Western part of Australia. Sights of Western Australia

The state of Western Australia occupies about a third of the area of ​​the Southern Continent. Argentina or two Alaskas could easily fit on this gigantic territory. Western Australia covers climatic zones from monsoon and tropical in the north to temperate and Mediterranean in the south. It would seem that the nature of the state should be diverse, but alas. Apart from a narrow strip of the southwestern coast, most of it is arid and barren desert.

Due to the vast distances and difficult climate, traveling across Western Australia often limited to visiting Perth and cities connected to it by transport links. Traveling independently into the interior desert regions of the state is a risky endeavor that is best shared with experienced guides or “advanced” companions.

How to get to Western Australia

The most common option is via Perth. The state capital is tightly connected to all major Australian and Asian cities by numerous flights. Airplanes from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Dubai, Jakarta, and Singapore land at Perth airport. From Perth you can fly deeper into the region - to Broome and Learmonth.

China Southern Airlines, Emirates and Thai Airlines fly from Moscow to Perth. The Chinese carrier connects in Guangzhou, the Emiratis in Dubai, and the Thais in Bangkok. The minimum travel time one way is 20 hours. Qatar Airlines operates flights from St. Petersburg to Perth. There is a transfer in Doha, and the travel time is 20 hours.

From Perth Airport you can get to the city by buses No. 380 (from terminals T1 and T2) and 40 (terminals T3 and T4). A taxi ride into Perth city center costs AUD 45. Prices on the page are for January 2019.

For those with the time and money, the luxury experience of a three-day cross-Australia train journey can be enjoyed. A one-way trip from Sydney will cost 2839 AUD, from Adelaide - 1999 AUD. More details at the office. carrier's website (in English).

Search flights to Western Australia

A little history

Western Australia was discovered by the Dutchman Dirk Hartog in 1616. Over the next decade, several more explorers visited the region, but due to lack of resources, none of them began colonization. The first permanent settlement appeared here only in 1826 - today it is the city of Albany. In 1829, Captain James Stirling founded the Swan River Colony on the Swan River, from which the port of Fremantle and the state capital of Perth later grew.

Due to its remoteness and difficult conditions, the region developed very slowly and was considered backward. But at the end of the 19th century, rich gold deposits were discovered in Kalgoorlie. Western Australia's population has grown rapidly and so has its standard of living. In 1933, the nouveau riche state even tried to become an independent state, but the British (Australia is part of the Commonwealth) did not dare to take such a serious geopolitical step.

When to go

The southeast of the state has a Mediterranean climate: precipitation occurs in the summer (in Australia at this time it is winter), and from November to March it is warm and dry. In the center of the region, far from the sea, there are deserts, which are often subject to heavy rains in June-August. Northern regions are exposed to the monsoons: rainfall occurs here from December to March, with heat and humidity reaching an annual maximum.

So it’s impossible to say for sure when it’s better to go to Western Australia: in May-September it will be comfortable in the north of the state, in December-March - in the south. You can come to Perth whenever you want.

Activities and attractions in Western Australia

Perth

Almost all of Western Australia's two million people live in the southwest - in the state capital of Perth and its suburbs. The Solar Capital, as the locals call the city, combines urban spirit and natural beauty in ideal proportions. Central (directly and figuratively) Kings Park, one of the world's largest urban parks, occupies a place in the life of the agglomeration. Just a short drive from Perth are the beautiful Swan Valley wineries and stunning beaches.

Nambung National Park

200 km north of Perth is one of the main natural attractions of Western Australia national park"Nambung" (office site in English). On a vast territory - endless sand dunes, eucalyptus groves and fields with bright colors. The "mast-si" of the reserve is the Te Pinnacles desert, dotted with thousands of pointed limestone peaks-columns up to 3.5 m high. These are the weathered remains of colonies of corals and mollusks - there used to be an ocean here.

Margaret River

If you head south from Perth, after 250 km you will find yourself in the town of Margaret River. It is the capital of Western Australia's largest wine region, the Margaret River Valley. The local climate and landscape are ideal for wine production, so the products of local artisans are in great demand all over the world. In between wine tastings, you can go hiking, ride a quad bike through forests and fields, go boating or learn to surf.

Walpole Nornalup National Park

To the south, 100 km, is the Walpole-Nornalup National Park, which is famous for its giant eucalyptus trees. (office site in English). Many of these giant trees are over 400 years old. Hiking routes have been developed for tourists, including along a suspension bridge built at a height of 4 m.

Stone wave

Perhaps the most impressive attraction of Western Australia is located deep in the state, 300 km from Perth (office site in English). In the middle of the sandy wasteland, Wave Rock rises from the ground, a stone wave that seems ready to crash to the surface. Scientists say that the natural wonder acquired its current form 60 million years ago as a result of weathering and movement of soft granite rock.

The largest of the Australian states, Western Australia, occupies 1/3 of the continent. This land is blessed with great diversity, where the stunning blue of the Indian Ocean and prehistoric rock formations with the luxurious greenery of the southern regions. The state's population is 2 million people, according to 2005 data it ranks 4th among all states in the country. The territory of Western Australia is 2.6 million km, and occupies a third of the Australian continent. The state borders South and North Australia in the east.

Perth, the capital of Western Australia with a population of 1,200 thousand people, is the main city on the west coast. Perth is often called the "Pearl of Australia". The capital is home to the famous mint, where you can learn about the history of gold mining in Western Australia. Although the capital has a large number of modern buildings, a small number of Victorian style houses can still be seen, such as the 19th century rear theaters called His Majesty's Theatre.

Western Australia has a diverse climate, ranging from a mild Mediterranean climate in and around the capital to tropical savannah in the north. The northwest is subject to tropical monsoons, and the interior of the state is arid. In Perth, the climate is quite mild due to the ocean - in summer it is quite hot +30.. +34 degrees, in winter the air cools to +15..+21 degrees during the day and +5..+9 at night. IN summer months in the north of the state there are short-term rains with thunderstorms; in the west and south, precipitation falls mainly in winter. The central part of the state lives practically without rain.

Western Australia's economy stagnated in the mid-20th century, which even led to a decline in population. But the discovery of rich deposits contributed to the fact that in a fairly short period of time Western Australia became one of the dynamically developing states. Main mineral resources Mined in the state are nickel, iron ore, diamonds and gold. After the discovery of these deposits, the total number of workers immediately increased to 76%.

The state also has large reserves of energy resources. Oil is produced near Exmouth Gulf on Barrow Island. West of the bay on the continental shelf - natural gas. There are quite a lot of jobs in the state, the average weekly wage is $500 for women and $1000 for men.

Western Australia for tourists

Here every tourist will be able to find something he likes: amusement parks, various excursions, great opportunities for animal and nature lovers, eco-tourism, drivers will discover the secrets of the underwater world, and lovers of extreme sensations will find many different options for raising their blood level of adrenaline.

The state's landscape ranges from dramatic mountains, wildflower meadows, vast eucalyptus forests, to vast areas of virgin vegetation, often dotted with rock formations and ancient gorges.

