Western Australia

Western Australia (pronounced /ˈwɛstərn ɒˈstreɪliə/) is a state occupying the entire western third of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, and 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 total land area of 2,529,875 square kilometres (976,790 sq mi), and the second-largest country subdivision in the world, surpassed only by Russia's Sakha Republic.

Etymology

The name Western Australia is derived from the state's location to the west of the Australian continent. Prior to British settlement, the area was known by its Indigenous inhabitants as a diverse range of names, depending on the different Aboriginal languages of the region.

Related Terms

Perth: The capital and largest city of Western Australia.
Indian Ocean: The third-largest of the world's oceanic divisions, lying to the west of Western Australia.
Southern Ocean: The southernmost portion of the World Ocean, to the south of Western Australia.
Northern Territory: A federal territory of Australia, to the north-east of Western Australia.
South Australia: A state in the southern central part of Australia, to the south-east of Western Australia.
Aboriginal Australians: The various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, including the Torres Strait Islands, who are thought to have migrated to Australia about 65,000 to 70,000 years ago.