Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia.
With a population of 1,650,000 (2009), Perth ranks fourth amongst the nation's cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average.
The area where Perth now stands was called Boorloo by the Aboriginals living there at the time of their first contact with Europeans in 1827.
Perth was founded on 12 June 1829 by Captain James Stirling as the political centre of the free settler Swan River Colony.
Perth is one of the most isolated metropolitan areas on Earth. The nearest city to Perth with a population over 1 million is Adelaide in South Australia, which is 2,104 kilometres (1,307 mi) away.
Perth is ranked 4th on The Economist's 2008 list of the World's Most Livable Cities.
Source: Wikipedia
