Palgrave Geopolitical Atlas: Australia

Australia is a resource-rich but demographically small state whose influence rests on alliances, institutions and regional partnerships. Three enduring tensions—continental scale with limited population, resource wealth tied to external markets and a Western heritage in an Asian geography—shape strategy. Since 1945, Canberra has moved from imperial dependence to US alliance integration and denser regional networking. Defense planning centers on deterrence by denial; AUKUS improves access to advanced capability while constraining autonomy in timing and sustainment. Influence is most tangible in the Pacific, where long-term investment embeds Australia in everyday state functions; in Southeast Asia, cooperation has grown but is bounded by local hedging and major-power competition. Globally, Australia contributes selectively through minilateral and multilateral forums. Influence hinges on dependable delivery that creates option-value, though partners sometimes prize clarity over hedging.