Map of Western Australia
Western Australia is a first-level division of Australia. Its largest mapped city is Perth, with about 1.53 million people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Western Australia, and the tables list its 42 mapped cities along with the mountains, lakes, ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 42
- Largest City
- Perth
- Country
- Australia
- Highest Point Mapped
- 1,253 m
Interactive Map of Western Australia
About Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia's largest state, with a land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), and is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth.
The state has a diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley, deserts in the interior (including the Great Sandy Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, and Great Victoria Desert) and a Mediterranean climate on the south-west and southern coastal areas. As of June 2024, the state has 2.965 million inhabitants—10.9 percent of the national total. Over 90 percent of the state's population live in the south-west corner and around 80 percent live in the state capital Perth, leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated. The Trans-Australian Railway and the Eyre Highway traverse the Nullarbor Plain in the state's south-east, providing the principal connection between Western Australia and the population centres in the eastern states.
Western Australia's Indigenous peoples have been present for tens of thousands of years. Dutch explorers visited Western Australia from the 17th century, with Dirk Hartog's 1616 expedition the first Europeans to make landfall. The British claimed Western Australia in 1827 and established the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital in 1829. The Western Australian gold rushes of the late 19th century resulted in a significant population influx. The colony was granted responsible government in 1890, the last of the Australian colonies to become self-governing, and federated with the other colonies in 1901.
The state's mining sector is a key driver of the state economy.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Western Australia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Western Australia in Depth
History
The first human inhabitants of Australia arrived from the north "over 50,000 years ago and possibly as much as 70,000 years ago". Over thousands of years they eventually spread across the whole landmass. These Indigenous Australians were long established throughout Western Australia by the time European explorers began to arrive in the early 17th century.
The first Europeans to visit Western Australia were those of the Dutch Dirk Hartog expedition, who on 25 October 1616 landed at what is now known as Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island.
Geography
Western Australia is bounded to the east nominally by longitude 129°E, the meridian 129 degrees east of Greenwich, although the actual border with South Australia and the Northern Territory (as surveyed and marked or otherwise indicated on the ground) deviates from 129° east and is not a single straight line, and bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and north. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) designates the body of water south of the continent as part of the Indian Ocean; in Australia it is officially gazetted as the Southern Ocean.
The total length of the state's eastern border is 1,862 km (1,157 mi). There are 20,781 km (12,913 mi) of coastline, including 7,892 km (4,904 mi) of island coastline.
Economy
Western Australia contributes an estimated 58% of Australia's Mineral and Energy Exports, potentially earning up to 4.64% of Australia's total GDP.
Gross state product per person ($97,940 in 2017–18) is higher than any other state and well above the national average ($73,267).
Diversification (i.e. a greater range of commodities) over the past 15 years has provided a more balanced production base and less reliance on just a few major export markets, insulating the economy from fluctuations in world prices to some extent.
Finance, insurance and property services and construction have grown steadily and have increased their share of economic output.
Demographics
Europeans began to settle permanently in 1826 when Albany was claimed by Britain to forestall French claims to the western third of the continent. Perth was founded as the Swan River Colony in 1829 by British and Irish settlers, though the outpost languished. Its officials eventually requested convict labour to augment its population. By the time transportation ceased in 1868, convicts outnumbered free settlers 9,700 to 7,300. In the 1890s, interstate immigration, resulting from a mining boom in the Goldfields region, resulted in a sharp population increase.
