Canberra
is the capital city of Australia and with
a population of just over 325,000 is Australia's
largest inland city. The city is located
at the northern end of the Australian
Capital Territory, 300 kilometres (190
mi) southwest of Sydney, and 650 kilometres
(400 mi) north-east of Melbourne. Canberra
was selected as the location of the nation's
capital in 1908 as a compromise between
Sydney and Melbourne. It is unusual among
Australian cities as an entirely purpose-built,
planned city. Following an international
contest for the city's design, a design
by Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin
was selected and construction commenced
in 1913. The city's design was heavily
influenced by the garden city movement
and incorporates significant areas of
natural vegetation that have earned Canberra
the title "bush capital". Although
the growth and development of Canberra
was hindered by the World Wars and the
Great Depression, it emerged as a thriving
city after World War II.
As
the seat of the government of Australia,
Canberra is the site of Parliament House,
the High Court of Australia and numerous
government departments. It is also the
location of several social and cultural
institutions of national significance.
The federal government contributes the
largest percentage of Gross State Product
and is the largest employer in Canberra.
Canberra is also a popular destination
for domestic and international tourists.
Blundells' Cottage, built around 1860,
is one of the few remaining buildings
built by the first European settlers of
CanberraBefore European settlement, the
area in which Canberra would eventually
be constructed was seasonally inhabited
by the Ngunnawal and Walgalu tribes. The
Ngarigo lived south-east of the Canberra
area, the Gundungurra to the north, the
Yuin on the coast and the Wiradjuri to
the west. Archaeological evidence from
the Canberra region suggests human habitation
of the area for at least 21,000 years.
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