Western Australia
Flag Coat of Arms
Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State or the "Golden State"
Other Australian states and territories
Capital	Perth
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Governor	Ken Michael
Premier	Alan Carpenter (ALP)
Federal representation
- House seats	15
- Senate seats	12
Gross State Product (2006-07)
- Product ($m)	$127,775[1] (4th)
- Product per capita	$61,490 (3rd)
Population (September 2007)
- Population	2,118,500 (4th)
- Density	0. The current state flag of Western Australia was officially adopted by the government of Western Australia in 1953. The Coat of arms of Western Australia is the official coat of arms of the Australian State of Western Australia. The following is a list of Australian state and territory slogans. The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government There are eight capital cities in Australia, all of which function at a sub-national level Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution which dates from 1890 although it has been amended many times since then A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia 's Monarch Queen Elizabeth II. Kenneth Comninos Michael, AC (born 1938 is the 30th Governor of Western Australia, succeeding Lieutenant-General John Sanderson. The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. Alan John Carpenter (born 4 January 1957 Australian politician was the 28th Premier of Western Australia from 26 January 2006 until 23 September 2008 The Parliament of Australia or Commonwealth Parliament is the legislative branch of government of Australia. The House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers of the Parliament of Australia; it is the Lower house, the Upper house being the Senate The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 83/km² (7th) 2. 1 /sq mi
Area
- Total	2,645,615 km² (1st) 1,021,478 sq mi
- Land	2,529,875 km² 976,790 sq mi
- Water	115,740 km² (4. 37%) 44,687 sq mi
Elevation
- Highest	Mount Meharry 1,249 m AHD (4,098 ft)
- Lowest
Time zone	UTC+8 (UTC+9 DST)
Abbreviations
- Postal	WA
- ISO 3166-2	AU-WA
Emblems
- Floral	Red and Green Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii)[2]
- Mammal	Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus)
- Bird	Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
- Fossil	Gogo Fish
- Colours	Gold and Black (from the State Badge)
Web site	www.wa.gov.au

Western Australia is Australia's largest state in area, covering the western third of the mainland, and is bordered by South Australia and the Northern Territory. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. Mount Meharry is the highest mountain in Western Australia. It is located within the southeastern part of Karijini National Park of the Pilbara region The Australian Height Datum is a Geodetic datum for Altitude measurement in Australia. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit UTC+8 is a band of Timezones separated from the Greenwich Mean Time by 8 hours UTC+9 is a Time zone used for the following locations Single-zone Countries East Timor Japan (JST— Japan Daylight saving time ( DST ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO Anigozanthos manglesii, commonly known as the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw or Mangles Kangaroo Paw, is a plant species endemic to Western The Numbat ( Myrmecobius fasciatus) is a small Marsupial endemic to Western Australia. The Black Swan ( Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Gogonasus (meaning "snout from Gogo" was a Lobe-finned fish known from 3-dimensionally preserved 380 million-year-old fossils found from the Gogo Formation In Australia state colours are frequently part of a state or territory's set of State symbols. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions It is, after the Sakha Republic in Russia, the second largest subnational entity in the world. The Sakha Republic (Yakutia (Респу́блика Саха́ (Яку́тия Саха Республиката is a federal subject of Russia (a Republic Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Examples of administrative divisions English terms In many of the following terms corresponding to British cultural influence areas of relatively low mean population Despite this the population is only 2,105,800 making up 10% of Australia's total population.

The people of Western Australia, West Australians or Western Australians, are often colloquially referred to as sandgropers because of the insect found on sand dunes around Perth. Sandgropers are wholly subterranean Larviform Insects of the family Cylindrachetidae that may grow up to 7  cm (3  ^[3]

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 People 4 Economy 5 Government 5.1 Secession 6 Native species 6.1 Fauna 6.1.1 Birds 6.2 Flora 6.2.1 Algae 7 Education 8 Media 8.1 Print 8.2 Television 8.3 Radio 9 Sport 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

