>>2516627>>2516114The lower 48 of the USA is 3,119,885 sq mi (8,080,465 sq km) in total area (land+water) and 2,959,064 sq mi (7,663,941 sq km) in only land area (no coastal or internal waters added). Australia is 2,969,907 sq mi (7,692,024 sq km) in total area (all land+ all water area) and a land only area of either 2,916,746 sq mi (7,554,337 sq km) or 2,947,336 sq mi (7,633,565 sq km). Making it smaller in both total area and land only area than the lower 48, the only comparison that makes Australia slightly larger than the lower 48 is comparing the total area of Australia to the land only area of the lower 48. The lower 48 contains every biome and climate type on the planet (Koppen AF to EF), from glacier tundra to subtropical savanna and rainforest.
