Leslie Massey
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, occupying around one-third of the continent's total area. Despite this, it is relatively underpopulated, with around 2.6 million people as of 2021, or 2.9 million as of June 2024, constituting 10.9% of the national total. The overwhelming majority of the population lives in the greater Perth area, which is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia. The rest of the state is sparsely populated. There are several factors contributing to the low population figures in Western Australia and the rest of the country. One is the slow migration process, which was restricted to people from the United Kingdom and other Europeans until 1973, making Australia a very distant and costly option compared to other countries. Another factor is the aridity of the region, with 85% of the population living within 30 miles of the coast and only 6.5% of Australia having soil suitable for farming.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population | 2.965 million as of June 2024, 2.66 million as of 2021 census |
| Population share | 10.9% of the national total in 2024 |
| Population density | Very low population density |
| Population concentration | Over 90% of the population live in the southwest corner, around 80% in the capital, Perth |
| Geography | Bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the northeast, and South Australia to the southeast |
| Land area | 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) or 2.5 million km2 (970 thousand sq mi) |
| Size relative to other states | Largest state in Australia, second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth |
| Size relative to other countries | Nearly as large as Europe, one-third the size of the entire continent of Australia |
| Climate | Diverse range of climates, including tropical, desert, and Mediterranean |
| Agriculture | 6.5% of Australia's soil is suitable for farming, but Western Australia has a strong agricultural sector |
| Water resources | Great Artesian Basin, one of the largest underground freshwater resources in the world |
| Economic model | Mining and primary industries are key drivers of the state economy |
| Remoteness | Isolated from the major cultural centres of Australia |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia's population density
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia, with a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi). It is the largest state in Australia and the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth. As of June 2024, the state had 2.965 million inhabitants, accounting for 10.9% of the national total. This equates to a population density of 1.17 persons per square kilometre.
The majority of Western Australia's population is concentrated in the southwest corner of the state, particularly in the greater Perth area. Perth is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia and serves as the state's capital. The city's population grew by 72,700 people (3.1%) in the 2023-24 financial year, driven primarily by net overseas migration and natural increase. The high population density in Perth contrasts with the rest of Western Australia, which is sparsely populated.
The relatively low population density outside of Perth can be attributed to various factors. One reason is the state's economic model, which involves living in wet areas and rotating labour to remote sites for resource extraction. This model limits economic complexity and cultural progression. Additionally, Western Australia is isolated from the major cultural centres of the east, and its connection to the rest of Australia is limited. The distance and time zone of Perth to other cities like Jakarta and Singapore also play a role in its separation.
Another factor influencing the population density is the climate and geography of Western Australia. The state has diverse climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley region, deserts in the interior, and a Mediterranean climate in the southwest and southern coastal areas. The combination of low rainfall and high temperatures in many areas restricts population distribution and agricultural activities to specific zones, such as the "comfortable zone" southwest of an imaginary line stretching north of Geraldton.
Despite the low population density, Western Australia has a significant economic impact. The state's mining sector, particularly iron ore mining, petroleum, and natural gas resources, drives the economy. Additionally, primary industries such as agriculture, pastoralism, forestry, and fishing contribute significantly to the state's economic growth.
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The economy and living conditions
Western Australia has a sophisticated economy driven by its resources and services sector. It is the world's largest iron-ore producer, accounting for 34% of the world's total. The state is also a significant producer of a wide range of other mineral and petroleum commodities, including gold, liquefied natural gas, coal, alumina, nickel, ammonia, and crude oil. In 2018-19, Western Australia's gross state product was A$260.6 billion, contributing 17.5% to Australia's GDP, making it the nation's most productive state.
The economy is closely linked to the abundance of natural resources found in the state, providing a comparative advantage in resource extraction and processing. The Western Australian economy is more capital-intensive than other states, with a higher gross state product per person. The state has also diversified its economy over the past 15 years, reducing its reliance on major export markets and insulating itself from fluctuations in world prices.
The primary industry is another significant contributor to the state's economy, including agriculture, pastoralism, forestry, and fishing. Western Australia is a major producer of wheat, accounting for almost half of the nation's total production in some years. Other significant agricultural outputs include wool, beef, lamb, barley, canola, lupins, oats, and pulses. However, agriculture constitutes only a small fraction of the state's economy due to limited water availability and infertile soils.
Tourism is also a strong economic driver, particularly in coastal locations outside of Perth. International tourism to Western Australia has been increasing above the national average, with a growth of 5.3% in the year ending June 2011, compared to a national average of 3.4%.
Western Australia offers a high standard of living with a combination of public and private health insurance. Perth, the state capital, is one of Australia's fastest-growing and most liveable cities, ranked eighth in the world for liveability in 2015. The state offers a comfortable lifestyle with a great climate, world-class beaches, food, and wine, as well as a vibrant cultural heritage and leading tourist attractions. It has more hours of sunshine than any other Australian capital city, with blue skies for most of the year.
Sporting events and activities are also an integral part of life in Western Australia, with popular sports including cricket, sailing, surfing, swimming, tennis, golf, and basketball. The state is home to large stadiums, golf courses, and Olympic-size swimming pools. Western Australia also has a burgeoning theatrical and musical scene, with several notable musicians, bands, and actors originating from the state.
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Perth and its role
Perth is the capital city of Western Australia and is the state's administrative centre for business and government. It is also the fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth as of 2023. The city is situated on the ancient country of the Whadjuk Noongar people, where Aboriginal Australians have lived for at least 48,000 years.
Perth's role as the state's capital and administrative centre has made it a dominant force in the Western Australian economy. The city's economic base and population size have also created development opportunities for businesses oriented towards local or more diversified markets. The service industries, including those related to the resources industry and, to a lesser extent, agriculture, provide most of the employment and income to the people of Perth.