Geography

Main article: Geography of Western Australia

The bulk of Western Australia consists of the extremely old Yilgarn craton and Pilbara craton which merged with the Deccan of India, Madagascar and the Karoo and Zimbabwe cratons of Southern Africa, in the Archean Eon to form Ur, one of the oldest Supercontinents on Earth (3,200-3,000 million years ago). Western Australia occupies nearly one third of the Australian continent The Yilgarn Craton is a large Craton which constitutes the bulk of the Western Australian land mass The Pilbara craton (the Pilbara province in northwest Western Australia) along with the Kaapvaal craton (the Kaapvaal province of South Africa Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern The Karoo (a Khoisan word of uncertain etymology) is a semi- Desert region of South Africa. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election Southern Africa is the Southernmost Region of the African Continent, variably defined by Geography or Geopolitics. Ur is the first known continent that probably formed 3 billion years ago in the early Archean Eon. In Geology, a supercontinent is a Landmass comprising more than one Continental core or Craton. Because the only mountain-building since then has been of the Stirling Range with the rifting from Antarctica, the land is extremely eroded and ancient, with no part of the State today above 1,245 metres (4,085 ft) AHD (at Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range of the Pilbara region). Orogeny (Greek for "mountain generating" is the process of natural Mountain building and may be studied as a tectonic structural event as a geographical event and The Stirling Range or Koikyennuruff is a range of mountains and hills in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, 337 km south-east of The Australian Height Datum is a Geodetic datum for Altitude measurement in Australia. Mount Meharry is the highest mountain in Western Australia. It is located within the southeastern part of Karijini National Park of the Pilbara region The Hamersley Range is a mountainous region of the Pilbara, Western Australia. For the Fly Genus, see Pilbara (fly. The Pilbara is a Most parts of the State form a low plateau with an average elevation of about 400 metres (1,200 ft), very low relief, and no surface runoff. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting This descends relatively sharply to the coastal plains, in some cases forming a sharp escarpment (as with the Darling Range/Darling Scarp near Perth). The Darling Scarp (previously known as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges) is a low Escarpment running north-south to the east of the

The extreme age of the landscape has meant that the soils are remarkably infertile and frequently laterised. Soil, often typeset as SOiL, is a four piece rock band from Chicago Illinois United States founded by Shaun Glass Tom Schofield Tim King and Adam Zadel Laterite (from the Latin word "later" meaning brick or tile is a surface formation in hot and wet tropical areas which is enriched in Iron and Aluminium Even soils derived from granitic bedrock contain an order of magnitude less available phosphorus and only half as much nitrogen as soils in comparable climates in other continents. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet usually the Earth. Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions Soils derived from extensive sandplains or ironstone are even less fertile, being even more devoid of soluble phosphate and also deficient in zinc, copper, molybdenum and sometimes potassium and calcium. Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles Ironstone is a fine-grained heavy and compact Sedimentary rock. Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Molybdenum (məˈlɪbdənəm from the Greek word for the metal " Lead " is a Group 6 Chemical element with the symbol Mo Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20

The infertility of most of the soils has required heavy inputs of chemical fertilisers, particularly superphosphate, insecticides and herbicides, which, with the ensuing damage to invertebrate and bacterial populations, and compaction of soils through heavy machinery and hoofed mammals has done great damage to the fragile soils. Western Australia 's population is mainly concentrated in the south west. Superphosphate is a Fertilizer produced by the action of concentrated Sulfuric acid on powdered Phosphate rock. An insecticide is a Pesticide used against Insects in all developmental forms A herbicide is used to kill unwanted Plants Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired Crop relatively unharmed An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have Soil compaction occurs when weight of Livestock or heavy machinery compresses Soil, causing it to lose Pore space The massive clearing of the land has not only damaged habitats for native flora and fauna, making the South West region of the state that with the greatest percentage of flora and fauna rare, threatened or endangered in Australia, and one of the biodiversity "hot spots" in the world, it has also led to major problems with dryland salinity and the loss of fresh water. Salinity is the Saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of Water. (See Southwest Australia)

The southwest coastal area is relatively temperate and was originally heavily forested, including large stands of the karri, one of the tallest trees in the world. This article is about an ecoregion for other uses see Southwest Western Australia. This article is about the drainage division; * For the governmental region see South West * For the ecoregion see Southwest Australia Karri ( Eucalyptus diversicolor) is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia. This agricultural region of Western Australia is in the top nine terrestrial habitats for terrestrial biodiversity with a higher proportion of endemic species than most other equivalent regions, and thanks to the offshore Leeuwin Current, numbers in the top six regions for marine biodiversity, containing the most southerly coral reefs in the world. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere Leeuwin Current is a warm Ocean current which flows southwards near the western coast of Australia. Annual rainfall varies from 300 millimetres (12 in) at the edge of the Wheatbelt region to 1,400 millimetres (55 inches) in the wettest areas near Northcliffe, but in the months of November to March evaporation exceeds rainfall and it is generally very dry. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Wheatbelt region is one of the nine Regions of Western Australia. Plants must be adapted to this as well as the extreme poverty of all soils. A major reduction in rainfall has been observed, with a greater number of rainfall events in the summer months (see Southwest corner of Western Australia). This article is about the drainage division; * For the governmental region see South West * For the ecoregion see Southwest Australia This may be due to Climate change. Climate change is any long-term significant change in the “average weather” that a given region experiences

The central four-fifths of the State is semi-arid or desert, and is lightly inhabited with the only significant activity being mining. A Semi-arid climate or steppe climate generally describes climatic regions that receive low annual Rainfall (250-500 mm or 10-20 in A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. Annual rainfall here averages about 200 to 250 millimetres (8–10 in) but is very erratic because most of it is produced in torrential falls by cyclones in the summer months that are often unreliable. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding

An exception to this is the northern tropical regions. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 The Kimberley has an extremely hot monsoonal climate with average annual rainfall ranging from 500 to 1,500 millimetres (20–60 in), but there is a very long almost rainless season from April to November. The Kimberley is one of the nine Regions of Western Australia. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Almost all (85%) of the State's runoff occurs in the Kimberley, but because it occurs in violent floods and due to the insurmountable poverty of the generally shallow soils, the only development has taken place along the Ord River with an ambitious scheme that has only recently begun to pay off. Surface runoff is a term used to describe when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess Water, from Rain, Snowmelt, or other sources flows A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge The Ord River is a 320-kilometer-long river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Snow is only a regular occurrence on the Stirling Range near Albany, as it is the only mountain range far enough south and with sufficient elevation. The Stirling Range or Koikyennuruff is a range of mountains and hills in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, 337 km south-east of Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast More rarely, snow can fall on the Porongurup Range. Porongurup is a national park in Western Australia ( Australia) 360 km southeast of Perth and 40 km from Albany Western Australia. Snow outside these areas is a major event; it usually occurs in hilly areas of southwestern Australia. The most widespread low-level snow occurred on 26 June 1956 when snow was reported in the Perth Hills, as far north as Wongan Hills and as far east as Salmon Gums. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Perth Hills is a term used primarily for marketing purposes to identify that part of the Darling Scarp and hinterland east of the scarp that lies within the shires of Mundaring Salmon Gums is a small town in Western Australia located 106 km north of Esperance on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway. However, even in the Stirling Range, snowfalls rarely exceed 5 cm (2 in) and rarely settle for more than one day. ^[4]

Highest maximum temperature: 50. 5 °C (122. 9 °F), Mardie, Pilbara, 61. For the Fly Genus, see Pilbara (fly. The Pilbara is a 6 kilometres (38. 3 mi) from Barrow Island, 19 February 1998

Lowest minimum temperature: -6. Barrow Island is a Island located northwest off the coast of Western Australia. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) 7 °C (19. 9 °F), Booylgoo Springs, 187. 3 kilometres (116. 4 mi) from Meekatharra, 12 July 1969 [1]

History

Main articles: History of Western Australia and Aboriginal history of Western Australia

The first inhabitants of Australia arrived from the north approximately 40,000 to 60,000 years ago. Meekatharra is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. See also Aboriginal History of Western Australia See also History of Perth Western Australia The human history of Western Australia spans between the The history of the indigenous inhabitants of Western Australia has been dated for tens of thousands of years prior to European contact Sir John Forrest GCMG (22 August 1847 – 2 September 1918 was an Australian explorer the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia Over thousands of years they eventually spread across the whole landmass. These Indigenous Australians were well established throughout Western Australia by the time European ships started accidentally arriving en-route to Batavia (now Jakarta) in the early seventeenth century. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia.

The first European to visit Western Australia was a Dutch explorer, Dirk Hartog who on 26 October 1616 landed at (what is now known as) Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island. The Dutch people ( Dutch:) are the dominant Ethnic group of the Netherlands. Dirk Hartog (1582 — 1631 was a 17th century Dutch sailor and Explorer, Dirk Hartog's expedition was the second European group to land on Australian Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death For the rest of the 17th century there were many other Dutch travellers who also, usually unintentionally, encountered the coast. By the late 1700s, British and French sailors had also begun to explore the Western Australian coast. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

The origins of the present state began with the establishment of a British settlement at King George Sound in 1826 (later named Albany from 1832). King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast The settlement was founded in response to concern about the possibility of a French colony being established on the coast of Western Australia.

In 1829, the Swan River Colony was established on the Swan River by Captain James Stirling. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829 Bold text' ]] ==Family background==He was the fifth son of eight of the fifteen children of Andrew Stirling Esq By 1832, the British settler population of the colony had reached around 1,500. The two separate townsites of the colony developed slowly into the port city of Fremantle and the Western Australian capital city Perth. Fremantle (commonly known as Freo is a Port City in Western Australia, located southwest of Perth, the state capital at the mouth of

Population growth was very slow until significant discoveries of gold were made in the 1890s around Kalgoorlie. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79

In 1887, a new constitution including the right of self-governance was drafted and in 1890, the Act granting self-government to the colony was passed by the British House of Commons. A self-governing colony is a Colony with an elected Legislature, in which Politicians are able to make most decisions without reference to the The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords John Forrest became the first Premier. Sir John Forrest GCMG (22 August 1847 – 2 September 1918 was an Australian explorer the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia.