Western Australia is a real kingdom of wild plants and flowers. In summer, about 11 thousand species of flowers and plants bloom here - the plains, deserts, forests and fields look like a bright carpet.

The capital Perth certainly deserves the attention of tourists. This is, first of all, a sheltered and cozy city that retains its incomparable flavor. Perth has an architectural balance between modern buildings and skyscrapers and restored 19th century buildings that complement each other perfectly.

Places you should definitely see

Valley of the Giants – here you can climb the Tree Top Walk to admire the giant trees growing only in these places, reaching a height of up to 60 meters. These trees live up to 400 years.

Margaret River - Here you should try the wonderful Sauvignon Blanc wine, in the most popular wine region, with vineyards and gourmet restaurants that are known all over the world. This area is also famous for its coastal cliffs and natural grottoes - here is one of best places for surfing.

Ningaloo Marine Park - huge whale sharks, amazing coral reefs, unusual fish - all this splendor can be seen in marine park- one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the state.

The region of Western Australia is the most mysterious and even the most extraordinary state Green Continent. And all because there are places where no one has gone before.

The state occupies a third of the state's territory. Arid climate, deserts, port towns, rich flora and fauna– all this about the region of Western Australia!

The first explorers from Europe came to study this state of Australia V early 17th century.

So, in October 1616 The first European from Holland, the navigator Derk Hartog, set foot on the soil of Western Australia.

At first, travelers could not explore this territory, since, when approaching the coast, they made a number of navigational errors, which led to shipwrecks on coastal reefs and shoals.

The first successful studies were carried out by navigators from France and Britain only by the end of the 18th century of the last century.

As such the story modern territory Western Australia began with British settlement, which settled in 1826 in King George's Bay. And three years later, a colony called Swan Riverna was founded on the Swan River.

Within a few years, the number of British settlers amounted to one and a half thousand people. The separate settlements of Perth and Fremantle from the colony settled gradually and for a long time.

But as soon as in the 1890s in the Kalgoorlie area discovered a gold deposit, Western Australia was literally under attack by immigrants.

Western Australia's first formal constitution provided for self-government and was established in 1887.

A significant historical moment for this territory was the approval by parliament in 1896 loan to finance the construction of a pipeline that would transport five million gallons of water per day for gold mining.

Completed construction in 1903. The 530 km Perth to Kalgoorlie pipeline is recognized by historians as a significant factor in the state's economic growth and population growth.

State Population

Europeans began to populate the territory of Western Australia in 1826 year. To increase the number of residents, prisoners were brought in. Population growth began only in the 90s of the 19th century due to the gold rush.

When at the beginning of the 20th century several came into effect local projects, which were aimed at popularizing the territory of Western Australia as a place of residence for colonists, people began to arrive from the countries of Ireland and Britain.

After World War II, immigrants from Greece, Croatia and Italy began to flock here. In the state of Western Australia, and especially in the city of Perth, most of the residents is from Britain.

It is important to know! Today the population of Western Australia is 2 million people.

So, more than 77% The population of Western Australia is of European origin: Chinese, English, Italians, Irish, Scots and Germans. Aborigines of the state make up 3% of the population.

75% of the population of Western Australia live in Perth. Other major cities include Mandurah, Banbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany, Broome and Port Hedland.

Geographical position

The state area is 2,529,875 km². Western Australia occupies the western third of the Australian continent.

The eastern border of the state touches the Northern and South Australia.

Northern and western part of the region washed by the Indian Ocean.

Western Australia second largest in the world administrative-territorial unit.

Length of state boundaries is -1862 kilometers, coastline - 12,889 kilometers.

Climate of Western Australia Australia

The climate of Western Australia is more pronounced than the climate of other regions of the Green Continent. Tropical monsoons reign in the northwest, and aridity is characteristic of the central regions.

The West Coast of Australia has Mediterranean climate. This region was previously covered by dense eucalyptus forest. The state is dry from November to March, with heavy rainfall in summer. Precipitation in the south and west occurs only in the winter season.

If we talk about the tropical northern region Western Australia, the Kimberley has a hot monsoon climate. Snow falls rarely and only on the Stirling ridges near Albany and Porongurup. If snowfall occurs in other regions of Western Australia, it is considered a rare, out-of-the-ordinary climate event.

Flora and fauna of the region

From North to South Western Australia has three large desert areas with no oases.

At the same time, in some parts of the deserts you can find thickets of plants adapted to drought.

Vegetable and animal world Western Australia enough various.

Thus, there are coral reefs on the coasts, and more than nine thousand species of vascular plants grow throughout the state. On the north coast sandstone gorges grow, the Ord Victoria Plain is a dry steppe, the Mulga Shrublands is a semi-desert.

Separately It's worth noting the nature of Perth- capital of the state of Western Australia. The metropolis is picturesquely spread out on the banks of a river called Swan. The climate in this city is the most favorable not only in the state, but throughout Australia.

The most beautiful petrified ancient forest, which is known all over the world, is located in Western Australia V national park Nambarg.

In addition to the stunning landscapes of the state, the fauna of Western Australia is also interesting. For example, they live here more than five hundred species of birds, crocodiles, kangaroos, wallaroos, tiger sharks, black-headed willabies and other rare exotic animals.

Entertainment and tourism on the west coast of Australia

Western Australia every year attracts crowds of tourists, thanks to both the unusual flora and fauna and historical buildings, as well as the opportunity to engage in active recreation.

For example, you can not only admire high-rise buildings 1970-1980, which are the hallmark of the center of the state, but also visit the Gallery of Fine Arts and see unique Aboriginal creations Green Continent.

There will be a place for wine lovers in Western Australia to relax. Winemaking in the state is thriving in the Margaret River valley. The first harvest here was collected back in 1834. The wines of this area are famous all over the world.

Also of interest to tourists city ​​of Kalgoorlie. It is Australia's fifth largest city in the western part of the continent. This city is located 6 hours drive from Perth.

Today this city attracts tourists not only with its rich history, but also with an indescribable atmosphere of relaxation and romance. Kalgoorlie is far from a popular crowded resort, but a calm green town that makes him especially attractive for those who want to completely relax away from unnecessary fuss.

Fremantle port city also attracts tourists due to a number of attractions.

In Fremantle you can visit Maritime Museum, Fremantle Dungeon, Fine Arts Centre, and the oldest building in Western Australia called the Round House.

An ideal place for diving The state of Western Australia includes the city of Exmouth. You can also see dinosaur tracks on a camel ride in Broome around Cable Beach.

Particularly popular among lovers of historical sites Burrup Peninsula. And all because there is a treasury of ancient rock paintings here.

The unusual and tourist-attracting state of Western Australia is a territory with its own mood. West Side Australia has a fairly harsh climate, extraordinary nature, the most beautiful underwater world and a number of historical sites.

