Lexi Webster
Western Australia is a state in Australia, covering the western third of the continent. It is the largest state in Australia, accounting for nearly one-third of the country's total area. The state is divided into several regions, including the Goldfields-Esperance region, known for its mining industry, and the Wheatbelt region, which relies heavily on agriculture. The capital of Western Australia is Perth, a city on the southwestern coast known for its beaches, parklands, and seafood. The state has a diverse range of climates, from the tropical north to the deserts in the interior, and is home to a variety of industries, including tourism, agriculture, and mining.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Area | 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) or 976,790 square miles (2,529,875 square kilometres) |
| Population | 2.6 million or 2.965 million (as of June 2024) |
| State Capital | Perth |
| Number of Regions | 9 or 14 |
| Borders | Indian Ocean to the north, west, and northwest; Timor Sea to the north; Northern Territory and South Australia to the east |
| Climate | Tropical, desert, Mediterranean |
| Economy | Mining, agriculture, tourism, sandalwood oil, live animal exports |
| Newspaper | The West Australian, Kalgoorlie Miner, The Weekend West, The Sunday Times, WAtoday |
| Radio Stations | ABC NewsRadio (6PB 585 AM), ABC Radio Perth (6WF 720 AM), Radio National (6RN 810 AM), ABC Classic FM (6ABC 97.7FM), Triple J (6JJJ 99.3FM), Triple M (6PPM), Nova 93.7 (6PER), Mix 94.5 (6MIX), 96FM (6NOW), AM 882 (6PR), AM 1080 (6iX), AM 1116 (6MM), Curtin FM 100.1, 6RTR FM 92.1, Sonshine FM 98.5 (6SON), 91.3 SportFM (6WSM) |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | Shark Bay |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia is a state in Australia
The state is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north, west, and northwest, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the northeast, and South Australia to the southeast. The Timor Sea makes up its northern coast. Western Australia has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley region, deserts in the interior (including the Great Sandy Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, and Great Victoria Desert), and a Mediterranean climate in the southwest and southern coastal areas. The northern section of the state experiences warm weather year-round, with distinct wet and dry seasons, while the southwest enjoys cool, mild winters and warm, breezy summers.
Western Australia has nine regions, established by the Regional Development Commissions Act 1993, which aim to promote their economic development and capture distinct socio-economic communities. Examples include the Goldfields-Esperance region, with an economy heavily based on mining, and the Wheatbelt region, which is agriculturally dependent. The state also has various systems for land management, information gathering, and election purposes, each with specific boundaries.
Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is known for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood. It is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia and is closer in distance and time zone to Jakarta and Singapore than to Sydney. Perth has a thriving media landscape, with several newspapers, radio stations, and television stations. The city also boasts a burgeoning theatrical and musical scene, having produced several notable musicians and bands.
Tourism forms a significant part of Western Australia's economy, attracting many international visitors. The state offers a range of attractions, from the dramatic Kimberley Region to the idyllic Rottnest Island and the wine and surf region of Margaret River. Western Australia also has the world's biggest plantations of Indian sandalwood and Australian sandalwood, contributing significantly to the international sandalwood oil market.
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It is the country's largest state
Western Australia is Australia's largest state, covering a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) or 976,790 square miles (2,529,875 square kilometres). It constitutes about one-third of the country's total area, yet only about 10% of Australia's population lives there. The state is home to a diverse range of climates and landscapes, from the tropical conditions in the Kimberley region to the deserts in the interior, including the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert, and the Great Victoria Desert. The southwest of the state experiences a Mediterranean climate, while the northern section enjoys warm weather year-round with distinct wet and dry seasons.
The capital of Western Australia is Perth, located on the southwestern coast. It is known for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood. Perth is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia, with over 2 million residents, and it is closer in distance and time zone to Jakarta and Singapore than to Sydney. The city has a burgeoning theatrical and musical scene, and notable musicians and bands hail from Western Australia, including Tame Impala, Birds of Tokyo, Bon Scott, and Troye Sivan.
The state has a population of over 2.6 million people, with the majority having British, Irish, or other European ancestors. Aboriginal peoples make up about 3% of the population, and a small number have Asian roots. Most people live in the southwestern quarter of the state, with around 80% residing in Perth. The remainder of the state is sparsely populated, with other cities including Albany, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and Bunbury.
Western Australia has a diverse economy, with tourism playing a significant role. The state welcomed 833,100 international visitors in the year ending March 2015, contributing to 12.8% of total international tourism to Australia. The UK, Singapore, and New Zealand are the top source markets for international visitors. The state also has the world's biggest plantations of Indian and Australian sandalwood, contributing about 40% of the international sandalwood oil market. Additionally, Western Australia accounts for about half of Australia's live cattle exports, driven by demand from Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
The Western Australian government has divided the state into nine regions for economic development purposes, excluding the Perth metropolitan region. These regions aim to capture distinct socio-economic communities, such as the Goldfields-Esperance region, which has an economy heavily based on mining, and the Wheatbelt region, which is dependent on agriculture. Western Australia's vast size and varied landscapes offer something for everyone, from the dramatic Kimberley Region to the idyllic Rottnest Island and the premium wine and surf region of Margaret River.
