of Australia
in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of 983482 square kilometres (379,725 sq mi), it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.
South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland states and the Northern Territory
. It is bordered to the west by :Western Australia, to the north by the Northern Territory, to the north-east by Queensland
, to the east by New South Wales
, to the south-east by Victoria
, and to the south by the Great Australian Bight
and the Indian Ocean
.
1836 South Australia and Adelaide are founded.
1901 The British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia federate as the Commonwealth of Australia; Edmund Barton is appointed the first Prime Minister.
1911 Northern Territory is separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control.
1942 World War II: General Douglas MacArthur, at Terowie, South Australia, makes his famous speech regarding the fall of the Philippines, in which he says: "I came out of Bataan and I shall return".
1953 British nuclear test ''Totem 1'' detonated at Emu Field, South Australia.
1953 British nuclear test ''Totem 2'' is carried out at Emu Field, South Australia.
1965 Premier Tom Playford of South Australia loses power after 27 years in office.
1966 The Beaumont Children go missing from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, South Australia.
1983 The Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia kill 75.
2006 Mike Rann secures the first Labor majority government in South Australia since 1985 by winning the state election.