
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
it has about 380,000 inhabitants, most of whom are stationed in the capital of Australia, Canberra. The territory stretches 88 kilometers from north to south and only 30 kilometers from west to east.
Before the arrival of Europeans in 1820, this territory was inhabited by three aboriginal tribes: Ngunwal, Walgalu and Ngarigo. In 1901, a decision was made to develop the national capital territory. This move was a direct result of the federation of the colonies in Australia.
The location of the Australian Capital Territory is actually a compromise between two great rivals, Sydney and Melbourne. Canberra was built and set as the capital of Australia precisely because of the impossibility of an agreement between these two cities. That explains why Canberra is right between them.
Officially, this territory received the status of an autonomous region - federal capital territory in 1910. By the way, the parliament moved to Canberra only in 1927, and until then it was located in Melbourne.
National government and state institutions remain the territory's main sector, but private sector employment has expanded significantly in the past few years to include the production of sophisticated scientific and communications equipment, as well as computer software.
CANBERRA
is the capital of Australia and with a population of 380,000 it is the largest inland city and the eighth largest city in Australia. It was chosen as the capital in 1908 as a compromise between two great rivals, Melbourne and Sydney. It is unusual that Canberra was built as a fully planned city. Canberra gained political importance during the Second World War and administrative importance from the late 1940s, but its physical development did not progress much until the mid-twentieth century. The National Commission for Capital Development initiated since 1958 to begin to invest significantly in the infrastructure of Canberra, which resulted in an increase in the number of residents, elegant buildings, beautiful parks and wide boulevards. Today, Canberra is a modern city with a cosmopolitan spirit. It offers all the services of a city: excellent health facilities, the best roads, excellent public transport and endless cycle paths.
The biggest sights of the city are: National Museum of Australia, Parliament House, Australian War Memorial, Lake Burley Griffin, etc.
Canberra is a city full of public institutions and services. Thanks to this, it is one of the cities with the lowest unemployment rate and, compared to other cities, it has one of the highest average earnings per inhabitant. The main industry in the city is public administration and security, which accounts for nearly 30% of the total territorial gross product and employs about 33% of the city's total workforce. In May 2012, the unemployment rate was 3.4%. The gross average weekly wage in Canberra is AUD 1702 and the national average is AUD 1485.
Interesting facts
- The land for the Australian Capital Territory (originally known as the Federal Territory of Australia) was purchased from the state of New South Wales.
- Canberra became the capital of Australia based on the rivalry between the two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. After the unification of Australia in 1901, it was decided that the capital of this country should be located between these two cities. The chosen location was 248 kilometers from Sydney and 483 kilometers from Melbourne.
- No building in the city center can be more than 13 stories high due to the strict city plan (only 3 buildings on the outskirts of the city exceed this limit).
- Canberra is an Aboriginal word meaning gathering place, although no one can confirm this theory with certainty.
- It is estimated that Canberrans visit art galleries, concerts, theatres, cinemas and other arts events more than any other city dweller in Australia.
- Canberra is the main center of diplomatic activity in Australia. More than 40 nations have established permanent diplomatic missions with more than 1,200 employees. A corps of news correspondents are based in Canberra to cover political and other events. Also, conventions and conferences of technical, scientific and educational groups are held from time to time. The city attracts around one million Australian and international visitors each year.