Western Australia

Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Friday, 18 August 2006, 05:43 CDT Download full size image

Western Australia is featured in this image, acquired by the MODIS on the Terra satellite on July 5, 2006. Western Australia is Australia's largest state in area, covering the western third of the mainland; it is bordered by South Australia and the Northern Territory. The capital city, Perth, which is south of what is pictured in this image, is one of the most isolated cities of its size on the planet.

The land in Western Australia is extremely eroded and ancient. Most parts of the State form a low plateau with an average elevation of about 1200 feet, descending relatively sharply to the coastal plains. Western Australia has several deserts, like the Great Sandy Desert, which is in the center of the landmass shown in the image.

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