We are offering to you watch an interesting video about the capital of Western Australia - the city of Perth:

If I had to choose just one region of the country to visit, perhaps I would choose the vast Western Australia, which occupies a third of the continent.

This is the largest state in the country, an ancient and sparsely populated region that has retained much of its pristine wildness. Here it is easy to imagine what it looked like in the past, before the colonization of the continent began.

The bulk of the population lives in the vicinity of the capital and only metropolis of Western Australia - Perth. The remaining cities are smaller and scattered over a vast territory. Traveling through remote areas of the state makes you feel like a brave pioneer. The main attractions here are natural: countless beaches, ancient rocks with imprints of prehistoric animals, bizarre gorges, coral reefs, pink lakes, giant trees, rich fauna and flora.

The state is not spoiled by mass tourism, because all the famous Australian cities are located on the opposite coast. But people who have come to the west of the continent at least once will forever remember the beauty of this land.

Officially, the state consists of the city of Perth and 9 regions. The following simplified division will be more convenient for tourists:

How to get there?

Air travel is the only acceptable way to get to Western Australia from Russia. Waterway theoretically possible, but suitable only for a small number of adventure lovers: it is very long and difficult to organize. From other states of the country you can arrive in Western Australia by:

• train,
• bus,
• car.

By the way, in addition to the general quarantine regime for the entire country, Western Australia, due to the uniqueness of its fauna and flora, also has its own quarantine with other states. There are control posts at airports, on roads, and checks are also carried out on trains. Fruits, vegetables and beekeeping products cannot be imported here.

By plane

The only one international Airport Western Australia is the airport of Perth. You can find out more about flight options to Perth here. The cost of a flight from Moscow ranges from 45 to 75 thousand rubles.

There are also small airports serving domestic flights from other states in Broome, Kununurra and Kalgoorlie.

Broome can be reached from Darwin (Northern Territory) using Qantas and AirNorth. Return ticket prices start at 450 USD (600 AUD). During the dry season there are also direct Qantas flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The cost of a return ticket is about 985 – 1140 USD (1300-1500 AUD).

AirNorth flies to Kununarra from Darwin, tickets from 300 USD (400 AUD).

There are Virgin Australia flights to Kalgoorlie from Melbourne. Ticket price is about 600 USD (800 AUD).

Flight prices depend on the season and change frequently. In most cases, it is cheaper to fly through Perth. You can monitor prices

By train

A unique experience travel from Sydney or Adelaide to Perth on a luxury train THE INDIAN PACIFIC. This is quite an expensive pleasure: ticket prices start from 1260 USD (1669 AUD). You'll cover a huge distance of 4,352 km in comfort, with excursion stops at Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie along the way. You can book tickets on the Great Southern Rail website.

The train departs from Sydney Main Station Central Station(Eddy Ave, Haymarket NSW 2000) every Wednesday at 3pm and arrives at Perth Station East Perth Train Station(West Parade, East Perth, Western Australia 6004 ) on Saturday at 15.00. The train leaves Perth on Sundays at 10.00, arriving on Wednesdays at 11.30.

By bus

Long distances make the bus an unsuitable means of transport to get to Western Australia.

Greyhound Australia offers a Darwin to Broome bus line. However, this journey will take more than 24 hours and is usually not much cheaper than air travel on this route. The cost of a one-way ticket is about 230 USD (300 AUD). A comfortable bus service departs once daily from Darwin Bus Interchange, which terminates at the Broome Tourist Information Centre. There are flights every day except Saturday. It is better to check the current schedule on the official website.

By car

Traveling by car is a great way to see the country, if, of course, you are ready for long journeys.

There are 2 main roads connecting Western Australia with other states.Southern Route Eyre Highway allows you to travel to Western Australia from Adelaide. It is also convenient to travel this route from Sydney, Melbourne and other cities in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The distances are, of course, enormous: for example, the road from Sydney to Perth (3934 km) will take about 4-5 days. You'll have to cross the famous desert Nullarbor Plain(which in itself is quite interesting experience).

In the north Victoria Highway, turning into Great Northern Highway, connects Darwin (Northern Territory) with Broome (1871 km). The journey from Darwin to Perth (4039 km) will take approximately 5 days. And if you want to stop for sightseeing, the length of the trip is difficult to predict. There's so much here interesting places!

If you like adventure and have a reliable four-wheel drive car at your disposal, you can also get to Western Australia along the roads of the Australian outback. For example, the road Great Central Road connects Yulara (Northern Territory) and Laverton (Western Australia).

Most of the road is unpaved and passes through Aboriginal lands, so you must obtain free permits from the Department of Indigenous Affairs in advance to travel.

By ferry

You can also get to Western Australia by cruise ship. Cruises to Western Australia are regularly organized from many Australian cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide; as well as from New Zealand, Singapore and the UK.

The state's most popular port is Fremantle). Cruise ships arrive at Fremantle Passenger Terminal. Not far from the terminal there is railroad station(15-20 minute walk) and bus stops that can take you into Perth city centre. You can plan your route on the Transperth website. The free Fremantle Cat bus also stops outside the terminal and covers the entire historic center of Fremantle. You can get to Perth Airport using a shuttle bus.

Clue:

Western Australia - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow − 5

Kazan − 5

Samara − 4

Ekaterinburg − 3

Novosibirsk − 1

Vladivostok 2

When is the season? When is the best time to go?

To avoid confusion, please remember that Australia is located in southern hemisphere, and the seasons here are opposite to those of the northern hemisphere: Australian summer is December, January and February, Australian winter is June, July, August. When autumn comes in Russia, spring comes in Australia, and vice versa.

Western Australia is huge, larger than Western Europe and includes several climatic zones. The climate of the southeast is Mediterranean: the bulk of precipitation falls in winter months, and from November to March it is warm and dry. The middle of the state, far from the sea, is arid desert; downpours caused by cyclones mainly occur in summer. The northern tropical region has a monsoon climate, the rainy season occurs in the Australian summer (from December to March), the heat and humidity are off the charts.

There is no definite answer when to go to Western Australia: in the Australian winter it will be good in the north of the state (there will be a dry season there), in the summer it is better in the south. Perth and the surrounding area can be visited at any time, but my favorite season here is spring or early autumn.

Western Australia in summer

The hottest season. The weather in Perth is sunny and dry. The average temperature is about +30 C, but the air humidity is low, so the heat is not so debilitating.

On the Coral Coast it is even warmer +30-35 C. By the end of summer, in February, it rains more and more often.

Moving further north, we find ourselves in even hotter areas, for example, the city of Marble Bar is considered one of the hottest places on the continent: temperatures of +45 C are by no means uncommon here.

The northernmost region of the state, Kimberley, is unlikely to seem comfortable in summer: sweltering heat and tropical downpours; some places may be inaccessible to visit due to floods.

But you will definitely like it in the southwest. In summer, as a rule, there is a pleasant temperature of +25 C, this perfect time to visit this area. In the state's inland desert region, temperatures can fluctuate, with high daytime temperatures often combined with cool nights.

