Nestled between the Swan River and the Indian Ocean, the city of Perth is the capital of Western Australia. Despite its isolated location, more than 2700 miles from Sydney, Perth is the fourth-largest city in Australia, with more than 1.4 million people.
The area was first inhabited by the Nyoongars, an aboriginal tribe who had lived in the region for more than 40,000 years. Europeans first entered Western Australia in the late 1600’s and following a series of visits by Dutch and English explorers, established a colony, the Swan River Settlement, in 1829. This early outpost became the city of Perth.
Although it remains separate from the majority of the Australian population, Perth continues to establish itself as a booming, international metropolis. Perth also has some of the best beaches in Australia. Those who live in Perth boast that it is the sunniest state capital in the country and its perpetually mild climate has allowed it to develop into an extremely outdoorsy area.
In addition to mining, which continues to play an important role in the region’s economy, Perth has benefited from the recent expansion of oil production in Western Australia. The continued growth of the energy industry has become an important tie between Perth and its sister city, Houston. Total annual trade between Houston and Australia was valued at $975.3 million in 2009. Houston is Australia’s sixth-largest U.S. seaborne trade district, and its tenth-largest U.S. air cargo trade district.
Fast Facts:
Population: 1,658,992
Country: Australia
Continent: Oceania
Latitude & Longitude: 31º57’ S, 115º 52’ E
GMT Time Difference: +8
Time Difference from Houston: +14 hours
Distance from Houston: 10600 mi/ 17060 km
Climate: Perth has a mixture of the Californian and Mediterranean climates, with mild winters and hot dry summers. Perth has an average of eight hours sunshine a day. The summer months are hot with an average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius during the day and 17 degrees Celsius at night. The winter months in Perth are from June to August and are mild, with an average temperature of 18 degrees C during the day, and 9 degrees C at night. The wettest month of the year is July, and the average yearly rainfall is around 880mm.
Language: English
Governmental Structure: 9 Elected Members, comprising the Lord Mayor and 8 Councillors (council members)
Current Mayor: The Right Honorable Lisa Scaffidi, Lord Mayor of Perth
Other Sister Cities: Megisti, Greece; Rhodes, Greece; Vasto, Italy; Kagoshima, Japan; San Diego, USA
Additional Information:
City of Perth Website
Perth Tourism
Embassy of Australia