises principally tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, education, and healthcare.[24] Tasmania is a significant agricultural exporter, as well as a significant destination for eco-tourism. About 42% of its land area, including national parks and World Heritage Sites (21%), is protected in some form of reserve.[25] The first environmental political party in the world was founded in Tasmania.[26]

  1. ^ "Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre – Official Aboriginal and Dual Names of places". Tacinc.com.au. 28 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Taswegian". Lexico OED. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Vandemonian". Lexico OED. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  4. ^ "National, state and territory population – March 2021". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 26 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  5. ^ "5220.0 – Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, 2019–20". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  6. ^ "6524.0.55.002 – Estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas, 2011–2016". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Government. 19 June 2018. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Sub-national HDI". Global Data Lab. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Proclamation of Tasmanian Devil as Tasmania's Animal Emblem" (PDF). Parliament of Tasmania. 25 May 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Tasmanian State Emblems". Parliament of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Proclamation of Tasmanian floral emblem". Tasmanian Government Gazette. Parliament of Tasmania. 27 November 1962. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  11. ^ Gray, Alan M. "Eucryphia lucida – Leatherwood". Australian Native Plants Society. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Sporting colours". Department of Premier and Cabinet. Tasmanian Government. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Proclamation of Tasmanian mineral emblem". Tasmanian Government Gazette. Parliament of Tasmania. 4 December 2000. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  14. ^ "Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre – Official Aboriginal and Dual Names of places". tacinc.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Tasmania". Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Islands". Geoscience Australia. 15 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  17. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2016–17: Main Features". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2017.
  18. ^ "Tasmania to 'rewrite' its population strategy as forecast sees state reaching target 15 years early". ABC News. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Aboriginal Life Pre-Invasion". www.utas.edu.au. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  20. ^ "Separation of Tasmania". Canberra: National Museum Australia. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  21. ^ Frank Bolt, The Founding of Hobart 1803–1804, ISBN 0-9757166-0-3
  22. ^ "Van Diemens Land". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  23. ^ "Convicts and the British colonies in Australia". Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  24. ^ "Estimated full time employment | Tasmania | economy.id". economy.id.com.au. State Growth Tasmania. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  25. ^ "Complete National Parks and Reserves Listings". Parks and Wildlife Service. 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  26. ^ Howes, Michael. "United Tasmania Group (UTG)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.