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I got very confused with the meaning of this sentence because of で. What does
it mean here?

> オーストラリアは大陸で、それから国です。
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question
particles copula
What is the meaning of で in this sentence
This 〜で is just connecting two です statements. Your sentence is basically just
contracting this

> オーストラリアは大陸です。そして、それから国です。 → Australia is a continent. It is also a country.
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It would be the conjunctive form of the auxiliary verb "だ" omitting the
connecting verb "有る" ( some suggest ある instead ), I think.

Now let's take at the [conjucating table of the auxiliary
”だ”.](https://www.kokugobunpou.com/%E5%8A%A9%E5%8B%95%E8%A9%9E/%E5%8A%A9%E5%8B%95%E8%A9%9E-13-%E3%81%A0/)

As you can see at [![the
picture](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uy8bP.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uy8bP.jpg),
だ in the conjunctive form is で and the suggested potential verb following
after is 有り( あり ( which is also too the conjunctive form of the verb "有る", or
ある meaning "thus being, there being" etc etc, perhaps. ））

So, the very formal "original sentence" would be

> オーストリアは大陸で有り（ます）,( or あります ), それから国です。

But since phonetically speaking uttering "有り” is overloaded, I think it has
become your

> オーストラリアは大陸で、それから国です。

* * *

Since I was asked why I use 有り、not 在り, I would like to [bring out an
site](http://sptt-latin-subjunctive.blogspot.jp/2013/05/blog-post.html), which
offers us a deep insight the difference between them.

From the site,

Regarding 有る、

>
> ２）＜そなわっていることが認められる（状態を保つ）＞は属性、所属、組成、性質、特徴、関係（所有を含む）に関連してくるが、高所から見れば１）の＜そなわっていること（もの）＞に特化された用法だ。つまりは、＜有る＞は＜モノ、コトにそなわっているの属性、組成、性質、特徴、関係（所有を含む）の存在を感じること＞をあらわす動詞ということになる。
>
> 試験がある
>
> 会議がある
>
> 事故があった
>
> などの＜ある＞＜あった＞の説明ができる。

The translation is

> 有る has the relationship with the meanings of its properties, belongings,
> compositions, characteristics, features, relationships ( including its
> possession ). In overall, the 有る makes its characterization in the former 1)
> "properties". 有る has the meaning of "feeling the existence" of properties,
> belongings, compositions, characteristics, features, relationships.
>
> There was an examination.
>
> There was a meeting.
>
> There was an accident.
>
> We can hereby use 有る of the above cases which means, "there be".

Whereas, the above site explains about 在る ( comparatively shortly )

>
> ＜在る＞は基本的に存在、所在でいいだろう。存在を示す＜在る＞は基本的な言葉だ。存在が先か認識が先かは哲学の問題だ。＜我思う、故に我あり＞。所在は場所を示す語で、＜XXに在る＞だ。

The translation is

> 在る would basically means its existence, "being there". 在る to mean its
> existence comes first. Should the existence come or the cognition come is
> the problem of its philosophy. --> "I think therefore I am". 所在｛しょざい｝ means
> its location such as "It is at XX."

The site summarizes as following.

> いずれにしても大和言葉＜あり＞は大きな動詞で、これに相当する動詞は英語（おそらく西洋語）にも中国語にもない。

The translation is

> Either way, Japanese Yamato Kotoba ＜あり＞ as a verb is so broad that the
> equivalent verb would not exist in any languages such as English even in
> Chinese.

**My conclusion**

Since Australia has the "property of being a landmass", I think here 有り would
be OK.

* * *

Edited : even though [大辞泉](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%9C%89%E3%82%8B-428392)
lines up Kanjis, according to Shokolade san ( former chocolate san? ), from
the comment line, "generally" ある is typed in Hiragana.

Thank you.

Have a good day.
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Use で to connect nouns and なadjectives. Basically it's like "and".

For example:

彼女｛かのじょ｝は綺麗｛きれい｝でとても優しい｛やさしい｝です。
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