Western Australia in autumn

The beginning of autumn is a good time for a beach holiday in Perth. The water is still very warm, but the air becomes a little cooler.

Towards the end of autumn it rains more often. The air temperature gradually decreases to 20 - 23C.

In the south of the state it can be even colder, with rain and cloudy days not uncommon.

But in the north the weather, on the contrary, becomes more pleasant. The end of April/May is the beginning of the dry season. It’s still hot here – 30-32 C, but there’s less and less rain.

Western Australia in spring

Spring in Western Australia is wildflower season in the bush. This most beautiful phenomenon observed in different places: in the vicinity of Perth (by the way, in the city itself, flowering can be seen in the Kings Park botanical gardens), in the south of the Coral Coast, as well as in the southwest and in the Esperance region.

In the north of the state, starting in October, it gets hotter. In November, temperatures rise to 40 C and above, and humidity also increases. Many hotels provide good discounts, however, exploring natural beauty in such weather is not at all easy.

Western Australia in winter

Australian winter(June to August) in Perth is mild and relatively sunny, but rain and thunderstorms are not uncommon during this season. Air temperature 8-19 C.

It's also cool in the south of the state. Temperatures can drop to 8 – 16 C. Snow even sometimes falls on the Stirling Ridge (though it usually doesn’t last very long).

Winter is the most best season to visit the north of Western Australia: it is dry and sunny, daytime temperatures are +27-29 C. In addition, in June the land blooms after the fertile rainy season.

What are the prices for holidays?

When choosing a vehicle, please note that to access some natural objects you'll need an SUV. Read the contract carefully; companies often include a condition that the insurance is invalid when leaving the asphalt road. If you are planning trips on dirt roads, it is better to clarify this issue in advance.

Many companies allow you to pick up a car at one point and return it at another, but there is an additional fee for this.

To rent a car you will need an international driver's license and credit card. Different companies have different rules regarding the age of the driver, but generally there is an additional fee for people under 23-25 ​​and over 70 years old.

Renting an economy class car will cost 19 – 38 USD (25 -50 AUD) per day. The price of a small campervan (with sleeping places) starts from 38 USD (50 AUD). SUVs with insurance will cost from 60-75 USD (80-100 AUD). The price of gasoline within cities is 0.9 - 1.05 USD (1.2 -1.4 AUD), in places remote from civilization, fuel can be 70-80% more expensive. Toll roads Western Australia does not.

Ski holiday

5 must-do things in this region

Anything to add?

Western Australia occupies the western third of the Australian continent. To the east the state borders the Northern Territory and South Australia. From the north and west, the coast of the state is washed by the Indian Ocean. The International Hydrographic Organization classifies the waters south of the continent as the Indian Ocean, although in Australia they are officially part of the Southern Ocean.

The length of the state's borders is 1,862 kilometers, and the coastline is 12,889 kilometers.

Geology

The bulk of Western Australia lies on the ancient Ylgar and Pilbara platforms, which, by merging with the Indian and South African platforms, formed Ur, one of the oldest supercontinents (3200 - 3000 million years ago), in the Archean era.

Since the only case of mountain building since this time was the appearance of the Stirling Range due to rifting from Antarctica, the earth's surface is extremely ancient and eroded. Highest point- Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range in the Pilbara region with a height of 1,245 meters. The main part of the state is a low plateau with average elevations in the region of 400 meters with very low relief and no surface drainage. The plateau slopes relatively sharply down to the coastal plains, in some cases forming steep escarpments, as exemplified by the Darling Range near Perth.

The significant age of the landscape means that the soils in high degree infertile and often covered with laterites. Even soils derived from granite rocks contain an order of magnitude less phosphorus and half as much nitrogen as soils in comparable climates on other continents. Soils derived from sand and sediment are even less fertile, containing even less soluble phosphate, and are also deficient in zinc, copper, molybdenum and sometimes potassium and calcium.

The infertility of most soils required the application of significant amounts of chemical fertilizers, in particular superphosphates, insecticides and herbicides, which, combined with the subsequent destruction of invertebrate and bacterial populations, as well as soil compaction due to the impact of heavy machinery and ungulates, brought even more more harm fragile soils.

Large-scale land clearing for agriculture and forestry has damaged the habitats of native plants and animals. As a result, the state's south-west region has a higher concentration of rare or critically endangered flora and fauna than many other regions of Australia, making it one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Large territories The state's wheat belt has problems with soil salinity and disappearing water sources.

Climate

The southwest coast has a Mediterranean climate. Previously, these areas were covered with dense forests, including groves of Eucalyptus versicolor, one of the tallest trees in the world. The agricultural region of Western Australia has high biodiversity and a high proportion of endemics. Thanks to the Liyuwin Sea Current, the coastal waters are also rich in a variety of plants and animals, including the world's southernmost coral reefs.

Average annual rainfall ranges from 300 millimeters in the wheatbelt region to 1,400 millimeters in the wettest areas around Northcliffe, however November to March, when evaporation exceeds rainfall, is usually very dry. Plants have to adapt to this, as well as to the extreme scarcity of soil. A general decrease in winter precipitation has been observed since the mid-1970s, with an increase in heavy rainfall during the summer months.

The central four-fifths of the state is desert and semi-desert, sparsely populated, and the only significant activity here is mining. The average annual rainfall is 200-250 millimetres, most of which falls in occasional cyclone-related showers during the summer months.

In contrast to this is the northern tropical region of the state. The Kimberley has an extremely hot monsoon climate with an average annual rainfall of 500 to 1,500 millimeters and a long dry season from April to November. 85% of the state's surface water flow occurs in the Kimberley, but due to the spontaneous nature of water flows and the insurmountable paucity of generally dry soils, only the area along the Ord River has received development.

Snow falls rarely throughout the state and is typical only on the Sterling Range near Albany, the only ridge high enough and southern enough for this. Even less often snow can fall on the neighboring Porongurup ridge. Snowfall outside these areas is an extraordinary event and may occur in the hilly southwest zone. The largest area covered by snow was on June 26, 1956, when snowfall was recorded in the Perth Hills and further north to the Wongan Hills and east to Salmon Gums. However, even on Stirling Ridge snow cover rarely exceeds 5 centimeters and rarely lasts more than one day.

Maximum temperature 50.5 degrees Celsius was recorded at Mardi, Pilbara, 61.6 kilometers from Barrow Island on 19 February 1998. The minimum temperature of −7.2 degrees Celsius was recorded at the Air Bird Observatory on August 17, 2008.

Flora and fauna

Western Australia is home to approximately 540 bird species (depending on the taxonomy used), of which 15 are endemic to the state. The best areas for birds are the southwest corner of the state, the area around Broome and the Kimberley District.

The flora of Western Australia includes 9437 native species of vascular plants, grouped into 1543 genera in 226 families, as well as 1171 naturalized and invasive species. The largest number of species grows in the southwestern region.

