WESTERN AUSTRALIA
is a country that occupies a third of Western Australia and is also the country with the largest area. It is also the least populated country in Australia with only 2.5 million inhabitants. Almost 92% of the population in this country lives in the southwestern part. The capital and largest city of Western Australia is Perth.
The history of this state, enriched by Aboriginal people, dates back 40,000 years. The first European to discover the Perth area was the Dutch navigator Willem de Wlamingh, who sailed along the coast as early as 1697 and named the river Swan after the large flocks of black swans in the area. European settlement of this area began in 1826 when the southern port of Albany was set up as a military outpost. The seat of the colony was moved to Perth.
The first large wave of settlement in this country occurred in 1890 with the discovery of gold in the central and southern interior of the country. During the gold rush, there was a large influx of people from all over the world to this region.
Western Australia is internationally known as a high quality supplier of agricultural products with exports of more than 80%. Wheat, oilseed rape, barley, wool and lamb are mostly exported. On the other hand, over 80% of the population of this country is employed in the service industry. Most of these jobs are in Australia’s scarce occupations. Western Australia is also home to the largest maritime industry in Australia.
PERT
is the capital of this state. With almost 2 million inhabitants, it is the fourth largest city in Australia. The city is located between the Darling slope and the Indian Ocean, along the banks of the Swan River, only 12 kilometers from the ocean. The river is named after the famous black swans that can often be seen on its banks. The city was originally founded in 1856 by James Stirling as the administrative center of the Swan River colony. It was inhabited en masse at the end of the 19th century, when the gold rush was declared in this area.
Today, Perth is a city that ranks extremely high in the world, primarily for its combination of urban sophistication and international taste, and often this city is the first destination for tourists and immigrants in Australia. The population of Perth has almost double the growth of the national average and is officially the city with the lowest unemployment rate in Australia.
The biggest sights of the city are: The Perth Mint, Swan Valley, Swan River, The Aquarium, Perth Bell Tower…
Most people with a lower level of education work primarily in the mining industry. This is certainly not equated with gold rush, but the fact is that this climate is rich in ore whose exploration the population can earn. In addition to mining, the industries that employ a large number of workers in Perth are: finance and insurance, professional, scientific and technical services, catering, education and retail.
Interesting facts
- Perth is the most isolated capital in the world. It is over 2,000 kilometers away from the nearest major city.
- It is known as the sunniest city in the world with an average of eight hours of sunshine a day throughout the year.
- Perth also became known as the city of light. When astronaut John Glenn orbited in 1962, he could see Perth because all the residents turned on their lights in their homes.
- Thanks to the mining industry, Perth has the largest number of self-made millionaires per capita, more than any other city in the world.
- The Perth Mint is the oldest mint in the world that still operates in its original premises.
- Perth is the only city in the world where planes can land in the business part of the city.
- Kings Park in Perth is the largest inner city park in the world, bigger than New York’s Central Park.
- Traveling by bus around Perth is free if you are in the free transit zone or use the free CAT buses.
