Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south; it borders the counties of Inverness-shire and Aberdeenshire to the north, Angus to the east, Fife, Kinross-shire, Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and Dunbartonshire to the south and Argyllshire to the west.

It has a wide variety of landscapes, from the rich agricultural straths in the east, to the high mountains of the southern Highlands.

[1] The Sheriff of Perth had authority over several provinces, including Atholl, Breadalbane, Gowrie, Menteith and Strathearn.

In 1667 Commissioners of Supply were established for each shire, which would serve as the main administrative body for the area until the creation of county councils in 1890.

Elected county councils were established in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, taking most of the functions of the commissioners (which were eventually abolished in 1930).

There were several such changes affecting the boundaries of Perthshire, notably including the exclaves of Culross and Tulliallan being transferred to Fife.

The districts of Tayside and Central Scotland all became unitary authorities, with Longforgan being transferred from Dundee to Perth and Kinross.

The grant document was discovered in the Lyon Office in 1890, and forwarded to the newly formed Perth County Council.

Further royal references are made on the canton, which shows Scone Palace surmounted by the Crown of Scotland.

Following the boundary changes caused by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, the county contained the following civil parishes: In 1930 the landward area of the Local Government councils (the part outside of burgh boundaries) was divided into five districts, replacing the parish councils established in 1894: The county forms part of the Highland geographic area; it consists of predominantly mountainous and hilly land within the Grampian Mountains, interspersed with numerous lochs and glens.