List of diplomatic missions in Australia
Consulates were operating in Australian cities long before the Commonwealth of Australia was founded in 1901. The United States opened a consulate in Sydney in 1836, with other countries later following including Switzerland (1855), Germany (1879) and Japan (1896, in Townsville).

The diplomatic corps was first established in Canberra in 1936 when the United Kingdom appointed its first High Commissioner to Australia.[1] Canada appointed a representative in 1939[2] and the United States of America established a legation in 1940.[3] This was followed in early 1941 by Japan[4] [5] only for the legation to be closed in December 1941 with the entry of Japan into World War II. The period 1941-1945 saw additional legations opened by wartime allies China,[6][7] the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,[8] France[9] and the Netherlands[10] and the appointment of High Commissioners by New Zealand[11] and India.[12] In 1946, Australia and the United States upgraded their diplomatic relations to ambassadorial level and exchanged ambassadors in September of that year.[13] This was followed for the other non-Commonwealth permanent members of the UN Security Council, France, China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1948 [14] and by the late 1960s all existing legations in Canberra had been upgraded to embassies.
Initially residences and chanceries were in the Canberra suburbs of Red Hill and Forrest. The majority of missions are today in the lakeside suburb of Yarralumla or the suburb of O'Malley in the Woden Valley. Many countries have built their chanceries in distinctive architectural styles reflecting national traditions or aspirations.
Some countries have chosen not to establish an embassy in Canberra but instead operate a consulate in a major city, such as Melbourne.
As of December 2021, Canberra hosts 111 embassies/high commissions.
Diplomatic missions in Canberra
Embassies/High Commissions
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
Holy See
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia[15]
Laos
Lebanon
Libya
Lithuania
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Mexico
Mongolia
Morocco
Myanmar
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
North Macedonia
Norway
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tonga
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Other delegations or representative offices
European Union (Delegation)
Palestine (Delegation)
Taiwan (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia)
United Nations (Information Centre)[16]
Gallery
- Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- High Commission of Botswana
- Embassy of Brazil
- High Commission of Brunei
- Embassy of Cambodia
- High Commission of Canada
- Embassy of China
- Embassy of Croatia
- High Commission of Cyprus
- Embassy of Egypt
- High Commission of Fiji
- Embassies of Estonia and Finland
- Embassy of Germany
- Embassy of Greece
- Embassy of Hungary
- High Commission of India
- Embassy of Indonesia
- Embassy of Ireland
- Embassy of Japan
- High Commission of Malaysia
- Embassy of Mexico
- Embassy of Mongolia
- Embassy of Myanmar
- High Commission of New Zealand
- High Commission of Pakistan
- High Commission of Papua New Guinea
- Embassy of the Philippines
- Embassy of Poland
- Embassy of Saudi Arabia
- High Commission of Singapore
- High Commission of the Solomon Islands
- High Commission of South Africa
- High Commission of Sri Lanka
- Embassy of Switzerland
- Embassy of Timor Leste
- Embassy of Turkey
- High Commission of the United Kingdom
- Embassy of the United States
Consular missions
Brisbane
China
Italy
Japan
Nauru
Papua New Guinea
Taiwan (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office)
United Kingdom
Melbourne
Chile
China
Croatia
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Germany
Greece
Hungary (Consular office)[17]
India
Indonesia
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Malta
New Zealand
North Macedonia
Oman
Philippines[18]
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Taiwan (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office)
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States
Sydney
Argentina
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cuba
Czechia
Denmark
East Timor
Egypt
Fiji
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary (Consular office)[17]
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kazakhstan
Malaysia
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Samoa
Serbia
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Switzerland
Taiwan (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office)
Thailand
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vietnam
Non-resident embassies and high commissions
Resident in Tokyo unless otherwise listed
Angola (Singapore)[19]
Barbados (Ottawa)[20]
Bahrain (Jakarta)
Belarus
Benin[21]
Bolivia (Ottawa)
Burkina Faso
Central African Republic (Pretoria)
Chad (Beijing)
Cape Verde (Beijing)
Cameroon
Djibouti[22]
Dominican Republic (London)[23]