Following a campaign led by Forrest, residents of the Colony voted in favour of the Federation of Australia and became a State of Australia on 1 January 1901. The federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting

People

The first inhabitants of what is now Western Australia were Indigenous Australians, from a wide variety of language and kin groups — for example, the Nyungah in the south west, the Wongai in the central Desert, the Malkana in Shark Bay. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. The Noongar (alternate spellings Nyungar / Nyoongar / Nyoongah / Nyungah / Nyugah) are an Indigenous Australian people who live Wangai, Wongai or Wankai is the name given by themselves to the 26 Aboriginal groups of the Goldfields of Western Australia. These groups retain significant presences throughout the state and, in some areas — e. g. , the Kimberley — continue to form the majority of the local population. The Kimberley is one of the nine Regions of Western Australia.

Europeans began to settle permanently in 1826 when Albany was founded by the British to forestall French claims to the western third of the continent. Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast Perth was founded as the Swan River Colony in 1829 by British and Irish settlers, though the outpost languished, eventually requesting convict labour to augment its population. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829 British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Irish Australians are the third largest Ethnic group in Australia, after Australian and English During the late 18th and 19th centuries large numbers of Convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government Even with this, Western Australia did not receive significant flows of migrants from Britain, Ireland or elsewhere in the British Empire until the early twentieth century when local projects — such as the Group Settlement Scheme of the 1920s which encouraged farmers to settle the south west — increased awareness of Australia's western third as a destination for colonists. Immigration to Australian continent is estimated to have begun around 50000 years ago when the ancestors of Australian Aborigines arrived on the continent via the islands of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Western Australia also benefitted demographically from a mining boom in the Goldfields underpinned by interstate migration from the 1890s onward. The Goldfields-Esperance region is one of the nine Regions of Western Australia.

Led by migrants from the British Isles, Western Australia's population developed exponentially during the twentieth century, though at a much slower pace than other parts of Australia. Nonetheless, like the eastern states, Western Australia received large numbers of Italians, Yugoslavs and Greeks after the World War II. Italian Australians are one of the largest Ethnic groups in Australia. Croatia has been a source of migrants to Australia particularly in the 1960s and 1970s Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian" World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Despite this, settlers from Britain have contributed the greatest number of migrants to this day, and Western Australia — particularly Perth — has the highest proportion of British-born of any state: 10. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term 9 per cent in 2001, compared to a national average of 5. 3 per cent. This group is heavily concentrated in certain parts of the metropolitan area such as Joondalup where they account for a quarter of the population. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Joondalup is a northern suburb and regional city in Perth, Western Australia.

In terms of ethnic groups, 2001 census data reveal that Western Australia is highly diverse: the largest single group was those reporting English ancestry or ethnicity, accounting for 733,783 responses (32. 7 per cent), followed by Australian with 624,259 (27. 8 per cent), Irish with 171,667 (7. Irish Australians are the third largest Ethnic group in Australia, after Australian and English 6 per cent), Italian with 96,721 (4. Italian Australians are one of the largest Ethnic groups in Australia. 3 per cent), Scottish with 62,781 (2. The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland. 8 per cent), German with 51,672 (2. German Australians constitute one of the largest ethnic groups in Australia, numbering 811540 or 4 3 per cent) and Chinese with 48,894 responses (2. A Chinese Australian is an Australian of Chinese heritage In the 2006 Australian Census, 669890 Australian residents (or 3 2 per cent). There were 58,496 Indigenous Australians in Western Australia in 2001, forming 3. 1 per cent of the population.

In terms of birthplace, 32. 9 per cent of the population were born overseas — far higher than the Australian average of 23. 1 per cent. 10. 9 per cent of West Australians were born in Britain, 2. 4 per cent were born in New Zealand and 1. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island 2 per cent were born in Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

Perth's metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1. 50 million in 2006 which was almost three quarters of the state's population. The Perth metropolitan area has grown to include the port of Fremantle and the town of Rockingham. Fremantle (commonly known as Freo is a Port City in Western Australia, located southwest of Perth, the state capital at the mouth of Rockingham is a suburb and regional centre south-west of the Perth city centre and south of Fremantle. Other important or well-known centres include Mandurah (pop. Mandurah is a city in Western Australia located approximately south of the state capital Perth, Western Australia. 54,000), Bunbury (the fastest growing city/town in Australia as of 2008), Kalgoorlie, Albany, Geraldton, Port Hedland and Broome, but these are all relatively small cities or towns. The port of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after Mandurah and Perth the state capital Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast Port Hedland is the highest tonnage port in Australia and largest town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, with a population of approximately 14000 (this includes For other places and usages see Broome. Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, 2200 km north

Economy

See also: Mining in Western Australia

Western Australia has the highest per capita output of any Australian state, with an economy that has been largely based on the extraction and export of mining and petroleum commodities, especially, iron, alumina, natural gas, nickel and gold. The Western Australian mining industry is the largest and most diversified resource industry in Australia Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Nickel (ˈnɪkəl is a metallic Chemical element with the symbol Ni and Atomic number 28 Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Western Australia is a leading alumina extractor, producing more than 20% of the world's alumina. It is also the world's third-largest iron ore producer, producing around 15% of the world's total iron ore output. Western Australia also extracts up to 75% of Australia's 240 tonnes of gold. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Diamonds are extracted at Argyle diamond mine in the North West. The Argyle Diamond mine ( is a Diamond mine located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Coal is mined at Collie and used for domestic power production. Collie is a town in the South West region of Western Australia, south of the state capital Perth, and inland from the regional city and port of

