Sydney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sydney New South Wales
Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge Queen Victoria Building University of Sydney Bondi Beach Archibald Fountain and St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney central business district
Map of the Sydney metropolitan area
Sydney Location in Australia
Population	5,450,496 (2023) (1st)
• Density	441/km2 (1,140/sq mi) (2023)
Established	26 January 1788; 237 years ago (1788-01-26)
Area	12,367.7 km2 (4,775.2 sq mi)(GCCSA)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	287 km (178 mi) NE of Canberra 877 km (545 mi) NE of Melbourne 923 km (574 mi) S of Brisbane 1,404 km (872 mi) E of Adelaide 3,936 km (2,446 mi) E of Perth
LGA(s)	Various (33)
County	Cumberland
State electorate(s)	Various (49)
Federal Division(s)	Various (24)
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 22.8 °C 73 °F 14.7 °C 58 °F 1,149.7 mm 45.3 in

Sydney is the capital city of New South Wales, a state in Australia. It is the largest city in Australia and all of Oceania. Sydney is on Australia's east coast, surrounding Sydney Harbour. It stretches about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.

The city is also about 80 km (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in the north to Royal National Park in the south. Greater Sydney includes 658 suburbs. People who live in Sydney are often called "Sydneysiders". In June 2023, about 5.45 million people lived here. Sydney is sometimes called the Emerald City or the Harbour City.

Aboriginal Australians have lived in the Sydney area for at least 30,000 years. Their ancient rock carvings and cultural sites can still be found. The Darug, Dharawal, and Eora peoples are the traditional owners of the land where Sydney now stands. In 1770, James Cook explored Australia's eastern coast and landed at Botany Bay.

In 1788, the First Fleet arrived, bringing convicts from Britain. Led by Arthur Phillip, they founded Sydney as the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, many people from other countries moved to Sydney. By 2021, over 40% of its population was born overseas.

Sydney is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, it often ranks among the top ten most liveable cities. It is a very important city for business and culture around the world. Sydney has a strong economy, especially in education, finance, and tourism. The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales are highly ranked universities.

Sydney has hosted big sports events, like the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final. Millions of tourists visit each year to see famous places like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The city also has over 1,000,000 hectares of parks and nature reserves.

Sydney's Name: How the City Got Its Title

In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip was the first governor of New South Wales. He named the first British settlement Sydney Cove after Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. Viscount Sydney was the Home Secretary in Britain. The Aboriginal people called this cove Warrane.

Phillip thought about naming the settlement "Albion," but it was never officially used. By 1790, officials were regularly calling the town Sydney. Sydney officially became a city in 1842.

The Gadigal clan lived along the southern shore of Port Jackson. This is where the British first settled. They called their land Gadi (or Cadi). Aboriginal clan names often ended with "-gal," meaning "from this place." Greater Sydney covers the lands of 28 known Aboriginal clans.

Sydney's Past: A Look at Its History

First People of Sydney: Ancient Inhabitants

The first people in the Sydney area were Indigenous Australians. They came from northern Australia and before that, from Southeast Asia. Scientists believe people lived in Sydney around 30,735 years ago. Some stone tools found in Western Sydney suggest human settlement might have been even earlier, perhaps 45,000 to 50,000 years ago.

The first British settlers called these people the Eora people. "Eora" means "from this place" in their language. Before the British arrived, there were between 4,000 and 8,000 native people in Sydney. They belonged to as many as 29 different clans.

The Cadigal clan lived around Sydney Cove. The main language groups were Darug, Guringai, and Dharawal. Early European visitors saw Indigenous people camping, fishing, and cooking. They used trees for bark and food, and collected shells.

Much of the city's early history has been lost due to development. However, examples of rock art and engravings still exist in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The first meeting between native people and the British happened on April 29, 1770. Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay and met the Gweagal clan. He wrote that they seemed confused and a bit unfriendly. Cook was exploring, not planning a settlement. He left after a short time, claiming the land for Britain.

Founding the Colony: Sydney's Beginnings

Before 1776, Britain sent its convicts to the American colonies. After the American colonies became independent, Britain needed a new place for prisoners. In 1786, they decided to start a new penal colony in the land Cook had discovered.

