Lexi Webster
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, occupying a third of the country's landmass. It is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth. The state has a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi) and a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley, deserts in the interior, and a Mediterranean climate in the coastal areas. Western Australia's size can be attributed to its history as an unwanted piece of land claimed by the British to keep it from the French. The state has a small population, with only one city, Perth, and the majority of its land is uninhabitable desert.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Land area | 2,527,013 square kilometres |
| Proportion of Australia's landmass | 1/3 |
| Population | 2.965 million |
| Population distribution | Over 90% live in the south-west corner |
| Population in the capital, Perth | 80% |
| Population born outside the state | Highest proportion of non-state born population of any Australian state |
| Climate | Tropical, desert, Mediterranean |
| Industries | Mining, agriculture, fishing, tourism |
| Flora and fauna | Diverse |
| Isolation | Perth is the world's most isolated city |
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What You'll Learn
Western Australia's size is a result of historical land claims
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, covering around a third of the country's landmass, or more than 2.5 million square kilometres. It is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth. So, why is Western Australia so big?
The size of Western Australia is, indeed, a result of historical land claims. The Dutch East India Company first explored the region in the 17th century. However, they deemed it unfit for settlement and ceded the land to the British, who wanted to prevent the French from claiming it. Thus, the British claimed Western Australia in 1827 and established the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital in 1829.
The colony was the last of the Australian colonies to become self-governing in 1890, and it federated with the other colonies in 1901. The Western Australian gold rushes of the late 19th century resulted in a significant population influx, and the development of the state's mining sector, which remains a key driver of the state's economy.
Today, Western Australia remains sparsely populated, with over 90% of its inhabitants living in the south-west corner, and around 80% in the state capital, Perth. The vast majority of the state is uninhabitable, consisting of deserts and arid regions.
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Most of the state is uninhabitable desert
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, covering a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi). This constitutes around a third of Australia's landmass, or over 20% of the contiguous US. Western Australia is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth.
Despite its vast size, most of Western Australia is uninhabitable desert. The state's interior is characterised by deserts, including the Great Sandy Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, and Great Victoria Desert. The region is dry and arid, with little water. The rest of the state is sparsely populated, with over 90% of the population living in the south-west corner, and around 80% living in the state capital, Perth.
The geography of Western Australia has been of interest since the 17th century when Dutch explorers first visited the region. However, the British claimed Western Australia in 1827, establishing the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital in 1829. The Western Australian gold rushes of the late 19th century brought a significant population influx, and the colony was granted self-governance in 1890.
Today, Western Australia's mining sector is a key driver of the state's economy, with the state boasting the world's largest iron ore mining industry. Other industries, such as agriculture, pastoralism, and tourism, also contribute significantly to the economy.
The state's isolation and diverse landscapes, including its unique flora and fauna, make it a popular tourist destination. Rottnest Island, known for its white sand beaches, is one of Australia's most popular tourist spots. The state is also home to the Super Pit, one of the world's largest man-made structures, which can be viewed from space.
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It has a rich mining history
Western Australia has a rich mining history. The state has a geological history dating back to 4.4 billion years ago when Hadean zircons were formed. The earliest direct known life on land, known as stromatolites, was created by microbes around 3.48 billion years ago.
The Western Australian gold rushes of the late 19th century brought a significant population influx to the state. Gold finds in the 1890s brought unprecedented numbers of people and amounts of capital to the state. Gold mining declined after 1904, and Western Australia went through a painful period of structural adjustment over the course of the following three decades. Mining began to take off again in the 1930s, and the primary sector experienced strong growth until the early 1970s.
Western Australia is the world's largest iron ore supplier, with multiple iron ore projects, especially in the Pilbara region in the north of the state. The bulk of iron ore production in Western Australia comes from the Pilbara region, with some mines also located in the Mid West and Kimberley regions, as well as in the Wheatbelt. Iron ore mining also took place at Wundowie and Koolyanobbing, feeding the Wundowie charcoal iron blast furnaces from 1948 to 1981. Koolyanobbing also supplied ore to a blast furnace at Kwinana from 1968 to 1982.
Western Australia's mining sector is a key driver of the state's economy. It accounted for 94% of the state's income from total merchandise exports in 2019-20. The state hosted 123 predominantly higher-value and export-oriented mining projects and hundreds of smaller quarries and mines. Iron ore was the most important commodity in Western Australia in 2019-20, accounting for 60% of sales in the state's mineral and petroleum industry. The petroleum sector was the second most important, consisting of oil and gas, followed by gold in third place.