Western Australia's economy recently has benefited from an unprecedented amount of foreign demand for resources, particularly from China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National This has contributed to strong GSP growth. Gross state product (or gross regional product) is a measurement of the economic output of a state or Province. ^[5] Perth has emerged as a significant administration centre for businesses in the mineral and oil and gas industries.

Agricultural exports are also important (amounting to approximately 3% of GSP), especially wheat, barley and sheep products such as wool and meat. Approximately 50% of Australia's live cattle exports come from WA. In recent years, tourism has grown in importance, with the majority of visitors coming from the United Kingdom and Ireland, Singapore, Japan and Malaysia. Tourism in Australia is a large sector of the economy In 2003/04 the Tourism industry represented 3

Western Australia, with about 10% of Australia's population, has historically generated approximately 30% of Australia's export revenues, however the recent commodities boom has pushed this figure to now exceed 40%. The State now generates more export income than New South Wales and Victoria (Australia's two most populous states) combined. High incomes, strong corporate activity, lower unemployment, mineral revenue and a younger population mean that Western Australia provides a significant financial subsidy to all other states. The economic boom in Western Australia is so strong that a significant labour shortage has emerged. The state government has launched an appeal for more people to move to the growing state at www.gowestnow.com. Very high levels of job vacancies have emerged and unless skilled workers can be found, the state government fears that significant economic opportunities may be lost. The average full time income for a Western Australian in 2007 was A$61,662, compared to the national average of A$57,387, and was ranked 2nd nationwide behind the Australian Capital Territory. } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory ^[6]

This boom has also caused a massive rise in property values. Average residential property increased in value by over 40% in 2006, however values have remained rather flat in 2007. Perth property is now the second most valuable in Australia behind Sydney. Large projects continue to fuel the economy and population growth continues to push rental prices up.

Significant refining and manufacturing industries are located within the state and are continuing to grow strongly with the state's booming economy. These include Liquified natural gas production mainly for export to Asia, Petro chemicals and fertilizer Production in the North West Shelf region. Not to be confused with Natural Gas Liquids (NGL Liquefied natural gas or LNG is Natural gas (primarily Methane, CH4 In September 2007, Hu Jintao, the President of China visited Western Australia and committed to the purchase of AUD$45 Billion worth of gas over a lengthy period. Hu Jintao ( born 21 December 1942 is currently the Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China, holding the titles of General Secretary of the Communist This is the largest export contract Australia has ever had.

A major heavy industrial area is located south of Perth at Kwinana. Kwinana is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and Oil Refining is conducted here along with an ironplant owned by Rio Tinto. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Alumina and Nickel are also produced in Kwinana. Shipbuilding is conducted at Austal yards in Henderson south of Fremantle. Austal is an Australian company that specializes in shipbuilding especially the design and construction of aluminium vessels Henderson is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn. Fremantle (commonly known as Freo is a Port City in Western Australia, located southwest of Perth, the state capital at the mouth of Several heavy and light engineering and metal fabrication factories are located in Perth catering for the demands of the mining industry. Other light industries include cement and building product manufacturing, flour milling, food processing, animal feed production, automotive body building, printing and boat building.

Several major along with smaller specialised breweries are located mainly in Perth including Swan Brewery at Canning Vale, Carlton United Brewing at Mosman Bay others include Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle and Gage Roads Brewery also Fremantle. Western Australia also has major wine producing regions in the South West located in the Margaret River region and Swan Valley. Margaret River is a town and river in the South West of Western Australia, located south of Perth, the state capital Several wineries produce wine for local consumption and international export.

Western Australia has a significant fishing industry that produces fish for local consumption and foreign export including Western Rock Lobsters, Prawns, Crabs, Shark and Tuna. Processing is conducted along the west coast. Whaling ceased at Albany in 1978. Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast

Perth is a centre for banking and finance, and includes state head offices for all major banks, Commonwealth, National Australia Bank, Westpac and ANZ. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia ( is the largest bank in Australia. National Australia Bank (or NAB) is the second largest financial institution by market capitalisation in Australia after Commonwealth Bank. This article is about the bank For the defunct airline see Western Pacific Airlines. The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited () commonly called ANZ, is the fourth largest Bank in Australia, after the National Australia It is also home to the Head Office of Woodside Petroleum and has major offices for Rio Tinto, BHP and Western Mining Corporation. Woodside Petroleum Limited is an Australian Petroleum exploration and production company Rio Tinto is a multinational Mining and resources group founded originally in 1873 WMC Resources Limited was an Australian diversified Mining and fertilizer company formerly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Perth is Australia's main centre for mining and oil and gas administration. Several insurance companies have large offices in Perth including AXA, Aviva, AMP and SGIO. AXA () is a French global insurance companies group headquartered in Paris and founded in 1985 by Claude Bébéar. Aviva plc ( has a corporate lineage dating back to 1696 and is the world's fifth-largest Insurance group the largest insurance group in the UK and the second-largest AMP Limited is an Australian financial corporation It operates primarily in Australia and New Zealand. SGIO is an insurance brand of Insurance Australia Group trading in Western Australia.