The colony was first going to be called "New Albion." But Captain Phillip chose "Sydney" to honor Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. Viscount Sydney had approved the settlement. Captain Phillip led the First Fleet of 11 ships and about 850 convicts. They arrived at Botany Bay on January 18, 1788.

Phillip found Botany Bay unsuitable because of poor soil and little fresh water. He then sailed north and arrived at Port Jackson on January 26, 1788. This became the site for the new colony. Phillip described Sydney Cove as "without exception the finest harbour in the world." The colony was officially named on February 7, 1788.

Between 1788 and 1792, about 4,300 convicts arrived in Sydney. The colony was not built on freedom at first. Punishment for convicts was to be sent away, not put in prison. However, serious crimes could lead to flogging or hanging.

Both officers and convicts faced starvation because supplies were low. It was hard to grow food from the land. The local Indigenous population also suffered. About half of Sydney's native people died during a smallpox outbreak in 1789. Some Indigenous groups fought back against the British settlers.

Lachlan Macquarie became Governor in 1810. He worked to bring order after a rebellion in 1808. Conditions were tough, but more ships arrived, and trade, like wool, began. This helped to ease the isolation.

Macquarie started a huge building program, constructing 265 different projects. Roads, bridges, and public buildings were built using convict labor. By 1822, Sydney had banks, markets, and proper streets. Macquarie also allowed convicts to become free citizens, helping to transform the colony.

Modern Sydney: Growth and Change

Convict transportation to Sydney ended in 1840. By then, Sydney had a population of 35,000. In 1842, Sydney became Australia's first city. Gold was discovered in 1851, bringing thousands of people hoping to get rich. Sydney's population reached 200,000 by 1871.

After an economic downturn in the 1890s, the six Australian colonies decided to form one nation. On January 1, 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Sydney, with a population of 481,000, became the capital of New South Wales.

The Great Depression of the 1930s hit Sydney's economy hard. Up to one in three workers were unemployed. Building the Sydney Harbour Bridge helped by employing 1,400 men from 1924 to 1932. Despite the Depression, the population kept growing, reaching 1 million in 1925.

When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, Australia joined the war. Sydney's industries grew to support the war effort. There were labor shortages, and women took on jobs traditionally done by men. In May and June 1942, Japanese submarines attacked Sydney's harbor, causing some deaths. People built air raid shelters and practiced drills.

After the war, Sydney continued to expand. The population grew from 1.7 million in 1950 to almost 3 million by 1975. In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II visited Sydney, marking the first time a reigning monarch stepped onto Australian soil. She arrived on the Royal Yacht Britannia through Sydney Heads. Sydney's famous Opera House was opened by the Queen in 1973.

A friendly rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne began in the 1850s and still exists. Sydney became Australia's largest city in the early 20th century and remains so. Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics, which were called the "best Olympic Games ever." The Opera House became a World Heritage Site in 2007.

Sydney's Landscape: Geography and Natural Features

Sydney's Shape: Topography and Landforms

Sydney is located in a coastal basin. The Tasman Sea is to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, and the Hawkesbury River to the north. The inner city is about 25 km² (10 sq mi). Greater Sydney covers 12,367 km² (4,775 sq mi).

Sydney has two main geographic areas. The Cumberland Plain is south and west of the Harbour and is mostly flat. The Hornsby Plateau is to the north and has steep valleys. The flat southern areas were developed first. After the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built, the northern coastal areas became more populated. Sydney has 70 beaches, with Bondi Beach being one of the most famous.

The Nepean River flows around the city's western edge. It becomes the Hawkesbury River before reaching Broken Bay. Most of Sydney's water comes from rivers that flow into the Nepean. The Parramatta River is mainly industrial and flows into Port Jackson. The southern parts of the city are drained by the Georges River and the Cooks River into Botany Bay.

Sydney's Rocks: Geology and Foundations

Sydney's land is mostly made of Triassic rock. This includes some newer igneous (volcanic) rocks. The Sydney Basin formed when the Earth's crust expanded and filled with sediment long ago. The sand that became today's sandstone was washed from Broken Hill about 200 million years ago. This sandstone contains layers of shale and old riverbeds.