Story

Europeans began settling in the state in 1826, when the British founded Albany to preempt French claims to the western third of the continent. Initially, prisoners were brought in to increase the population of the colony. In the 1890s, internal migration caused by the gold rush in the Goldfields-Esperance region led to a population explosion.

Western Australia did not receive a significant influx of migrants from Britain, Ireland and other parts of the British Empire until several local projects were implemented in the early 20th century to increase the visibility of the western third of Australia as a potential destination for colonists.

As a result of increased migration from the British Isles, Western Australia's population growth rate increased during the 20th century. Along with the eastern states, migrants from Italy, Croatia and Greece began arriving in Western Australia after the Second World War. Despite this, by far the largest number of migrants comes from Britain. Western Australia, particularly Perth, has the largest proportion of British immigrants of any state: 10.6% in 2006, compared to the national average of 5.3%. This group is concentrated in certain areas, where it makes up up to a quarter of the population.

From point of view ethnic composition The 2001 Census data showed that 77.5% of Western Australia's population was of European descent: the largest group were English (733,783 people or 32.7%), followed by Australians (624,259 people or 27.8%), Irish (171 667 people or 7.6%), Italians (96,721 people or 4.3%), Scots (62,781 people or 2.8%), Germans (51,672 people or 2.3%) and Chinese (48,894 people or 2.2%). In addition, 58,496 Aboriginal Australians made up 3.1% of the state's population.

The population of the Perth metropolitan area was estimated in 2007 to be 1.55 million (75% of the state's population). Other major population centers include Mandurah (78,612 people), Banbury (32,499 people), Geraldton (31,553 people), Kalgoorlie (28,242 people), Albany (25,196 people), Broome (14,436 people) and Port Headland (14,000 people).

Economy

Western Australia's economy is primarily dependent on the extraction and processing of mineral resources and petroleum. The structure of the economy is closely linked to the abundance of minerals found within the state, providing a comparative advantage in mining and processing of minerals. As a result:

Western Australia's share of national exports is 36%. Main export commodities: iron ore, aluminum, oil and associated gas, nickel, gold, ammonia, wheat, wool, live sheep and cattle.

Western Australia is a major producer of bauxite, which is processed into aluminum at three smelters, providing more than 20% of global production. Western Australia is also the world's third largest producer of iron ore (15% of global production) and accounts for 75% of Australia's 240 tonnes of gold production. Diamonds are mined at the Argyll quarry in northern Kimberley County. Coal mined in Kolli is the main fuel for basic power generation in the southwest of the state.

Agriculture remains a major sector of Western Australia's economy. In the 2006–07 season, Western Australia's wheat production was 10 million tonnes, reaching almost half of total national production and generating $1.7 billion in export earnings. Other important agricultural products are barley, peas, wool, lamb and beef. There is strong overseas demand for live animal supplies from Western Australia driven by feedlots South-East Asia and states of the Middle East, cultural and religious traditions which, along with the lack of warehouse and refrigeration space, determine the preference for importing live animals over frozen meat. Approximately half of Australia's live cattle exports come from Western Australia.

The growth of the mining sector in recent years has caused significant labor and skill shortages, forcing the state government to undertake efforts to encourage intra-country and international migration. According to the 2006 Census, the average individual income in Western Australia was $500 per week, compared to $466 for Australia as a whole. The average household income was $1,246 per week, compared to $1,171 for Australia as a whole. Economic growth also resulted in a significant increase in property prices in 2006, although prices stopped rising in 2007. Property prices in Perth remain the second highest in Australia after Sydney. High rental rates continue to be a problem.

South of Perth is the Queenana heavy industrial zone, which contains the country's largest oil refinery producing gasoline and diesel for local consumption, metallurgical, aluminum and nickel plants, port facilities for grain exports, as well as engineering and metalworking enterprises that support production oil and other minerals. Shipbuilding (Austal) and related industries are developed in the Henderson area south of Fremantle. Other developed manufacturing industries include cement and building materials, flour milling, food processing, animal feed, automobile body manufacturing, and printing.

The importance of tourism has grown in recent years. The majority of them come from Great Britain and Ireland (28%), others European countries(14%), Singapore (16%), Japan (10%) and Malaysia (8%). Tourism income is a significant economic factor in many small towns, especially on the coast.

Western Australia has a significant fishing and fish processing industry. Products for local consumption and export include lobster, shrimp, crab, shark, tuna, and pearl fish in the Kimberley District. Refining facilities are located along the west coast. Whaling played a significant role, but was discontinued in 1978.

Education

Schooling in Western Australia begins at age 5 in Pre-K and continues for 7 years in primary school. At the age of 13, students move to secondary school, where education continues for 5 years. The last two years in high school should soon become mandatory. Students are now required to complete the year in school in which they turned 16 (usually 11th grade).

The following universities are located in Western Australia: Curtin University, Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University, University of Notre Dame and the University of Western Australia.

Mass media

Seal

There are two daily newspapers published in Western Australia: an independent tabloid The West Australian And Kalgoorlie Miner. A Sunday newspaper is also published The Sunday Times and 17 weekly municipal newspapers. With the advent of the internet, local free news sites e.g. WAtoday, have become a popular alternative source of information.

A television

There are six local digital television channels in Perth.

Radio

Several channels of the public broadcaster ABC broadcast from Perth, as well as six commercial radio stations. Municipal radio stations operate in the regions.

Culture

Winemaking

The wine-growing regions are almost entirely concentrated in the cooler southwestern part of the state. Western Australia produces less than 5% of the country's wine production, but it is of high quality. Main wine regions: Margaret River, Great Southern, Swan Valley. Among less large areas Blackwood Valley, Manjimap, Pemberton, Peel, Perth Hills and Geographe Bay stand out.

Sport

The following professional teams are based in the state: various types sports:

• Football: Perth Glory and Perth Glory (women)
• Australian rules football: West Coast Eagles and Football club Fremantle. The Western Australian Football League Championship is the main tournament in the state, with district and local competitions also held
• Baseball: Perth Heat
• Basketball: Perth Wildcats (men) and Perth Lynx (women)
• Cricket: Western Warriors (men) and Western Fury (women)
• Field hockey: Smokefree Thundersticks (men) and Smokefree Diamonds (women)
• Netball: West Coast Feve
• Rugby League: Reds
• Rugby 15: Western Force

Among the international competitions held in Western Australia are the Hopman Cup (tennis), the Tom Hoad Cup (water polo), the Perth Cup (horse racing), the Red Bull Air Race (aerobatics), and the Gravity Games (extreme sports).