Due to Perth being the only major capital city in Australia in which it is possible to contact Europe during normal business hours and is in the same time zone as Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong, Beijing and Seoul, Perth does an enormous amount of trading between the close of North American and the opening of European Stock Exchanges, and with Asia.

Perth has the biggest retail sector in the state with retail outlets being found mainly in Hay, Murray and Wellington Streets. Several large shopping malls are located in the suburbs at Garden City, Karrinyup, Morley and Cannington. Department stores include Myer and David Jones. Myer is Australia 's largest chain of Department stores retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's men's and children's clothing footwear and accessories David Jones Limited ( colloquially known as DJs, is an Australian retailer Fremantle is also a retail centre catering for local and tourist needs.

Retail trade is tightly regulated and there are strict restrictions on the hours that stores are allowed to open. Major stores are restricted to open between 8:00am and 6:00 p. m. weekdays except Thursdays in the suburbs where closing time is 9:00pm. On Saturdays stores are open from 8:00 am to 5:00pm. A referendum was held on 26 February 2005 on the issue of allowing weekday trading to 9pm and 6 hours of trade on Sundays; the referendum was defeated. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[7]

Exemptions to this are granted for designated tourist precincts of the Perth city centre, Fremantle and major regional centres: these are allowed to trade on Sundays from 12:00pm until 5:00pm. The Perth City area has Friday night trading until 9:00pm.

Government

Main article: Government of Western Australia

Western Australia was granted self-government in 1889 with a bicameral House of Parliament, located in Perth, consisting of the Legislative Assembly (or lower house), which has 57 members; and the Legislative Council (or upper house), which has 34 members. The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution which dates from 1890 although it has been amended many times since then The Legislative Assembly, or lower house is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. The Legislative Council, or upper house is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Suffrage is universal and compulsory for Australian citizens residing in Western Australia over 18 years of age.

With the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901, Western Australia became a State within Australia's federal structure; this involved ceding certain powers to the Commonwealth (or Federal) government in accordance with the Constitution; all powers not specifically granted to the Commonwealth remained solely with the State, however over time the Commonwealth has effectively expanded its powers through increasing control of taxation and financial distribution. A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal"

Whilst the sovereign of Western Australia is the Queen of Australia (Queen Elizabeth II), and executive power nominally vested in her State representative the Governor (currently Ken Michael), executive power is effectively administered by the premier and ministers. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia 's Monarch Queen Elizabeth II. Kenneth Comninos Michael, AC (born 1938 is the 30th Governor of Western Australia, succeeding Lieutenant-General John Sanderson. The premier is Alan Carpenter and ministers are drawn from the party or coalition of parties holding a majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament, (currently Labor). Alan John Carpenter (born 4 January 1957 Australian politician was the 28th Premier of Western Australia from 26 January 2006 until 23 September 2008

Secession

Main article: Secessionism in Western Australia

Secessionism has been a recurring feature of Western Australia's political landscape since shortly after European settlement in 1826. Secessionism has been a recurring feature of Western Australia 's political landscape since shortly after European settlement in 1829. Secessionism has been a recurring feature of Western Australia 's political landscape since shortly after European settlement in 1829. Western Australia was the most reluctant participant in the Commonwealth of Australia. The federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South ^[8] Western Australia did not participate in the earliest federation conference. Longer term residents of Western Australia were generally opposed to federation, however the discovery of gold brought many immigrants from other parts of Australia. It was these residents, primarily in Kalgoorlie but also in Albany who voted to join the Commonwealth, and the proposal of these areas being admitted separately was considered. Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast

In a referendum in April 1933, 68% of voters voted for the state to leave the Commonwealth of Australia with the aim of returning to the British Empire as an autonomous territory. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The State Government sent a delegation to Westminster, but the British Government refused to intervene and therefore no action was taken to implement this decision. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories

For social and cultural reasons the concept of secession is unlikely to be seriously considered in the future, even though commentators occasionally raise the idea due to economic reasons.

Native species

Fauna

Birds

WA is home to around 540 species of birds (depending on the taxonomy used). The Black Swan ( Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Anigozanthos manglesii, commonly known as the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw or Mangles Kangaroo Paw, is a plant species endemic to Western The following is a List of birds sighted in Western Australia. Of these around 15 are endemic to the state. The best areas for birds are the south-western corner of the state and the area around Broome and the Kimberley.