The Sydney Basin has coastal features like cliffs, beaches, and estuaries. Deep river valleys, called rias, were carved during the Triassic period. When sea levels rose between 18,000 and 6,000 years ago, these rias flooded. This formed estuaries and deep harbors like Port Jackson, also known as Sydney Harbour.

Sydney's Plants: Vegetation and Bushland

The most common plants in Sydney are Dry Sclerophyll Forests. These are open woodlands with eucalyptus trees, tough-leaved shrubs like wattles and banksias, and grass. These plants grow well in poor soil.

Wet sclerophyll forests are found in damp, higher areas of Sydney, especially in the northeast. They have tall, straight trees and a moist undergrowth of soft-leaved shrubs and tree ferns.

Sydney's Weather: Climate and Temperatures

Sydney has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm summers, mild winters, and rain throughout the year. At Observatory Hill, the highest temperature recorded was 45.8°C (114.4°F) in January 2013. The lowest was 2.1°C (35.8°F) in June 1932.

The city center usually has about 15 days a year with temperatures above 30°C (86°F). However, in the wider metropolitan area, it can be 35 to 65 days. The ocean helps keep temperatures milder near the coast. Inland western suburbs often experience more extreme temperatures.

Sydney can experience an "urban heat island" effect. This means some parts of the city get hotter than others. In late spring and summer, temperatures over 35°C (95°F) are common. Hot, dry weather often ends with a "southerly buster." This strong storm brings strong winds and a quick drop in temperature, followed by rain and thunder.

In winter, frost can occur a few times in Western Sydney. Autumn and spring are transition seasons. Spring has bigger temperature changes than autumn.

Rainfall is spread evenly throughout the year, with slightly more rain in the first half of the year. Sydney usually has about 20 thunderstorms per year. In late autumn and winter, "east coast lows" can bring heavy rain, especially to the city center.

Sydney is rarely hit by cyclones. However, the remains of old cyclones can affect the city. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation greatly influences Sydney's weather. It can cause droughts and bushfires, or storms and floods. Many areas near bushland have experienced bushfires, usually in spring and summer. The city also gets severe storms, like the 1999 Sydney hailstorm which had very large hailstones.

The Bureau of Meteorology reported that 2002 to 2005 were Sydney's warmest summers since 1859. The summer of 2007–08 was the coolest since 1996–97. In 2009, dry conditions led to a severe 2009 Australian dust storm across eastern Australia. The average sea temperature is above 21°C (70°F), ranging from 18°C (64°F) in July to 24°C (75°F) in January.

Sydney's Areas: Exploring Its Regions

An early plan for Sydney in 1790 was not followed, which is why Sydney's layout is a bit unplanned today. Sydney is divided into 658 suburbs for addresses. These are managed by 40 local government areas. The City of Sydney council manages 33 of these suburbs, all near the city center.

Sydney has 15 main regions. The largest business areas outside the city center are North Sydney and Chatswood in the north. Parramatta is to the west, and Liverpool and Bankstown are in the southwest. Hurstville is in the south, and Bondi Junction is to the east. Parramatta has grown a lot since the 1950s, with many businesses setting up offices there.

Inner Sydney: Exploring the City Center and Nearby Suburbs

The CBD (city center) stretches about 3 km (1.9 mi) south from Sydney Cove. It is next to the Royal Botanic Garden on the east and Darling Harbour on the west. Suburbs around the CBD include Woolloomooloo and Potts Point to the east. Surry Hills and Darlinghurst are to the south. Pyrmont and Ultimo are to the west. Millers Point and The Rocks are to the north. Most of these suburbs are small.

Some special areas, called localities, are also in inner Sydney. Central and Circular Quay are major transport hubs for ferries, trains, and buses. Chinatown, Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross are popular for culture, tourism, and fun. The Strand Arcade, a historic Victorian-style shopping arcade, is between Pitt Street Mall and George Street. It opened in 1892.

Many inner suburbs of Sydney have been "gentrified." This means they have been improved and become more expensive. Pyrmont, once a shipping area, is now known for high-density housing, hotels, and entertainment. Darlinghurst, which used to have a prison and factories, has also been gentrified since the 1980s. Its old terrace houses have been kept.

