As posted on the band's website, Iron Maiden announce their most ambitious and extraordinary touring plans ever -- and are very pleased to announce that this will include Australia for the first time in 15 years!

The 'Somewhere Back In Time' World Tour 2008 will be in three sections, starting in February and March 2008 with the first leg encompassing major concerts in 20 selected cities on five continents in seven weeks including India, Japan, North America, Central and South America, and, of course, Australia, opening in Perth on Feb 4 and continuing through Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane:

Somewhere Back In Time, AUSTRALIA 2008

February :-
Monday 4th, Burswood Dome, Perth
Wednesday 6th, Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Saturday 9th, Acer Arena, Sydney
Tuesday 12th, Entertainment Centre, Brisbane

The tour then continues with more concerts in North America in late May and June before finishing with a third leg in July and August encompassing major stadiums and festivals all over Europe. During the tour the band is expected to play to well over one and a half million fans and travel close to 100,000 miles.

For further comments by the band, click here.

UPDATED:
According to a posting on the Iron Maiden fan site MaidenFans.com, Iron Maiden will headline the "metal day" at the Rock In Rio festival in Madrid and Lisbon as part of its recently announced "Somewhere Back in Time Tour 2008". Apparently those are the only shows the band will play in Spain and Portugal.

In other news, it has reportedly been announced that Iron Maiden will play a mega-concert at the Universitario de Caracas stadium in Caracas, Venezuela as part of its 2008 world tour.

Source:	ironmaiden.com
Band profile:	Iron Maiden
Event:	Iron Maiden: Somewhere Back In Time World Tour