Flora

Western Australia, in its south west region has some of the largest numbers of plant species for its area in the world. Prior to European settlers expanding agriculture, it is speculated that there were significant numbers of flower and plant species that were never described before they became extinct.

Algae

William Henry Harvey (1811 - 1866) published his magnificent five-volume Phycologia Australia which was issued in parts between 1858 and 1863. William Henry Harvey ( February 5, 1811 &ndash May 15, 1866) was an Irish Botanist who specialised in Algae. He earned the title of father of Australian Phycology. His main collection is in the herbarium of Trinity College Dublin (TCD). In Botany, a Herbarium is a collection of preserved Plant specimens Trinity College Dublin ( TCD; Irish Coláiste na Tríonóide Baile Átha Cliath; Latin: Collegium Sacrosanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae , there is also a large collection of his specimens in the Ulster Museum (BEL), Belfast. Specimen are a British band formed in the 1980s Their music has been described as being comprised of many different genres of music including Glam, Goth The Ulster Museum is located in the Botanical Gardens in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has around 8000 square metres of public display space featuring

Education

Education in Western Australia consists of one year of pre-school at age 5, followed by seven years of primary school education, ie Years 1 through 7. Students move into Year 8 at age 13 and five years of secondary education. The final two years of secondary education are currently changing to compulsory. All students who completed Year 10 in 2005 are now required to undertake further studies in Year 11. Students are required to complete the year in which they turn 16 (usually Year 11).

Commencing in 2008 all students will be required to complete 12 years of study before leaving school. Students will have the option to study at a TAFE college in their eleventh year or continue through high school with a vocational course or a specific University entrance course. Technical and Further Education or TAFE (pronounced) institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses in Australia

The major universities in Western Australia are Curtin University of Technology, Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University, University of Notre Dame and the University of Western Australia. Curtin University of Technology is a University with its main campus at Bentley, southeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Murdoch University is a public University based in Perth, Australia. Edith Cowan University (ECU is located in Perth, Western Australia. The University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA is a private Roman Catholic University established in 1990 in the Western Australian port The University of Western Australia (UWA is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia.

Media

Print

Western Australia has two daily newspapers: the independent tabloid The West Australian, Countryman and The Kalgoorlie Miner. The West Australian (often simply called The West) is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth Western Australia, and is owned by Also published is one Sunday tabloid newspaper, News Corporation's The Sunday Times. News Corporation (often abbreviated to News Corp) (,,) is one of the world's largest media conglomerate companies by Market capitalisation The Sunday Times is a News Corporation owned Sunday Tabloid newspaper distributed throughout Western Australia. There are also 17 weekly Community Newspapers with distribution from Yanchep in the North to Mandurah in the South. However, the interstate broadsheet publication The Australian is also available, although with sales per capita lagging far behind those in other states. The Australian, also referred to as The Oz, is a Broadsheet Newspaper published in Australia Monday through Saturday each With the advent of the Internet, other online publications from around the world are now easily accessible. Some, like the New South Wales based The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian which provide free access to their sites, are becoming increasingly popular. The Sydney Morning Herald ( SMH) is a daily Broadsheet Newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia

Television

Metropolitan Perth has six broadcast television stations;

• ABC WA. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly abbreviated to the 'ABC' is Australia's national public broadcaster. Produces nightly local news at 7pm. (digital & analogue) (callsign: ABW - Channel 2 Analogue, Channel 12 Digital)
• SBS WA (digital & analogue) (callsign: SBS - Channel 28 Analogue, Channel 29 Digital)
• Seven Network Perth. The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS is one of two government-funded Australian Public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the SBS TV, sometimes SBS, is a national public television channel in Australia. The Seven Network is an Australian television network, owned by the Seven Media Group. Produces weeknightly local news from 6pm - 7pm. (digital & analogue) (callsign: TVW - Channel 7 Analogue, Channel 6 Digital)
• Nine Network Perth. This article is about the television station in Perth Western Australia The Nine Network, or Channel Nine, is an Australian television network based in Willoughby, a suburb on the North Shore of Sydney Produces weeknightly local news from 6pm - 6. 30pm. (digital & analogue) (callsign: STW - Channel 9 Analogue, Channel 8 Digital)
• Network Ten Perth. STW is an Australian television station owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Perth, Australia Network Ten, or Channel Ten, is one of Australia 's three major commercial television networks. Airs weeknightly local news from 5pm - 6pm, however live from Sydney. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 (digital & analogue) (callsign: NEW - Channel 10 Analogue, Channel 11 Digital)
• Access 31. Access 31 ( Call letters ATW-31 was a Free-to-air community television station based in Perth, Australia which had broadcast on UHF Community service channel. (analogue-only) (callsign: ATW - Channel 31 Analogue)

