Covering one third of the total land area of the country, Western Australia is an icon of sorts representing the country, and a combination of the modern settlements in Australia with untouched geography in the area. It’s the second largest territory in the world that’s classified below a country status. Western Australia offers a glimpse of the frontier nature that got the country started on its way to becoming a full-fledged nation and not just a convict settlement.
Western Australian Geography
One of the interesting things about the geography of Western Australia is that due to its humongous size, at more than two and a half million square kilometers, the state is so spread out, making the state capital Perth much closer in distance to Jakarta in Indonesia, than to Canberra, the national capital. Much of the state’s geographic features are also extremely old, in fact, the region’s topography resembles what it was millions of years ago before continental drift pushed other continents together to form mountains and other diverse features.
The old age of the landscape also has some significant impacts on the environment surrounding Western Australia. The nitrogen content is only half of what should be considered normal for agricultural purposes, as is the phosphorous levels, much less than what is required for growing plants naturally in the area. The agriculture here is heavily reliant on fertilizer methods to make sure that produce grows healthy during this time.
Climate Conditions
Because of the large size of the land area of Western Australia, there is also a huge difference in climate conditions in various locations within the state. The coastal area of the state, located on the southwest portion, is the area with a temperate climate zone and is the area of choice when looking for a residential settlement or agricultural land. This area has a diverse biosphere, ranking it in the top nine for biodiversity in the terrestrial class. Climate change has affected the area as with much of Western Australia, and the state government is undertaking plans to help cope with this new situation.
The central portion of the state has a desert environment, also classified as semi-arid in scientific terms, and has a minimal amount of rainfall at around two hundred fifty mm annually. Most of this rainfall is brought about by cyclones, which occur randomly during the summer months. There are few residential settlements here, and the activity that has the most use of the geographic conditions is the mining of different minerals.
Tropical weather is experienced by the northern portion of the state, and monsoons are the norm in this area. Rainfall is at one and a half thousand mm yearly, but normally there is very little or no rain during the months of April until about November. Another climate set is present near Albany, as the Stirling Range has enough elevation for snow to fall given the right conditions. Otherwise, snow is a rare sort of event when it comes to the surrounding area.
Economic Conditions
The economy of Western Australia is pretty much based on mining, and has the highest output among all the states in the country, as well as the highest output per capita. Lots of materials are mined from the state, including mineral-based and petroleum products. Aluminum is one of the more significant products, Western Australia counting for one-fifth of the total world production. It also produces fifteen percent of the world output for iron, ranking it third in the world. The biggest fish is gold, counting for three-fourths the entire output of Australia. Other mining output products include diamonds from Argyle diamond mine, and coal, used mainly as fuel for power plants.
Agriculture still has an important role in Western Australia, even with the arid conditions in some other portions of the state. Exports count for three percent of the total Gross State Production or GSP, and include wheat exports, wool, and barley. Cattle production is the biggest in the country, with half of the national cattle output coming in from this state alone. Although the state just has ten percent of the total national population living within its area, it counts for thirty percent of the total revenues from exports in Australia. Growth due to unprecedented demand has led to severe shortages in labor, and as a result, the government has launched an initiative to entice more people to move into the state.
Investing In Western Australian Properties
Western Australia is among the best states to invest in when it comes to the real estate market. With the people coming into the state for work, especially with large expatriate populations coming into Western Australia, real estate here is experiencing a high level of demand that far exceeds supply. Most of the working class in this state also opts to go for rental homes because of the high interest rates, so if you’re going in for rental properties, you’re in luck here.
Mortgage options are also some of the best in Western Australia, having lots of opportunities to choose from when it comes to investment, combined with interest-free packages for properties normally going for five years, and sometimes even going for ten years total. A rising average income level is also one of the indicators that demand for housing will grow at a sustainable rate.
Perth also has the highest capital growth anywhere, with thirty percent of annual growth being a common occurrence. Through five years’ time, housing prices increased at an overall rate of one hundred and twenty five percent. It’s a performance that can hardly be matched anywhere else. With such strong growth, along with opportunities that make investing in Western Australia easier than ever, you’ll be hard-pressed to find property markets in the country that offer better returns for your money. Western Australia is not only experiencing large growth in terms of industry, but also the overall economy as well. Now is the time to put your money in with property markets here in Western Australia.