Western Australia is the largest state in Australia occupying 32.9 percent of the land area of Australia. Map of Western Australia covers a total land area of 2,527,013 square kilometers (975,685 sq mi). It is the second-largest country subdivision in the world. The state is home to over 2.6 million inhabitants. The capital of the state is Perth. The city of Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia.
The first Europeans to visit Western Australia belonged to the Dutch Dirk Hartog expedition. Western Australia was initially established as Swan River Colony in 1829 by Captain James Stirling. Western Australia formally achieved statehood in 1901.
Fast Facts About Western Australia
- Name: Western Australia
- Capital: Perth (1,832,114 population) (2012)
- Population: 2,537,7000 (2014)
- Population Density: 0.94/km2 (2.4 /sq mi)
- Currency: Australian Dollar
- Largest Cities: (by population) Perth, Rockingham (a suburb of Perth), Mandurah, Banbury, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Albany
- Time Zone: UTC+8 (AWST) (does not observe DST)
Political Map of Western Australia
The largest state in Australia, Western Australia occupies the entire western third of the continent. The Political Map of Western Australia shares borders to the north by the Timor Sea, to the northwest and west by the Indian Ocean, and to the south by the portion of the Indian Ocean commonly called the Southern Ocean (or Antarctic Ocean) in Australia. To the east lie the deserts of the Northern Territory and South Australia.
Geography Map of Western Australia
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia occupying 32.9 percent of the land area of Australia. Map of Western Australia covers a total land area of 2,527,013 square kilometers (975,685 sq mi). The landscape of Western Australia is fairly diverse and varies from the wild and rugged to forests and vineyards. The long crystal-clear coastline with brilliant coral reefs makes Western Australia a large aquatic playground.
The largest deserts of Western Australia are the Great Sandy, Gibson, and Great Victoria expanses. Most of the rivers in Western Australia flow only during the rainy season, with the exception of the Fitzroy, Ord, and Swan Rivers.
- Land Area: (land) 976,790 sq miles (2,529,875 sq km) (water) 44,687 sq miles (115,740 sq km) (TOTAL) 1,021,478 sq miles (2,645,615 sq km)
- Bordering States/Territories: (2) Northern Territory, South Australia
- Geographic Center: About 278.63 miles (448.41 km) east of Meekatharra
- Highest Point: Mount Meharry 4,098 ft (1,249 m)
- Lowest Point: Lake Macleod −13 ft (-4 m)
Outline Map of Western Australia
The largest state in Australia, Western Australia occupies the entire western third of the continent. The total area covered by the state is 1,021,478 square miles. The state is home to over 2.6 million people. It shares borders to the north by the Timor Sea, to the northwest and west by the Indian Ocean, and to the south by the portion of the Indian Ocean commonly called the Southern Ocean (or Antarctic Ocean) in Australia. To the east lie the deserts of the Northern Territory and South Australia.
Cities Map of Western Australia
| Ranking | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perth, WA | 1,176,542 |
| 2 | Rockingham, WA | 60,767 |
| 3 | Mandurah, WA | 46,697 |
| 4 | Bunbury, WA | 45,299 |
| 5 | Kalgoorlie-Boulder, WA | 28,281 |
| 6 | Geraldton, WA | 25,436 |
| 7 | Albany, WA | 22,415 |
| 8 | Kwinana, WA | 17,375 |
| 9 | Broome, WA | 15,906 |
| 10 | Busselton, WA | 13,963 |