Green Square is an old industrial area in Waterloo. It is being redeveloped with an $8 billion project. On the harbor, the historic area of Millers Point and Barangaroo is being built up. This project is worth $6 billion but has caused some debate. Paddington is famous for its restored terrace houses, Victoria Barracks, and shops, including the weekly Oxford Street markets.

The inner western suburbs include Balmain, which was once an industrial town but is now gentrified. Ashfield has a high population density for Australia. The main shopping street in Newtown, King Street, is the longest and most complete commercial area from the late Victorian and Federation periods in Australia.

Eastern Sydney: Beaches and Affluent Areas

Vaucluse in the eastern suburbs is one of Australia's wealthiest areas. Nearby Point Piper has Wolseley Road, which is one of the most expensive streets in the world. Coogee and Bondi are also in the Eastern Suburbs, known for tourism and recreation. Bondi Junction is Sydney's fifth-largest business district. It has changed a lot since the late 20th century.

The Kurnell peninsula, near Botany Bay, is where Lieutenant James Cook first landed in 1770. La Perouse is a historic suburb named after a French explorer. It is known for its old military outpost on Bare Island and the Botany Bay National Park. The suburb of Cronulla in southeastern Sydney is close to Royal National Park, Australia's oldest national park. Hurstville, a large suburb with many commercial and high-rise buildings, has become a business center for the southern suburbs.

Northern Sydney: Green Spaces and Commercial Hubs

The "Northern Suburbs" is a general term. It can include areas like the Upper North Shore, Lower North Shore, and even the Northern Beaches.

The Northern Suburbs have many landmarks, such as Macquarie University, Gladesville Bridge, Ryde Bridge, Macquarie Centre, and Westfield Hornsby. This area includes suburbs in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire, City of Ryde, and the City of Parramatta. The Northern Suburbs have good public transport and many bungalow-style homes.

The North Shore is an informal term for northern Sydney. It includes suburbs like Artarmon, Chatswood, Roseville, Lindfield, Killara, Gordon, Pymble, and Hornsby. The North Shore is an upper middle class area with some of the highest property prices in Sydney.

The North Shore includes the business centers of North Sydney and Chatswood. North Sydney has a large commercial center with many high-rise buildings, second only to the CBD. It is home to many advertising and marketing businesses.

The Lower North Shore usually refers to suburbs near the harbor, like Neutral Bay, Waverton, Mosman, Cremorne, Cremorne Point, Lavender Bay, Milsons Point, Cammeray, Northbridge, and North Sydney. The Upper North Shore is generally between Chatswood and Hornsby.

The Northern Beaches area includes Manly, a popular holiday spot for many years. This area stretches from Port Jackson in the south to Broken Bay in the north. The 2011 census found the Northern Beaches to be the most white and mono-ethnic district in Australia.

Western Sydney: Multicultural Hubs and Family Fun

The greater western suburbs include Parramatta, which is Australia's sixth-largest business district. Other areas are Bankstown, Liverpool, Penrith, and Fairfield. Western Sydney covers 5,800 km² (2,200 sq mi) and had about 1.6 million residents in 2008. It has some of the most multicultural suburbs in Australia. The population is mainly working class, with jobs in heavy industries and trades.

The western suburb of Prospect is home to Wet'n'Wild, a water park. The Auburn Botanic Gardens in Auburn attract many visitors each year. The greater west also includes Sydney Olympic Park, built for the 2000 Summer Olympics, and Sydney Motorsport Park, a race track in Eastern Creek.

To the northwest, Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside is a major tourist attraction. Westfield Parramatta is Australia's busiest Westfield shopping center.

Further southwest is the Macarthur region and the city of Campbelltown. This was once considered separate from Sydney. Macarthur Square, a shopping complex in Campbelltown, is one of Sydney's largest.

Sydney's Design: Urban Structure and Buildings

Sydney's Buildings: Architecture and Design

The first buildings in Sydney were simple. Governor Macquarie wanted better designs. Today, Sydney has a World Heritage-listed building and many national heritage buildings. These show that Macquarie's ideas for good architecture survived.

In 1814, Macquarie asked a convict, Francis Greenway, to design Macquarie Lighthouse. Its Classical design earned Greenway a pardon in 1818. This started a tradition of fine architecture. Greenway also designed the Hyde Park Barracks (1819) and the Georgian-style St James's Church (1824).