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Excerpt describing Western Australia

Pierre sat opposite Dolokhov and Nikolai Rostov. He ate a lot and greedily and drank a lot, as always. But those who knew him briefly saw that some big change had taken place in him that day. He was silent the entire time of dinner and, squinting and wincing, looked around him or, stopping his eyes, with an air of complete absent-mindedness, rubbed the bridge of his nose with his finger. His face was sad and gloomy. He seemed to not see or hear anything happening around him, and was thinking about something alone, heavy and unresolved.
This unresolved question that tormented him, there were hints from the princess in Moscow about Dolokhov’s closeness to his wife and this morning the anonymous letter he received, in which it was said with that vile playfulness that is characteristic of all anonymous letters that he sees poorly through his glasses, and that his wife’s connection with Dolokhov is a secret only to him. Pierre decidedly did not believe either the princess’s hints or the letter, but he was now afraid to look at Dolokhov, who was sitting in front of him. Every time his gaze accidentally met Dolokhov’s beautiful, insolent eyes, Pierre felt something terrible, ugly rising in his soul, and he quickly turned away. Involuntarily remembering everything that happened to his wife and her relationship with Dolokhov, Pierre saw clearly that what was said in the letter could be true, could at least seem true if it did not concern his wife. Pierre involuntarily recalled how Dolokhov, to whom everything was returned after the campaign, returned to St. Petersburg and came to him. Taking advantage of his carousing friendship with Pierre, Dolokhov came directly to his house, and Pierre accommodated him and lent him money. Pierre recalled how Helen, smiling, expressed her displeasure that Dolokhov lived in their house, and how Dolokhov cynically praised the beauty of his wife, and how from that time until his arrival in Moscow he was not separated from them for a minute.
“Yes, he is very handsome,” thought Pierre, I know him. It would be a special delight for him to dishonor my name and laugh at me, precisely because I worked for him and looked after him, helped him. I know, I understand what salt this should add to his deception in his eyes, if it were true. Yes, if it were true; but I don’t believe, I don’t have the right and I can’t believe.” He recalled the expression that Dolokhov's face took on when moments of cruelty came over him, like those in which he tied up a policeman with a bear and set him afloat, or when he challenged a man to a duel without any reason, or killed a coachman's horse with a pistol. . This expression was often on Dolokhov's face when he looked at him. “Yes, he’s a brute,” thought Pierre, it doesn’t mean anything to him to kill a man, it must seem to him that everyone is afraid of him, he should be pleased with this. He must think that I am afraid of him too. And really I’m afraid of him,” thought Pierre, and again with these thoughts he felt something terrible and ugly rising in his soul. Dolokhov, Denisov and Rostov were now sitting opposite Pierre and seemed very cheerful. Rostov chatted merrily with his two friends, one of whom was a dashing hussar, the other a famous raider and rake, and occasionally glanced mockingly at Pierre, who at this dinner impressed with his concentrated, absent-minded, massive figure. Rostov looked at Pierre unkindly, firstly, because Pierre, in his hussar eyes, was a rich civilian, the husband of a beauty, generally a woman; secondly, because Pierre, in the concentration and distraction of his mood, did not recognize Rostov and did not respond to his bow. When they began to drink the sovereign's health, Pierre, lost in thought, did not get up and take the glass.
- What are you doing? - Rostov shouted to him, looking at him with enthusiastically embittered eyes. - Don't you hear? health of the sovereign emperor! - Pierre sighed, stood up obediently, drank his glass and, waiting until everyone sat down, turned to Rostov with his kind smile.
“But I didn’t recognize you,” he said. - But Rostov had no time for that, he shouted hurray!
“Why don’t you renew your acquaintance,” Dolokhov said to Rostov.
“God be with him, you fool,” said Rostov.
“We must cherish the husbands of pretty women,” Denisov said. Pierre did not hear what they said, but he knew that they were talking about him. He blushed and turned away.
“Well, now for the health of beautiful women,” said Dolokhov, and with a serious expression, but with a smiling mouth at the corners, he turned to Pierre with a glass.
“For the health of beautiful women, Petrusha, and their lovers,” he said.
Pierre, with his eyes downcast, drank from his glass, without looking at Dolokhov or answering him. The footman who was handing out Kutuzov's cantata put the sheet of paper on Pierre, as a more honored guest. He wanted to take it, but Dolokhov leaned over, snatched the piece of paper from his hand and began to read. Pierre looked at Dolokhov, his pupils sank: something terrible and ugly, which had been bothering him throughout dinner, rose up and took possession of him. He leaned his entire corpulent body across the table: “Don’t you dare take it!” - he shouted.
Hearing this cry and seeing who it referred to, Nesvitsky and the neighbor on the right side turned to Bezukhov in fear and haste.
- Come on, come on, what are you talking about? - whispered frightened voices. Dolokhov looked at Pierre with bright, cheerful, cruel eyes, with the same smile, as if he was saying: “But this is what I love.” “I won’t,” he said clearly.
Pale, with a trembling lip, Pierre tore off the sheet. “You... you... scoundrel!.. I challenge you,” he said, and moving his chair, he stood up from the table. At that very second that Pierre did this and uttered these words, he felt that the question of his wife’s guilt, which had been tormenting him these last 24 hours, was finally and undoubtedly resolved in the affirmative. He hated her and was forever separated from her. Despite Denisov’s requests that Rostov not interfere in this matter, Rostov agreed to be Dolokhov’s second, and after the table he talked with Nesvitsky, Bezukhov’s second, about the conditions of the duel. Pierre went home, and Rostov, Dolokhov and Denisov sat in the club until late in the evening, listening to gypsies and songwriters.
“So see you tomorrow, in Sokolniki,” said Dolokhov, saying goodbye to Rostov on the porch of the club.
- And are you calm? - Rostov asked...
Dolokhov stopped. “You see, I’ll tell you in a nutshell the whole secret of the duel.” If you go to a duel and write wills and tender letters to your parents, if you think that they might kill you, you are a fool and are probably lost; and you go with the firm intention of killing him, as quickly and surely as possible, then everything will be fine. As our Kostroma bear hunter used to tell me: how can one not be afraid of a bear? Yes, as soon as you see him, and the fear passes, as if it didn’t go away! Well, so am I. A demain, mon cher! [See you tomorrow, my dear!]
The next day, at 8 o’clock in the morning, Pierre and Nesvitsky arrived at the Sokolnitsky forest and found Dolokhov, Denisov and Rostov there. Pierre had the appearance of a man busy with some considerations that were not at all related to the upcoming matter. His haggard face was yellow. He apparently didn't sleep that night. He looked around absently and winced as if from the bright sun. Two considerations exclusively occupied him: the guilt of his wife, of which, after a sleepless night, there was no longer the slightest doubt, and the innocence of Dolokhov, who had no reason to protect the honor of a stranger to him. “Maybe I would have done the same in his place,” Pierre thought. I probably would have done the same thing; Why this duel, this murder? Either I will kill him, or he will hit me in the head, elbow, knee. “Get out of here, run away, bury yourself somewhere,” came to his mind. But precisely in those moments when such thoughts came to him. With a particularly calm and absent-minded look, which inspired respect in those who looked at him, he asked: “Is it soon, and is it ready?”
When everything was ready, the sabers were stuck in the snow, indicating a barrier to which they had to converge, and the pistols were loaded, Nesvitsky approached Pierre.
“I would not have fulfilled my duty, Count,” he said in a timid voice, “and would not have justified the trust and honor that you showed me by choosing me as your second, if at this important moment, a very important moment, I had not said tell you the whole truth. I believe that this matter does not have enough reasons, and that it is not worth shedding blood for it... You were wrong, not quite right, you got carried away...
“Oh yes, terribly stupid...” said Pierre.
“So let me convey your regret, and I am sure that our opponents will agree to accept your apology,” said Nesvitsky (like other participants in the case and like everyone else in similar cases, not yet believing that it would come to an actual duel) . “You know, Count, it is much nobler to admit your mistake than to bring matters to an irreparable point.” There was no resentment on either side. Let me talk...
- No, what to talk about! - said Pierre, - all the same... So it’s ready? - he added. - Just tell me where to go and where to shoot? – he said, smiling unnaturally meekly. “He picked up the pistol and began asking about the method of release, since he had not yet held a pistol in his hands, which he did not want to admit. “Oh yes, that’s it, I know, I just forgot,” he said.
“No apologies, nothing decisive,” Dolokhov said to Denisov, who, for his part, also made an attempt at reconciliation, and also approached the appointed place.
The place for the fight was chosen 80 steps from the road where the sleigh was left, in a small clearing pine forest, covered with melted from standing last days thaws with snow. The opponents stood 40 paces from each other, at the edges of the clearing. The seconds, measuring their steps, laid traces, imprinted in the wet, deep snow, from the place where they stood to the sabers of Nesvitsky and Denisov, which meant a barrier and were stuck 10 steps from each other. The thaw and fog continued; for 40 steps nothing was visible. For about three minutes everything was ready, and yet they hesitated to start, everyone was silent.

