Pilbara
The Pilbara is a large, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia.[1][2] In 2010, the region had a population of about 48,600.[3][4]
 | |
| Coordinates: Coordinates: 21°S 119°E / 21°S 119°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| state | Western Australia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 502,000 km2 (194,000 sq mi) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 48,610 |
| • Density | 0.09683/km2 (0.25080/sq mi) |
Pilbara is known for Aboriginal peoples, its stunning landscapes, its red earth and its vast mineral deposits, in particular iron ore. It is a dry region, but it has cyclones every year or two. The cyclones bring a great deal of rain when they do occur.
The area is known for its petroleum, natural gas and iron ore deposits, which make up much of the economy of Western Australia. Other than mining, pastoral activities as well as fishing and tourism are the main industries.[5]
The Pilbara covers an area of 502,000 square kilometres (194,000 square miles).[6] It includes some of Earth's oldest rock formations in the Pilbara craton. This is one of the world's oldest undisturbed rock formations, dating back to the Archaean eon. It includes landscapes of coastal plains and mountain ranges with cliffs and gorges. The major settlements of the region are Port Hedland, Karratha and Newman.
The Pilbara includes the two of the largest national parks in Australia:
Pilbara Media
This is a map of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA), with state boundaries overlaid. The Pilbara region is shown in red.
Hamersley Range, Pilbara Region, Western Australia
Pilbara region, Western Australia.
The mushroom cloud resulting from the Operation Hurricane detonation
Aboriginal rock carving at Burrup Penninsula in the Pilbara Region, Western Australia
The Terra satellite captured this image of Cyclone Fay, over the Western Australian coast on 27 March 2004.
300m of North West Coastal Highway approaches to the Maitland River bridge were destroyed during Cyclone Monty in 2004
Paraburdoo mine aerial
References
- ↑ Environment Australia. Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 – Summary Report (2000-11-01)Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Australian Government. ISBN 064254803X. Retrieved 2007-01-31.
- ↑ IBRA Version 6.1 Archived 2006-09-08 at the Wayback Machine data
- ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics. Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2009–10 - Western Australia (31 March 2011). Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ Rangelands - Overview - Pilbara. Australian Natural Resources Atlas (27 June 2009)Department of Sustainabililty, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ Department of Health: Pilbara (19 January 2011)Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ Regional Development Australia Pilbara. Retrieved 28 August 2011.