Eswatini (Kuala Lumpur)[24]
Equatorial Guinea (Beijing)
Eritrea (Beijing)
Ethiopia
Gambia (Riyadh)[25]
Guinea[26]
Guinea-Bissau (Beijing)
Guyana (Ottawa)
Haiti
Iceland (Reykjavik)
Jamaica[27]
Kazakhstan (Singapore)[28]
Kyrgyzstan
Lesotho (Kuala Lumpur)[29]
Madagascar (Port Louis)
Malawi[30]
Maldives (Colombo)[31][32]
Mali[33]
Marshall Islands (Suva)
Mauritania
Monaco (Monte Carlo)
Montenegro (Podgorica)
Namibia (Kuala Lumpur)
Nicaragua
Niger (New Delhi)
North Korea (Jakarta)
Oman[34]
Rwanda (Singapore)[35]
Sierra Leone (Beijing)
Senegal
Seychelles (New Delhi)[36]
Suriname (Jakarta)
Togo
Turkmenistan
Tajikistan
Tunisia (Jakarta)
Tanzania[37][38]
Uzbekistan (Singapore)[39]
Yemen (Jakarta)[40]
Closed missions
Host city | Sending country | Mission | Year closed | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Canberra | ![]() |
Embassy | 2018 | [41] |
![]() |
Embassy | 2013 | ||
![]() |
Embassy | 2021 | ||
![]() |
Embassy | 2021 | ||
![]() |
Embassy | 2008 | [42] | |
![]() |
Embassy | 2021 | ||
![]() |
Embassy | 1975 | [43][44] | |
![]() |
Embassy | 2012 | [45] | |
Adelaide | ![]() |
Consulate-General | 1990 | [46] |
![]() |
Consulate | 2006 | [47][48] | |
Brisbane | ![]() |
Consulate-General | 2010 | [46] |
Perth | ![]() |
Consulate-General | 1990 | [46] |
Sydney | ![]() |
Consulate-General | 2020 | [49] |
![]() |
Consulate-General | 2012 | [50] | |
![]() |
Consulate General | 2001 | [51] | |
Townsville | ![]() |
Consulate | 1908 | [52] |
References
-
- High Commissioner in Australia* The Argus (Melbourne), Friday 16 August 1935, page 9. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
-
- Appointments of Dominion High Commissioners* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 8 No 1 (January 1940), page 22. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
-
- History of the US and Australia* United States Department of State. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
-
- Appointment of Japanese Minister to Australia* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 10 No. 1 (January 1941), pages 19-20. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- Japense Minister in Australia* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 10 No. 6 (April 1941), pages 132-133. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- Exchange of Diplomatic Representatives Between Australia and China* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 11 No 2, page 52. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- Chinese Minister in Australia* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol 11 No 6 Page 151. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- Soviet Minister to Australia* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 14 No. 3 (March 1943) pages 61-62. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- French Minister Appointed to Australia* Advocate (Burnie) October 25, 1944, Page 5. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- To Open Dutch Legation in Canberra* Advocate (Burnie), February 16, 1942 page 2. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- New Zealand High Commissioner* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 14, No.3 (March 1943) page 62. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
-
- Indian High Commissioner* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 15 No. 5 (June 1944), pages 141-142. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- "History of the U.S. and Australia - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Australia".
-
- Raising of Legations to Status of Embassies* Current Notes on International Affairs, Vol. 19, No 3 (March 1948) page 144. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- "Opening up of embassy in Australia is a confirmation of Latvia's determination to strengthen bilateral relations". The Baltic Times. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- "United Nations Information Centre Canberra". United Nations. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- "Consular Services".
- "New PH Consulate opens temporary office in Melbourne CBD | The Philippine Times".
- "Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". dfat.gov.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- "Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". dfat.gov.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
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- "The President's Office - President appoints Non-Resident Ambassador for Australia". www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
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- "Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". dfat.gov.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
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- "Canberra, Australia: Pyongyang seeking to reopen North Korea embassy Down Under".
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- "Gaceta del Senado".
- "Mission & History of the Consulate-General of Japan, Sydney".
External links
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