- Well, let's start! - said Dolokhov.
“Well,” said Pierre, still smiling. “It was getting scary.” It was obvious that the matter, which began so easily, could no longer be prevented, that it went on by itself, regardless of the will of people, and had to be accomplished. Denisov was the first to step forward to the barrier and proclaimed:
- Since the “opponents” refused to “name” them, would you like to begin: take pistols and, according to the word “t”, and begin to converge.
“G...”az! Two! T”i!...” Denisov shouted angrily and stepped aside. Both walked along the beaten paths closer and closer, recognizing each other in the fog. Opponents had the right, converging to the barrier, to shoot whenever anyone wanted. Dolokhov walked slowly, without raising his pistol, peering with his bright, shining, blue eyes into the face of his opponent. His mouth, as always, had the semblance of a smile.
- So when I want, I can shoot! - said Pierre, at the word three he walked forward with quick steps, straying from the well-trodden path and walking on solid snow. Pierre held the pistol outstretched forward right hand, apparently afraid that he might kill himself with this pistol. He carefully put his left hand back, because he wanted to support his right hand with it, but he knew that this was impossible. Having walked six steps and strayed off the path into the snow, Pierre looked back at his feet, again quickly looked at Dolokhov, and, pulling his finger, as he had been taught, fired. Never expecting this strong sound, Pierre flinched from his shot, then smiled at his own impression and stopped. The smoke, especially thick from the fog, prevented him from seeing at first; but the other shot he was waiting for did not come. Only Dolokhov’s hurried steps were heard, and his figure appeared from behind the smoke. With one hand he held his left side, with the other he clutched the lowered pistol. His face was pale. Rostov ran up and said something to him.
“No...e...t,” Dolokhov said through his teeth, “no, it’s not over,” and taking a few more falling, hobbling steps right up to the saber, he fell on the snow next to it. His left hand was covered in blood, he wiped it on his coat and leaned on it. His face was pale, frowning and trembling.
“Please…” Dolokhov began, but couldn’t say right away... “Please,” he finished with an effort. Pierre, barely holding back his sobs, ran to Dolokhov, and was about to cross the space separating the barriers when Dolokhov shouted: “to the barrier!” - and Pierre, realizing what was happening, stopped at his saber. Only 10 steps separated them. Dolokhov lowered his head to the snow, greedily bit the snow, raised his head again, corrected himself, tucked his legs and sat down, looking for a strong center of gravity. He swallowed cold snow and sucked it; his lips trembled, but still smiling; the eyes sparkled with the effort and malice of the last collected strength. He raised the pistol and began to take aim.
“Sideways, cover yourself with a pistol,” said Nesvitsky.
“Watch yourself!” even Denisov, unable to bear it, shouted to his opponent.
Pierre, with a meek smile of regret and repentance, helplessly spreading his legs and arms, stood straight in front of Dolokhov with his broad chest and looked at him sadly. Denisov, Rostov and Nesvitsky closed their eyes. At the same time, they heard a shot and Dolokhov’s angry cry.
- Past! - Dolokhov shouted and lay helplessly face down on the snow. Pierre grabbed his head and, turning back, went into the forest, walking entirely in the snow and saying out loud: unclear words:
- Stupid... stupid! Death... lies... - he repeated, wincing. Nesvitsky stopped him and took him home.
Rostov and Denisov took the wounded Dolokhov.
Dolokhov, silently, with eyes closed, lay in the sleigh and did not answer a word to the questions that were asked of him; but, having entered Moscow, he suddenly woke up and, with difficulty raising his head, took Rostov, who was sitting next to him, by the hand. Rostov was struck by the completely changed and unexpectedly enthusiastically tender expression on Dolokhov’s face.
- Well? How do you feel? - asked Rostov.
- Bad! but that's not the point. My friend,” said Dolokhov in a broken voice, “where are we?” We are in Moscow, I know. I’m okay, but I killed her, killed her... She won’t stand it. She won't bear it...
- Who? - asked Rostov.
- My mother. My mother, my angel, my adored angel, mother,” and Dolokhov began to cry, squeezing Rostov’s hand. When he calmed down somewhat, he explained to Rostov that he lived with his mother, and that if his mother saw him dying, she would not bear it. He begged Rostov to go to her and prepare her.
Rostov went ahead to carry out the assignment, and to his great surprise he learned that Dolokhov, this brawler, the brute Dolokhov lived in Moscow with his old mother and hunchbacked sister, and was the most tender son and brother.