Perth's development and prosperity, especially since the mid-1960s, have been driven by its role as the main service centre for the state's resource industries, which extract gold, iron ore, nickel, alumina, diamonds, mineral sands, coal, oil and natural gas. The city has also experienced significant population growth due to its role as the regional headquarters for mining operations.
Perth's mild and wet winters, with most of its annual rainfall between May and September, and hot, dry summers make it a great hub for regional economies. Its location in the same time zone as China and Singapore also contributes to its economic importance. The city is also a popular tourist destination, offering serene white-sand beaches, bustling art galleries, historic neighbourhoods, local wineries, unique wildlife, and accessible facilities and experiences for travellers of all abilities.
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Western Australia's geography
Western Australia (WA) is the largest state in Australia, covering 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) or roughly one-third of the nation's total area. It is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth. The state is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the northeast, and South Australia to the southeast. It has a diverse range of climates, from tropical conditions in the Kimberley region, deserts in the interior (including the Great Sandy Desert and the Gibson Desert), to a Mediterranean climate in the southwest coastal areas.
The geography of Western Australia is characterised by broad plateaus articulated by several mountain ranges, with immense deserts in the east. The Kimberley region in the far north is a multi-sectioned plateau, and the coastline is rugged and dangerous, with strong currents and tidal ranges of up to 39 feet (12 metres). The rolling inland areas are sparsely wooded and scattered with bristly grasses. The Yilgarn Craton, one of the oldest supercontinents on Earth, forms the bulk of Western Australia, merging with the Deccan Plateau of India, Madagascar, and Southern Africa. The Yilgarn block, a stable granite-gneiss shield area, constitutes most of the southwestern segment of the state, with a gently undulating plateau lying between 1,000 and 2,000 feet (300 and 600 metres) above sea level.
The Pilbara region, southwest of the Great Sandy Desert, features a rugged, arid landscape of ancient folded and uplifted rocks. The Hamersley Range in Karijini National Park showcases spectacular red gorges, and nearby, Mount Meharry stands as Western Australia's highest point at 4,111 feet (1,253 metres) above sea level. The Cape Range on the peninsula west of Exmouth Gulf presents a contrasting landscape of arid limestone ranges and gorges.
The Western Australian economy is largely driven by its mining sector, particularly iron ore, petroleum, and natural gas. Gold mining also remains significant. Outside of mining, primary industries such as agriculture, pastoralism, forestry, and fishing contribute significantly to the state's economy.
In terms of population, Western Australia is the fourth-most populous state, with 2,660,026 residents as of the 2021 census. However, the state is considered relatively underpopulated, with over 90% of its residents living in the southwest corner, particularly in the Perth metropolitan region, the state's capital and one of Australia's largest metropolitan regions. The sparse population outside the southwest is attributed to factors such as remoteness, limited water resources, and the economic model of rotating labour to remote sites for resource extraction.
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Historical context
Western Australia, the westernmost state of Australia, has a long and complex history that spans thousands of years. The region has a diverse range of climates, from tropical conditions in the Kimberley region to deserts in the interior, and a Mediterranean climate in the southwest and along the southern coast. The state is home to a variety of industries, including mining, agriculture, pastoralism, forestry, and fishing, and its population is heavily concentrated in the southwest corner, with the majority living in the state capital, Perth.
The human history of Western Australia began over 50,000 years ago, and possibly as early as 70,000 years ago, with the arrival of Aboriginal Australians on the northwest coast. These Indigenous Australians spread across the continent over thousands of years and were well-established in Western Australia by the time European explorers arrived in the early 17th century. The first recorded European contact in Western Australia occurred in 1616 when Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog landed on the west coast after being blown off course en route to Batavia (present-day Jakarta). Hartog left behind an inscribed pewter plate, which was later discovered in 1696 by Willem de Vlamingh.
Throughout the 17th century, other Dutch and British navigators explored the coast of what Abel Tasman named "New Holland" in 1644. Many of these early encounters were unintentional, as ships deviated from the Brouwer Route due to poor navigation and storms, resulting in numerous shipwrecks along the coast. In the late 18th century, British and French sailors began more intentional explorations of the Western Australian coast, including the Baudin expedition of 1800-1803, which produced the first published map featuring the full outline of Australia. Despite these early explorations, there was no lasting attempt to establish a permanent settlement in Western Australia until December 1826 when Major Edmund Lockyer led an expedition on behalf of the New South Wales colonial government. This expedition founded the port city of Albany and formally claimed the region for the British Crown.
The establishment of the Swan River Colony in 1829, which became the present-day capital, Perth, marked a significant step in the development of Western Australia. However, the harsh conditions faced by the early settlers resulted in minimal population growth until the discovery of gold in the 1880s, which attracted a significant number of people to the region. The construction of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, completed in 1903, further drove population and economic growth by providing water to the burgeoning goldfields regions. Western Australia gained self-government in 1890 and joined with other states to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Despite its vast land area, Western Australia remains sparsely populated outside of the southwest corner, including Perth. This has been attributed to factors such as remoteness, limited water resources, and the economic model centred around resource extraction. However, the state's population has continued to grow steadily, particularly after World War II, and it serves as a hub for regional economies due to its favourable time zone and pleasant weather.
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Frequently asked questions
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, with a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi).
As of the 2021 Australian census, Western Australia had a population of 2,660,026. This makes it the fourth most populous state in Australia.
Western Australia is isolated from the major cultural centres of the east. The state's population is also concentrated in the greater Perth area, which is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia. The rest of the state is sparsely populated due to a lack of water and a slow migration process.
Western Australia's economy is driven by its mining sector and primary industries. It has the world's largest iron ore mining industry and significant gold mining and petroleum and natural gas resources.