Gothic-inspired architecture became popular from the 1830s. Examples include Elizabeth Bay House and St Philip's Church (1856). Edward Blore designed Government House (1845) in the Gothic Revival style. Kirribilli House (1858) and St Andrew's Cathedral are rare examples of Victorian Gothic style.

From the late 1850s, people preferred Classical architecture. Mortimer Lewis designed the Australian Museum in 1857. The General Post Office, finished in 1891, was designed by James Barnet. Barnet also rebuilt Macquarie Lighthouse in 1883. Customs House was built in 1844. The Town Hall, completed in 1889, has a neo-Classical and French Second Empire style.

Romanesque designs became popular in the early 1890s. Sydney Technical College (1893) used Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles. The Queen Victoria Building was designed by George McRae in Romanesque Revival style. Completed in 1898, it has 200 shops on three floors.

As Sydney grew richer after Federation in 1901, its buildings became taller. Sydney's first tall building was Culwulla Chambers, which had 12 floors. The Commercial Traveller's Club (1908) was also 10 floors high. In the 1960s, height limits were removed, leading to many new high-rise buildings.

The Great Depression affected Sydney's architecture. New buildings were simpler, with less decoration. The most famous building from this time is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Its steel arch was designed by John Bradfield and finished in 1932. It spans 503 m (1,650 ft) between Milsons Point and Dawes Point.

Modern architecture came to Sydney from the 1940s. The Sydney Opera House, finished in 1973, is a World Heritage Site and a famous example of Modern design. Jørn Utzon won an award for his work on the Opera House. Sydney also has Australia's first building by famous architect Frank Gehry, the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building (2015).

Modern buildings in the CBD include Citigroup Centre, Aurora Place, and Chifley Tower. The tallest structure is Sydney Tower, completed in 1981. Because of Sydney Airport, there is a maximum height limit of 330 meters (1,083 feet) for buildings. Rules called "green bans" and "heritage overlays" have been in place since 1977 to protect Sydney's historic buildings.

Sydney's Homes: Housing Styles and Costs

Sydney has some of the most expensive real estate in the world. In December 2023, the average house price was $1,595,310. It is the second least affordable city in the world after Hong Kong. In 2016, the average property cost 14 times the average Sydney salary.

In 2021, Sydney had 1.83 million homes. About 900,000 (54%) were detached houses, 218,000 (13%) were semi-detached terrace houses, and 550,000 (33%) were apartments. Terrace houses are common in inner city areas, while detached houses are mostly in the outer suburbs. More apartments are being built due to environmental and economic reasons.

The Government of New South Wales manages public housing. Suburbs with many public housing areas include Claymore, Macquarie Fields, Waterloo, and Mount Druitt.

Sydney has many different styles of old homes. Terrace houses are found in inner suburbs like Paddington, The Rocks, Potts Point, and Balmain. Many of these have been renovated and are now very valuable. Large mansions from the Victorian era are mostly in older suburbs like Double Bay, Darling Point, Rose Bay, and Strathfield.

Federation homes, built around 1901, are in suburbs that grew with the railways, like Penshurst and Turramurra. They are also in planned "garden suburbs" like Haberfield. Workers' cottages are in Surry Hills, Redfern, and Balmain. California bungalows are common in Ashfield, Concord, and Beecroft. Larger modern homes are mostly in the outer suburbs.

Sydney's Green Spaces: Parks and Nature

The Royal Botanic Garden is a famous green space. It is used for science and recreation. The City of Sydney manages 15 separate parks. Parks in the city center include Hyde Park, The Domain, and Prince Alfred Park.

The Centennial Parklands is the largest park in the City of Sydney. It covers 189 ha (470 acres). Outer suburbs have Sydney Park and Royal National Park in the south. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is in the north, and Western Sydney Parklands is in the west. The Royal National Park, created in 1879, is the second oldest national park in the world.

Hyde Park is the oldest public parkland in Australia. It covers 16.2 ha (40 acres). Governor Arthur Phillip set aside The Domain in 1788 as his private reserve. In 1816, Macquarie ordered the land north of The Domain to become the Royal Botanic Garden. This makes it the oldest botanic garden in Australia. The Gardens have 8,900 plant species and get over 3.5 million visitors each year.