Western Australia did not receive significant flows of immigrants from Britain, Ireland or elsewhere in the British Empire until the early 20th century.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Western Australia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
History of Western Australia: Empires and States
The atlas records 3 polities whose mapped territory included part of Western Australia, from British Colonial Empire in 1830 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| British Colonial Empire | 1830–1904 CE |
| The British Empire | 1830–1904 CE |
| Commonwealth of Australia | 1905–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Western Australia
Western Australia on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Western Australia
Western Australia is Australia's largest state by land area, making up the western third of the continent. It is geographically so large that it covers more land than Greenland or even countries like Mexico. Most of its 3 million citizens live in or around Perth, while the rest of the state comprises of widely-dispersed small settlements.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Western Australia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Western Australia
42 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perth | 1.53 million | Western Australia | Admin-1 capital |
| 2 | Mandurah | 73,356 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 3 | Kalgoorlie | 36,852 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 4 | Geraldton | 27,258 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 5 | Bunbury | 26,998 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 6 | Albany | 26,445 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 7 | Kwinana | 20,086 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 8 | Roebourne | 19,260 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 9 | Karratha | 16,796 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 10 | Port Hedland | 14,288 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 11 | Broome | 13,218 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 12 | Busselton | 10,214 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 13 | Esperance | 7,888 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 14 | Carnarvon | 7,392 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 15 | Northam | 5,855 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 16 | Kununurra | 5,679 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 17 | Newman | 5,138 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 18 | Manjimup | 4,240 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 19 | Narrogin | 4,238 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 20 | Katanning | 3,934 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 21 | Derby | 3,199 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 22 | Tom Price | 2,723 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 23 | Merredin | 2,668 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 24 | Mount Barker | 1,781 | Western Australia | Populated place |
| 25 | Wagin | 1,598 | Western Australia | Populated place |
The other 17 (population, region, role)
- Kalbarri · 1,537 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Gingin · 1,446 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Port Denison · 1,213 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Halls Creek · 1,209 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Ravensthorpe · 1,101 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Exmouth · 1,085 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Norseman · 1,004 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Wyndham · 800 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Pannawonica · 686 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Meekatharra · 654 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Onslow · 573 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Mount Magnet · 424 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Laverton · 316 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Morawa · 259 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Leonara · 227 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Three Springs · 190 · Western Australia · Populated place
- Southern Cross · 187 · Western Australia · Populated place
Highest Mountains in Western Australia
2 mountains mapped. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Meharry | 1,253 m | 4,111 ft | Oceania |
| 2 | Bluff Knoll | 1,096 m | 3,596 ft | Oceania |
Largest Lakes in Western Australia
5 lakes mapped. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Argyle | 1,818 km² | Reservoir |
| 2 | Lake Carey | 1,032 km² | Alkaline Lake |
| 3 | Lake Cowan | 882 km² | Alkaline Lake |
| 4 | Lake Ballard | 656 km² | Alkaline Lake |
| 5 | Lake Goongarrie | 441 km² | Alkaline Lake |
Ports in Western Australia
12 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyndham | 45.7 m | Very Small | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 2 | Useless Loop | 38.4 m | Very Small | Australia & New Zealand | point_of_interest |
| 3 | Dampier | 34.7 m | Minor | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 4 | Point Murat | 34.7 m | Very Small | Australia & New Zealand | large vessels |
| 5 | Albany | 34.7 m | Small | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 6 | Broome | 34.7 m | Small | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 7 | Fremantle | 31.1 m | Major | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 8 | Port Walcott | 31.1 m | Very Small | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 9 | Bunbury | 31.1 m | Small | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
| 10 | Geraldton | 27.4 m | Very Small | Australia & New Zealand | medium vessels |
The other 2 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Cape Cuvier · 20.1 m · Very Small · Australia & New Zealand · medium vessels
- Esperance · 16.5 m · Very Small · Australia & New Zealand · medium vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Western Australia
4 World Heritage Sites mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shark Bay | 1991 | Natural | (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) |
| 2 | Purnululu National Park | 2003 | Natural | (vii) (viii) |
| 3 | Ningaloo Reef | 2011 | Natural | (vii) (x) |
| 4 | Murujuga National Park | 2025 | Cultural | (i) (iii) (v) |
Western Australia: Quick Answers
- Where is Western Australia?
- Western Australia is a first-level division of Australia, in Oceania. Its mapped cities centre on 27.6888° S, 118.4078° E.
- What is the largest city in Western Australia?
- Perth is the largest city mapped in Western Australia, with a metropolitan population of about 1.53 million.
- How many cities are in Western Australia?
- YearMaps maps 42 cities and towns in Western Australia, with a combined metropolitan population of about 1.89 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.
- What is the highest mountain in Western Australia?
- The highest summit mapped in Western Australia is Mount Meharry at 1,253 m.
- What is the largest lake in Western Australia?
- The largest lake mapped in or beside Western Australia is Lake Argyle, at about 1,818 km².