What is the capital of New South Wales?
Sydney is the capital of New South Wales. It is Australia's oldest city, founded in 1788, and one of its two largest, with about five million people in the greater metropolitan area.
Sydney grew from the first British settlement at Sydney Cove, where the First Fleet landed in January 1788. The colony of New South Wales originally covered much of the eastern half of the continent, and Sydney became its administrative centre from the start.
Today Sydney is Australia's main financial hub and a gateway for international travellers. Its harbour, known as Port Jackson, is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, and landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge stand on its shores.
The state around it
New South Wales is Australia's most populous state, with more than eight million people. Other large cities include Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast, while inland centres such as Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Albury serve farming regions.
Did You Know?
The Aboriginal people of the Sydney area are the Gadigal and other clans of the Eora Nation.