Western Australia Facts

The big brown land that encompasses a third of the Australian conitinent, Western Australia, is a place of uniqueness. The following are some interesting facts about this place we call WA:

The General Facts

1. Population: approximately 6,664,195 according to a census conducted in 2009.

2. Size: 2,525,500 sq. km. (about 10 times the size of the UK)

3. Time: GMT + 8 hours

4. Capital: Perth (located in the south west corner of Western Australia)

Fun Facts

1. WA has the world's oldest operating open air cinema, Sun Pictures in Broome. Opened on December 16th 1916.

2. The town of Kalgoorlie in WA is Australia's largest producer of gold.

3. The Argyle mine, in the state's north, is the largest producer of Diamonds in the world.

4. Rottnest Island comes from the Dutch language meaning "rats nest" as the early explorers thought the native marsupials, tree kangaroos and wallabies, were types of rats.

5. Perth is the most isolated capitol city in the world. The closest city, Adelaide, is 2,200 km away.

6. Broome holds the largest pearl industry in the world.

7. The largest rock in the world is WA's Mount Augustus. Measuring 8km long and 3km wide.

8. Early astronaughts dubbed Perth as 'The City of Lights' since it's bright lights stood out on our planet earth.

9. The largest city park in the world is King's Park in Perth.

10. The oldest living things on earth, our friendly organisms, stromatolites, also call Western Australia home.