Sydney's Money: Economy and Jobs

Sydney is one of the top ten world cities in the global economy. It ranks eleventh in economic power and fourteenth in global engagement. Many foreign banks and large international companies are in Sydney. It is known as Australia's financial capital and a leading financial hub in Asia Pacific.

In early colonial times, the economy struggled. It was hard to grow food, and there was no stable money system. Governor Macquarie created "holey dollars" from Spanish silver dollars to help. By the 1840s, the economy became more capitalist. More free settlers arrived, and industries like shipping and wool grew.

Later, wheat, gold, and other minerals became important exports. From the 1870s, a lot of money came into the city to build roads, railways, and public buildings. Policies after federation helped create a manufacturing industry. This became Sydney's largest employer by the 1920s. These policies also helped during the Great Depression, when unemployment reached 32%. From the 1960s, Parramatta grew as Sydney's second CBD. Finance and tourism became major industries.

Sydney's economy was worth AU$400.9 billion in 2015. The financial and insurance services industry makes up 18.1% of this. Professional services account for 9%, and manufacturing 7.2%. Creative and technology sectors are also important.

Sydney's Companies: Businesses and Global Connections

In 2011, Sydney had 451,000 businesses. This included 48% of Australia's top 500 companies. Two-thirds of international companies' regional headquarters are in Sydney. Global companies like Sydney because its time zone allows business with both North America and Europe. Most foreign companies in Sydney focus on sales and service, not as much on production or research. There are 283 international companies with regional offices in Sydney.

Sydney's Spending: Domestic Economics and Living Costs

Sydney is Australia's most expensive city. In 2012, workers in Sydney had the seventh-highest wages among 77 cities worldwide. Sydney residents work about 1,846 hours per year and have 15 days of leave.

In 2016, Sydney's workforce was 2,272,722 people. Most worked full-time (61.2%). The largest job areas are professionals, office workers, managers, and service workers. The biggest industries for jobs are Health Care (11.6%), Professional Services (9.8%), and Retail Trade (9.3%).

In 2016, 57.6% of working-age residents earned less than $1,000 per week. The average weekly income was $719 for individuals. Unemployment in the City of Sydney was 4.6% for ten years up to 2013. Western Sydney has a higher unemployment rate of 7.3%. About 200,000 people travel from Western Sydney to the CBD and other areas for work each day.

Before World War II, renting was more common than owning a home in Sydney. Now, more people own homes. Average house prices have increased by 8.6% per year since 1970. The main reason for rising prices is the increasing cost and scarcity of land. In 2011, 31.6% of homes in Sydney were rented, 30.4% were owned outright, and 34.8% had a mortgage. The average weekly rent in Sydney in 2011 was $450.

Sydney's Banks: Financial Services and Markets

In 1817, Macquarie allowed the first bank in Australia, the Bank of New South Wales, to form. More private banks opened in the 1800s, but the financial system was unstable. Many banks failed in 1893.

The Bank of New South Wales is now Westpac. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia started in Sydney in 1911. It issued notes backed by the nation's resources. In 1959, the Reserve Bank of Australia, also in Sydney, took over this role. The Australian Securities Exchange started in 1987. It is now one of the ten largest exchanges in the world.

The Financial and Insurance Services industry makes up 43% of the City of Sydney's economy. Sydney accounts for half of Australia's finance sector. It is promoted as Asia Pacific's leading financial center. In 2017, Sydney was ranked the eighth most competitive financial center globally.

In 1985, the government allowed 16 foreign banks to operate. Now, 40 of the 43 foreign banks in Australia are based in Sydney. These include major banks like People's Bank of China, Bank of America, and Citigroup.

Sydney's Factories: Manufacturing and Industry

Sydney has been a manufacturing city since the 1920s. By 1961, manufacturing provided 39% of all jobs. By 1970, over 30% of all Australian manufacturing jobs were in Sydney. However, its importance has decreased. In 2011, it made up 8.5% of jobs. Between 1970 and 1985, 180,000 manufacturing jobs were lost.

