Perth

Perth city (1991 pop. 1,018,702), capital of Western Australia, SW Australia, on the Swan River estuary. Fremantle is Perth's port. Perth is a communications and transportation center and the state's financial, commercial, and cultural hub. The suburbs of Fremantle, Kwinana, and Welshpool have heavy industries. Perth was founded in 1829 but did not gain importance until the Coolgardie gold rush (1890s), the development of the port at Fremantle, and the construction of rail lines (early 20th cent.). Perth evolved into a modern metropolis in the late 20th cent. and saw much new construction. The Univ. of Western Australia and Murdoch Univ. are there. It is also the seat of Roman Catholic and Anglican archbishops. Perth is very isolated; Adelaide, the closest major city, is nearly 2,000 mi (3,219 km) away.

Perth City on the Swan River, sw Australia; capital of Western Australia. Founded in 1829, the city grew rapidly after the discovery of gold at Coolgardie in the 1890s, the development of the port at Fremantle and the construction of railways to the e in the early 20th century. Industries: textiles, cement, food processing, motor vehicles. Pop. (1999 est.) 1,364,200.

Perth, Australia, Canada, UK, USA 1. Australia (Western Australia): founded in 1829 as the Swan River Settlement some 10 miles (16 km) from the mouth of the Swan River after the Dutch navigator Willem de Vlamingh had given the river that name in 1697 after the numerous flocks of black swans in the area. It was subsequently renamed after the Scottish county of Perthshire, the home and parliamentary constituency (1823–32) of General Sir George Murray (1772–1846), the British colonial secretary (1828–30).2. Canada (Ontario): founded in 1816 by Scottish immigrants, it was named after the city in Scotland.3. UK (Scotland): formerly Pert ‘(Place by a) Copse’ from the Pictish perta ‘copse’ or ‘thicket’. With the first church dedicated to St John the Baptist, the city was also known as St John's Town, or St Johnstoun, alongside Perth, until the 17th century. It was the Scottish capital until c.1452.