In addition, broadcasters operate digital multichannels:

• ABC2 (carried by ABW)
• SBS World News Channel (carried by SBS)
• Ten HD (carried by NEW)
• Seven HD (carried by TVW)
• Nine HD (carried by STW)

Regional WA has a similar availability of stations, with the exception of Access 31 in all areas but Bunbury and Albany. Access 31 ( Call letters ATW-31 was a Free-to-air community television station based in Perth, Australia which had broadcast on UHF ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia Launched on 7 March 2005 it is the responsibility of the ABC 's television division The SBS World News Channel is an Australian television channel broadcast by SBS Television that launched on June 12, 2002. SBS TV, sometimes SBS, is a national public television channel in Australia. Ten HD is an Australian Free-to-air Television channel that launched on December 16, 2007. Seven HD is an Australian television channel, owned by the Seven Media Group, that launched on October 15, 2007. This article is about the television station in Perth Western Australia Nine HD is an Australian television channel, owned by PBL Media, that launched on March 17, 2008. STW is an Australian television station owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Perth, Australia The port of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after Mandurah and Perth the state capital Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast The metropolitans commercial stations are affiliated with:

• Golden West Network (GWN). The Golden West Network, often abbreviated to GWN, is an Australian television network owned by Prime Television Limited that is based in Produces weeknightly local news from 5. 30pm - 6pm, also airs Seven Perth news until 7pm) (analogue only) (callsign: SSW South West, VEW Goldfields/Esperance, GTW Central West, WAW Statewide)
• WIN Television WA. This article is about an Australian television station For the former "WOW-TV" in Omaha Nebraska, please see WOWT-TV. Produces weeknightly local news from 5:30pm - 6pm, however live from Perth. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Also airs Nine Perth news from 6pm - 6:30pm. (analogue only) (callsign: WOW)

Pay TV services are provided by Foxtel, which acquired many of the assets and all the remaining subscribers of the insolvent Galaxy Television satellite service in 1998. Foxtel is an Australian Pay television company formed through a joint venture between Telstra, News Corporation and Consolidated Media Galaxy (a trading name of Australis Media) is a former provider of Pay television programming in Australia via satellite and Wireless cable Some metropolitan suburbs are serviced by Pay TV via cable; however, most of the metropolitan and rural areas can only access Pay TV via satellite.

Radio

Perth have many radio stations on both AM and FM frequencies. ABC stations include News Radio (585AM), Local Radio 6WF (720AM), Radio national (810AM), Classic FM (97. 7FM) and Triple-J. The 6 commercial stations are: FM- 92. 9, Nova 93. 7, Mix 94. 5, 96fm, and AM- 882 6PR, and 1080.

The leading community stations are RTR FM 92. 1 and Sonshine FM 98. 5

Sport

Main article: Sport in Western Australia

A number of national or international sporting teams and events are based in the state, including:

• Australian Football: The West Coast Eagles and The Fremantle Dockers
• Association Football: The Perth Glory
• Basketball: The Perth Wildcats
• Cricket: The Western Warriors
• Netball: The West Coast Fever (formerly Perth Orioles)
• Rugby league: The WA Reds
• Rugby union: The Western Force

International events hosted by Western Australia include the Hopman Cup, the Perth Cup, Red Bull Air Race and the Gravity Games. Sport is an important part of the culture of Western Australia. Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. Fremantle Football Club, unofficially nicknamed The Dockers and known informally as "Freo" is one of 16 teams in the Australian Football League (AFL Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Perth Glory FC is an association football (soccer club from Perth Western Australia, playing in the A-League. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m History The 1980s Formed in 1982 as the Westate Wildcats, the Wildcats became the first and so far only Western Australian club to compete in the NBL Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries The Western Warriors (referred to as Retravison Warriors for sponsorship reasons are an Australian first class cricket team based in Perth, Western Australia Netball is a non-contact team Sport similar to and derived from Basketball. The West Coast Fever are an Australian Netball team The Fever represent Western Australia in the ANZ Championship. The Perth Orioles were an Australian netball team which became the West Coast Fever for the ANZ Championship. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Western Force is a Rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super 14 competition The Hopman Cup is an annual international team Tennis Tournament founded by Paul McNamee and Charlie Fancutt, and held in Perth The Perth Cup is Western Australia 's premier Thoroughbred horse race and is held at Ascot Racecourse on New Year's Day each year The Red Bull Air Race World Series, established in 2003 and created by Red Bull, is an international series of air races in which competitors have to navigate a challenging Gravity Games is a multi-sport competition originating from Providence Rhode Island that is broken down into Winter and Summer adaptations

See also

• List of Western Australian towns
• List of highways in Western Australia
• List of statues in Western Australia

References

External links

• Official Western Australia site
• Tourism Western Australia

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