Sydney (pronounced
/ˈsɪdni/[4])
is the largest city in
Australia and
Oceania, and the
state capital of
New South Wales, and is
located on Australia's
south-east coast of the
Tasman Sea. Approximately
4.5 million[5]
persons live in the Sydney
metropolitan area. Inhabitants
of the "Harbour City" are called
Sydneysiders, and hail from many
places around the world.[6]
The site of the first British
colony in Australia, Sydney was
established[7]
in 1788 at
Sydney Cove by
Arthur Phillip, commodore of
the
First Fleet. The city is
built on hills surrounding
Sydney Harbour where the
iconic
Sydney Opera House and the
Harbour Bridge feature
prominently. The hinterland of
the metropolitan area is
surrounded by national parks,
and the coastal regions feature
many bays, rivers, inlets and,
most famously,
beaches. Within the city are
many notable parks, including
Hyde Park and
Royal Botanical Gardens.
Sydney is known as an
international centre for
commerce,
arts,
fashion,
culture,
entertainment,
education and
tourism. Sydney has hosted
major international sporting
events, including the
1938 British Empire Games,
the
2000 Summer Olympics, the
final match of the
2003 Rugby World Cup, as
well as the 2008
World Youth Day. The main
airport serving Sydney is
Sydney Airport.