Pierre in Lately I rarely saw my wife face to face. Both in St. Petersburg and Moscow, their house was constantly full of guests. The next night after the duel, he, as he often did, did not go to the bedroom, but remained in his huge, father’s office, the same one in which Count Bezukhy died.
He lay down on the sofa and wanted to fall asleep in order to forget everything that happened to him, but he could not do it. Such a storm of feelings, thoughts, memories suddenly arose in his soul that he not only could not sleep, but could not sit still and had to jump up from the sofa and walk quickly around the room. Then he imagined her at first after her marriage, with open shoulders and a tired, passionate look, and immediately next to her he imagined the beautiful, insolent and firmly mocking face of Dolokhov, as it had been at dinner, and the same face of Dolokhov, pale, trembling and suffering as it was when he turned and fell into the snow.
“What happened? – he asked himself. “I killed my lover, yes, I killed my wife’s lover.” Yes, it was. From what? How did I get to this point? “Because you married her,” answered an inner voice.
“But what am I to blame for? - he asked. “The fact is that you married without loving her, that you deceived both yourself and her,” and he vividly imagined that minute after dinner at Prince Vasily’s when he said these words that never escaped him: “Je vous aime.” [I love you.] Everything from this! I felt then, he thought, I felt then that it was not that I had no right to it. And so it happened.” He remembered the honeymoon, and blushed at the memory. Particularly vivid, offensive and shameful for him was the memory of how one day, soon after his marriage, at 12 noon, in a silk robe, he came from the bedroom to the office, and in the office he found the chief manager, who bowed respectfully and looked at Pierre's face, on his robe, and smiled slightly, as if expressing with this smile respectful sympathy for the happiness of his principal.
“And how many times have I been proud of her, proud of her majestic beauty, her social tact,” he thought; he was proud of his home, in which she welcomed all of St. Petersburg, he was proud of her inaccessibility and beauty. So this is what I was proud of?! I thought then that I didn’t understand her. How often, pondering her character, I told myself that it was my fault that I didn’t understand her, that I didn’t understand this constant calm, contentment and absence of any attachments and desires, and the whole solution was in that terrible word that she depraved woman: told myself this scary word, and everything became clear!
“Anatole went to her to borrow money from her and kissed her bare shoulders. She didn't give him money, but she allowed him to kiss her. Her father, jokingly, aroused her jealousy; she said with a calm smile that she was not so stupid as to be jealous: let her do what she wants, she said about me. I asked her one day if she felt any signs of pregnancy. She laughed contemptuously and said that she was not a fool to want to have children, and that she would not have children from me.”
Then he remembered the rudeness, the clarity of her thoughts and the vulgarity of expressions characteristic of her, despite her upbringing in the highest aristocratic circle. “I’m not some kind of fool... go try it yourself... allez vous promener,” she said. Often, looking at her success in the eyes of old and young men and women, Pierre could not understand why he did not love her. Yes, I never loved her, Pierre told himself; I knew that she was a depraved woman, he repeated to himself, but he did not dare admit it.
And now Dolokhov, here he sits in the snow and smiles forcibly, and dies, perhaps responding to my repentance with some kind of feigned youth!”
Pierre was one of those people who, despite their outward, so-called weakness of character, do not look for an attorney for their grief. He processed his grief alone.
“She is to blame for everything, she alone is to blame,” he said to himself; - but what of this? Why did I connect myself with her, why did I tell her this: “Je vous aime,” [I love you?] which was a lie and even worse than a lie, he said to himself. I am guilty and must bear... What? A disgrace to your name, a misfortune to your life? Eh, it’s all nonsense, he thought, a disgrace to the name, and honor, everything is conditional, everything is independent of me.
“Louis XVI was executed because they said that he was dishonest and a criminal (it occurred to Pierre), and they were right from their point of view, just as those who died a martyr’s death for him and ranked him among the face of the saints. Then Robespierre was executed for being a despot. Who is right, who is wrong? Nobody. But live and live: tomorrow you will die, just as I could have died an hour ago. And is it worth it to suffer when you only have one second to live compared to eternity? - But at that moment, when he considered himself reassured by this kind of reasoning, he suddenly imagined her in those moments when he most strongly showed her his insincere love, and he felt a rush of blood to his heart, and had to get up again, move, and break and tear things that come into his hands. “Why did I tell her: “Je vous aime?” he kept repeating to himself. And having repeated this question for the 10th time, Molierevo came to his mind: mais que diable allait il faire dans cette galere? [but why the hell brought him to this galley?] and he laughed at himself.
At night he called the valet and told him to pack up and go to St. Petersburg. He couldn't stay under the same roof with her. He couldn't imagine how he would talk to her now. He decided that tomorrow he would leave and leave her a letter in which he would tell her his intention to separate from her forever.
In the morning, when the valet, bringing coffee, entered the office, Pierre was lying on the ottoman and sleeping with an open book in his hand.
He woke up and looked around in fear for a long time, unable to understand where he was.
“The Countess ordered me to ask if your Excellency is at home?” – asked the valet.
But before Pierre had time to decide on the answer he would make, the countess herself, in a white satin robe, embroidered with silver, and simple hair (two huge braids en diademe [in the form of a diadem] curved twice around her lovely head) entered the room calm and majestic; only on marble a few convex forehead hers was a wrinkle of anger. With her all-bearing calm, she did not speak in front of the valet. She knew about the duel and came to talk about it. She waited until the valet had set out the coffee and left. Pierre looked at her timidly through his glasses, and, like a hare surrounded by dogs, his ears flattened, continues to lie in sight of his enemies, so he tried to continue reading: but he felt that it was pointless and impossible and again looked timidly at her. She did not sit down, and looked at him with a contemptuous smile, waiting for the valet to come out.
- What is this? “What have you done, I’m asking you,” she said sternly.
- I? what am I? - said Pierre.
- A brave man has been found! Well, tell me, what kind of duel is this? What did you want to prove with this? What? I'm asking you. “Pierre turned heavily on the sofa, opened his mouth, but could not answer.
“If you don’t answer, then I’ll tell you...” Helen continued. “You believe everything that they tell you, they told you...” Helen laughed, “that Dolokhov is my lover,” she said in French, with her rough precision of speech, pronouncing the word “lover” like any other word, “and you believed ! But what did you prove with this? What did you prove with this duel! That you are a fool, que vous etes un sot, [that you are a fool] everyone knew that! Where will this lead? So that I become the laughing stock of all Moscow; so that everyone will say that you, drunk and unconscious, challenged to a duel a man whom you are jealous of without reason,” Helen raised her voice more and more and became animated, “who is better than you in all respects...
“Hm... hm...” Pierre mumbled, wincing, not looking at her and not moving a single member.
- And why could you believe that he is my lover?... Why? Because I love his company? If you were smarter and nicer, I would prefer yours.
“Don’t talk to me... I beg you,” Pierre whispered hoarsely.
- Why shouldn’t I tell you! “I can speak and will boldly say that it is a rare wife who, with a husband like you, would not take lovers (des amants), but I did not,” she said. Pierre wanted to say something, looked at her with strange eyes, the expression of which she did not understand, and lay down again. He was physically suffering at that moment: his chest was tight, and he could not breathe. He knew that he had to do something to stop this suffering, but what he wanted to do was too scary.
“It’s better for us to part,” he said falteringly.
“Part up, if you please, only if you give me a fortune,” said Helen... Separate, that’s what scared me!
Pierre jumped up from the sofa and staggered towards her.
- I'll kill you! - he shouted, and grabbing a marble board from the table, with a force still unknown to him, he took a step towards it and swung at it.
Helen's face became scary: she squealed and jumped away from him. His father's breed affected him. Pierre felt the fascination and charm of rage. He threw the board, broke it and, with with open hands approaching Helen, he shouted: “Get out!!” in such a terrible voice that the whole house heard this scream with horror. God knows what Pierre would have done at that moment if