Western Australia

Western Australia is by far the largest state in Australia, covering roughly a third of the continent, yet it is sparsely populated and remote. Its capital, Perth, is one of the most isolated major cities in the world. The state is an economic giant, driven by vast mineral and energy resources.

Western Australia spans an enormous range of landscapes, from the Indian Ocean coastline and the wildflower-rich southwest to the iron-rich Pilbara, the Kimberley wilderness, and great interior deserts. The climate ranges from Mediterranean in the southwest to tropical in the north and arid in the center.

Western Australian culture combines a laid-back coastal lifestyle in Perth with a strong frontier and mining heritage. The state has deep Aboriginal roots, especially in the Kimberley, and a growing arts and food scene.

Inhabited by Aboriginal peoples for over 40,000 years, the area was settled by the British at the Swan River Colony in 1829. Gold rushes in the 1890s spurred growth, and it became a founding state of Australia in 1901, later booming on iron ore and natural gas.