Other major commodities include lithium, mineral sands, salt, coal, cobalt, rare earths, and diamonds. Western Australia was the world's largest producer of lithium in 2021-22, accounting for 52% of world production.
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The capital, Perth, is the most isolated city in the world
Western Australia is the largest state in the country, covering 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), which amounts to over a third of Australia's landmass. Most of the land is uninhabitable desert, and only around 80% of the population lives in the state capital, Perth.
Perth is the administrative centre for business and government in Western Australia, and with more than two million residents, it is one of the most isolated major cities in the world. The nearest city with a population of more than 100,000 is Adelaide, over 2,100 km (1,305 mi) away. Perth is geographically closer to both Timor-Leste (2,800 km or 1,700 mi) and Jakarta, Indonesia (3,000 km or 1,900 mi), than to Sydney (3,300 km or 2,100 mi). This isolation has contributed to the development of a distinct and tight-knit music scene in Perth, with famous performers such as the late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott, and bands like Tame Impala and Pendulum hailing from the city.
Perth's isolation also has some drawbacks. The city sometimes gets excluded from the Australian tour schedules of international performing artists. For example, Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour and Taylor Swift's Era’s Tour did not include Perth as a destination. Residents have also noted a lack of restaurant and artistic diversity, and some complain that Perth is culturally behind other cities.
Perth's economy has traditionally been centred around mining, petroleum, and agriculture, but it has been shifting towards service industries since the 1950s. The city's relative isolation has prevented the development of significant manufacturing industries, except those serving the immediate needs of its residents.
Despite its isolation, Perth has a high proportion of British- and Irish-born residents. At the 2021 Census, 169,938 England-born Perth residents were counted, ahead of Sydney, despite the latter having well over twice the population.
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Western Australia has a diverse landscape and climate
The landscape of Western Australia varies from stunning coastlines to the barren outback. The south is known for its tall-tree forests, amazing caves, wild coastline, and charming small towns. The interior, on the other hand, is a vast wilderness area featuring gorges, desert sands, and waterfalls. The southwestern section of the state is a significant forest region, with eucalyptus trees growing to immense heights. The interior consists mainly of sandy and stony deserts, partially barren and partially covered with acacia scrub and spiny grass, with little to no surface water.
The climate of Western Australia is generally hot and dry. The state is divided in half climatically by a belt of descending dry high-pressure system airflow, typically along the Tropic of Capricorn. The northern part experiences a summer rainfall pattern, with warm and dry offshore winds in the winter months due to Monsoonal circulation. In contrast, the summer months bring humid tropical onshore airflows, thunderstorms, and occasional cyclones, contributing most of the region's rainfall. The south, on the other hand, is characterised by winter rainfall.
Western Australia's geology has some of the oldest and most recent components. The Yilgarn craton of the Great Western Plateau is home to some of the oldest minerals in the world. The state also has a significant iron ore mining industry, the largest in the world, along with offshore petroleum and natural gas resources. Gold mining remains essential, and various other mineral commodities are mined, with Perth being a significant centre for associated services.
The state's landscape and climate have been influenced by its indigenous peoples, including the Noongar, Yamatji, Wangai, Ngaanyatjarra, and Kimberley cultures. Their practice of firestick farming, or mosaic burning, played a crucial role in reshaping the environment over tens of thousands of years. Unfortunately, the arrival of European colonists led to the exclusion of local Aboriginal groups, clearing of trees, and disruption of traditional cultural practices.
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Frequently asked questions
Western Australia is the westernmost state of Australia and the largest state in the country, occupying a third of Australia's landmass. It was originally a gift from Britain to the Dutch, who felt it was not worth settling, so the British claimed it to keep it from the French.
Western Australia has a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi). This makes it not only the largest state in Australia but also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth.
As of June 2024, Western Australia had a population of 2.965 million people, accounting for 10.9% of Australia's total population. Over 90% of the state's population lives in the southwest corner, and around 80% live in the state capital, Perth.
Western Australia has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley region, deserts in the interior (such as the Great Sandy Desert and the Gibson Desert), and a Mediterranean climate in the southwest and southern coastal areas. The state is divided climatically by a belt of descending dry high-pressure airflow, generally along the Tropic of Capricorn.
Western Australia boasts a diverse landscape with a vast coastline, a rich mining history, and a bountiful array of flora and fauna species. It is home to the world's largest man-made structures, such as the Super Pit, which can be seen from space. It also has the longest stretch of railway in the world, the Trans-Australian Railway, which covers 1,693 kilometers of isolated regions. Rottnest Island, known for its white sand beaches, is a popular tourist destination just off the coast of Perth.
