Western
Australia is the largest state of Australia, it has a land area of 2.525.500 sq. km. and a
population of 1.600.000, the majority of Western Australians live in the capital, Perth (1.200.000 inhabitants), in the south western corner
of the state. Western Australia has a varied and interesting geography. The fertile south
west corner is a rich rural and agricultural centre producing most crops and dairy
products, and the wineries around the Margaret River are among Australia's finest. The
north west contains vast mineral wealth and the iron deposits there are among the worlds
largest. Commercial diamonds are being mined at the Argyle Diamond mine, and the North
West Shelf off the coast has vast oil and gas reserves which are now recognised as
Australia's largest.
Gold is still mined at Kalgoorlie in the east of the state. Some
pearling is still carried out from Broome on the
northern coastline and the rest of the state is made up of vast cattle stations which
provide much of the nations beef. Western Australia is remote from the rest of the country
but its capital, Perth, is recognised as the most beautiful in Australia. Tourists can
visit beutiful landscape as that of Karijini
gorges in Karijini National Park or
beautiful coastal areas as Ningaloo Reef.