Despite this, Sydney became Australia's largest manufacturing center in the 2010s. Its manufacturing output was $21.7 billion in 2013. Sydney's focus on the local market and high-tech manufacturing has helped it survive. The Smithfield-Wetherill Park Industrial Estate in Western Sydney is the largest industrial area in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a center for manufacturing and distribution.

Sydney's Visitors: Tourism and Education

Sydney is a main entry point to Australia for international visitors. It is among the top sixty most visited cities in the world. In 2013, it hosted over 2.8 million international visitors. These visitors spent 59 million nights in the city and a total of $5.9 billion. Most visitors came from China, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

The city also welcomed 8.3 million domestic visitors in 2013, who spent $6 billion. In 2011, 26,700 people in the City of Sydney worked in tourism. On average, tourism adds $36 million to the city's economy every day.

Popular places to visit include the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Watsons Bay, The Rocks, Sydney Tower, Darling Harbour, the Royal Botanic Garden, the Australian Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Queen Victoria Building, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, Taronga Zoo, Bondi Beach, Luna Park, and Sydney Olympic Park.

New projects are being built to boost tourism. These include a casino and hotel at Barangaroo and a new exhibition and convention center at East Darling Harbour.

Sydney is the top city in the world for international students. More than 50,000 international students study at its universities. Another 50,000 study at its vocational and English language schools. International education adds $1.6 billion to the local economy each year.

Sydney's Housing: Affordability Challenges

In 2023, Sydney was ranked the least affordable city in Australia to buy a house. It was the second least affordable city globally, after Hong Kong. The average Sydney house price in late 2023 was A$1.59 million. The average unit price was A$795,000. As of early 2024, media often describes Sydney as having a housing shortage or a housing crisis.

Sydney's People: Demographics and Diversity

In 1788, Sydney's population was less than 1,000. With convict transportation, it nearly tripled to 2,953 in ten years. Since 1961, the population has grown by over 250,000 every decade. The 2021 census recorded Greater Sydney's population as 5,231,150. The Australian Treasury expects it to reach 6.5 million by 2033–34. Sydney has the four most densely populated suburbs in Australia.

The average age of Sydney residents is 37. About 14.8% of people are 65 or older. In Sydney, 48.6% of the population is married, while 36.7% have never been married. About 49.0% of families are couples with children, and 14.8% are single-parent families.

Sydney's Roots: Ancestry and Immigration

Country of Birth (2016)

Birthplace	Population
Australia	2,752,119
Mainland China	224,685
England	151,614
India	130,573
Greece	127,274
New Zealand	86,526
Vietnam	81,045
Philippines	75,480
Lebanon	55,979
South Korea	49,508
Hong Kong	40,577
Italy	40,492
Iraq	39,237
South Africa	35,313
Fiji	31,510
Nepal	30,424
Indonesia	29,989
Malaysia	21,211

Most immigrants to Sydney between 1840 and 1930 were from Britain, Ireland, or China. In the 2016 census, the most common ancestries were:

In 2016, 2,071,872 people living in Sydney were born outside Australia. This is 42.9% of the population. Only 33.1% of the population had both parents born in Australia. Sydney has the eighth-largest immigrant population among world cities. The most common countries of birth for residents are Mainland China, England, India, New Zealand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

About 1.5% of the population, or 70,135 people, identified as Indigenous Australians (Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders) in 2016.

Sydney's Voices: Languages Spoken

About 38.2% of people in Sydney speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Mandarin (4.7%), Arabic (4.0%), Cantonese (2.9%), Vietnamese (2.1%), and Greek (1.6%). In 2011, more than 250 different languages were spoken in Sydney. In the 2016 Census, about 35.8% of residents spoke a language other than English at home.

Sydney's Faiths: Religion and Beliefs

The Indigenous people of Sydney had spiritual beliefs called "dreamings." Governor Lachlan Macquarie encouraged formal religion. He ordered churches like St Matthew's, St Luke's, St James's, and St Andrew's to be built. In 2011, 28.3% of Sydney residents identified as Catholic, while 17.6% said they had no religion.

Additionally, 16.1% were Anglican, 4.7% were Muslim, 4.2% were Eastern Orthodox, 4.1% were Buddhist, 2.6% were Hindu, and 0.9% were Jewish. These religious groups have helped Sydney's residents over time, especially by building and managing schools and hospitals.