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The state capital is Perth
Western Australia is a state in Australia, and the state capital is Perth. Covering an area of 976,790 square miles (2,529,875 square kilometres), Western Australia occupies around one-third of the country's total area, making it the country's largest state. Despite this, only about 10% of Australia's population lives in Western Australia, with over 80% of the state's population residing in Perth.
Perth is situated on the southwestern coast of Western Australia, and it is one of the largest metropolitan regions in Australia. The city is known for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood. It is closer to Jakarta and Singapore than to Sydney, both in terms of distance and time zone.
Perth has a diverse range of radio stations on both AM and FM frequencies, including ABC stations such as ABC NewsRadio, ABC Radio Perth, and Triple J, as well as commercial and community stations. The city is also home to Western Australia's leading performance training institution, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), and has a burgeoning theatrical and musical scene.
The greater Perth area, including the Peel region, was the focus of travel restrictions during the Western Australian government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with police checkpoints set up at the borders to restrict non-essential travel.
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It is bordered by the Indian Ocean, Timor Sea, Northern Territory, and South Australia
Western Australia is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. The land border of Western Australia bisects mainland Australia, nominally along the 129th meridian east longitude (129° east). This land border divides Western Australia from the Northern Territory and South Australia. The Western Australian town closest to the border is Kununurra, which is about 25 kilometres west of the border with the Northern Territory. The settlement outside Western Australia that is closest to the border is Border Village, South Australia, which adjoins the border. The centre of Border Village is about 250 metres from the border, on the Eyre Highway.
The border between Western Australia and South Australia was determined in the early 20th century by the Western Australian Government Astronomer, Harold Curlewis, and the Government Astronomer for South Australia, G. F. Dodwell. They used wireless time signals to determine the position of the border between the two states, as close to the 129th meridian east as possible. The Deakin Obelisk, which determines the South Australian border with Western Australia, was also used to help establish the border.
The Northern Territory border with Western Australia lies approximately 127 metres west of the South Australian border with Western Australia. The border runs north in a series of steps until it reaches the River Murray. The total length of the state's eastern border is 1,862 kilometres. Western Australia has a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres and is Australia's largest state. It is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth, covering the western third of the continent.
Western Australia has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley, deserts in the interior (including the Great Sandy Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, and Great Victoria Desert), and a Mediterranean climate in the south-west and southern coastal areas. The state's interior is characterised by inland drainage, with the majority of lakes being saline playas (dried-up lake beds) rather than bodies of fresh water. Western Australia's mining sector and tourism industry are key drivers of the state economy.
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It is home to diverse climates and landscapes
Western Australia is home to diverse climates and landscapes. It is the largest state in Australia, occupying roughly one-third of the continent's total area. It extends about 1,490 miles (2,400 km) from the monsoonal, tropical north to the windswept coastal heaths of the far south. The northern and southern parts of Western Australia have contrasting climates, with the north experiencing tropical conditions with summer rainfall, and the south having a Mediterranean climate. The state also includes semi-arid to arid regions, as well as deserts in the interior, such as the Great Sandy Desert and the Gibson Desert.
The climate and landscapes of Western Australia are influenced by a belt of descending dry high-pressure system airflow, known as the Tropic of Capricorn, which divides the state into two distinct climatic zones. The northern part, characterised by monsoonal circulation, experiences warm and dry offshore winds in the winter months, while the summer months bring humid tropical onshore airflows, thunderstorms, and occasional cyclones, which contribute to the region's rainfall. The highest annual precipitation in Western Australia occurs in the extreme north, on the Mitchell Plateau in the Kimberley region, with a mean annual rainfall of more than 55 inches (1,400 mm).
The south-western region of Western Australia, including the city of Perth, has a Mediterranean climate influenced by the warm Leeuwin current. This region is known for its gently undulating landscape, featuring Proteaceous scrub-heaths, rich in endemic plant species, and mixed eucalypt woodlands. The south-western segment of the Yilgarn block is home to the state's only permanently flowing streams.
Western Australia also boasts a diverse range of flora and fauna. It is home to over 150 species of mammals, several hundred species of birds, and reptiles. Common marsupials include kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and possums. The state's coastal waters are inhabited by dugongs, dolphins, and whales. The wetlands of south-western Western Australia are a haven for waterbirds, including ducks, plovers, and herons. The state also has a rich variety of reptile species, with skinks and snakes being the most plentiful.
In terms of human geography, Western Australia has a population of approximately 2.965 million people as of June 2024, with over 90% of its residents living in the south-west corner, particularly in the Perth metropolitan area. The state is divided into several regions for economic development, land management, and political purposes, with nine defined regional areas established by the Regional Development Commissions Act in 1993. These regions capture distinct socio-economic communities, such as the Goldfields-Esperance region, which relies heavily on mining, and the Wheatbelt region, which is dependent on agriculture.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Western Australia is a state of Australia. It became a state in 1901.
Western Australia is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south, west, and northwest, and the Timor Sea to the north. The Northern Territory and South Australia lie to the east.
Western Australia is known for its idyllic Rottnest Island, the dramatic Kimberley Region, and the wine and surf region of Margaret River. Shark Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The capital of Western Australia is Perth, famed for its serene, uncrowded beaches, parklands, and fresh seafood.