Sydney's Spirit: Culture and Entertainment

Sydney's Knowledge: Science, Art, and History

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is rich in Indigenous Australian heritage. It has about 1,500 pieces of Aboriginal rock art, the largest collection of Indigenous sites in Australia. These sites include petroglyphs, cave drawings, and burial sites, some dating back 5,000 years. The people who lived there were the Garigal people. Other rock art sites exist in Sydney, but their locations are often kept secret to protect them.

The Australian Museum opened in Sydney in 1827 to collect and show the colony's natural treasures. It is Australia's oldest natural history museum. In 1995, the Museum of Sydney opened where the first Government House stood. It tells the story of Sydney's growth. Other museums include the Powerhouse Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The State Library of New South Wales has Australia's oldest library collections, started in 1826. The Royal Society of New South Wales, formed in 1866, supports studies in science, art, and philosophy. The Sydney Observatory building, built in 1859, was used for astronomy until 1982 and is now a museum.

The Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1991 in a beautiful Art Deco building. Its collection began in the 1940s. Sydney's other important art place is the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Sydney is also home to Artspace, a contemporary art gallery.

Sydney's Fun: Entertainment and Festivals

Sydney's first commercial theater opened in 1832. By the late 1920s, there were nine more. Live theater lost popularity to movies during the Great Depression but came back after World War II. Important theaters today include State Theatre, Theatre Royal, and Capitol Theatre. The Sydney Theatre Company performs local and international plays.

The Sydney Opera House is home to Opera Australia and Sydney Symphony. It has hosted over 100,000 performances and welcomed 100 million visitors since 1973. Other important venues are Town Hall and the City Recital Hall. The Sydney Conservatorium of Music helps Australian musicians through education.

Many writers have lived in Sydney or set their stories there. Some are honored at the Sydney Writers Walk at Circular Quay. Sydney had Australia's first newspaper, the Sydney Gazette. Early books about Sydney often focused on life in the city's poorer areas. Famous modern novels set in Sydney include Looking for Alibrandi and The Secret River. The Sydney Writers' Festival is held every year.

Filmmaking in Sydney was big until the 1920s. Then, American movies became more popular. The Australian New Wave brought a new rise in film production from the 1970s to 80s. Fox Studios Australia started in Sydney in 1998. Successful films shot here include The Matrix, Mission: Impossible 2, and The Great Gatsby. The National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney has famous alumni like Mel Gibson and Cate Blanchett.

Sydney hosts many festivals. The city's New Year's Eve celebrations are the biggest in Australia. The Royal Easter Show is held every year. Sydney Festival is Australia's largest arts festival. Vivid Sydney is an annual outdoor show of art, light, and music. Sydney hosts Australian Fashion Week. The Sydney Mardi Gras has been held every February since 1979.

Sydney's Chinatown has been in different locations since the 1850s. It moved to Dixon Street in 1980. "Little Italy" is in Stanley Street. Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs are found in areas like Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, The Rocks, Oxford Street, and Newtown. The Star is the city's casino, and the new Crown Sydney resort is nearby.

Sydney's News: Media and Communications

The Sydney Morning Herald is Australia's oldest newspaper still printed, since 1831. Its rival is The Daily Telegraph, printed since 1879. Both have Sunday editions. The Bulletin was Australia's longest-running magazine, founded in Sydney in 1880.

All of Australia's main TV networks have their headquarters in Sydney. Nine is in North Sydney, Ten is in Pyrmont, and Seven is in South Eveleigh. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is in Ultimo, and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is in Artarmon. Foxtel provides cable TV to most of Sydney.

Sydney's first radio stations started broadcasting in the 1920s. Radio is still popular. 2UE was founded in 1925 and is the oldest station still broadcasting. Other popular stations include 2GB, ABC Radio Sydney, and KIIS 106.5.

Sydney's Fun: Sport and Outdoor Activities

Early migrants brought their love for sport to Sydney. The first organized sports were boxing, wrestling, and horse racing from 1810 in Hyde Park. Horse racing is still popular, with events like the Golden Slipper Stakes. The first cricket club formed in 1826. Cricket is a favorite summer sport, with big matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1878.

Rugby became popular in Sydney by the 1880s. Rugby league split from rugby union in 1908. The New South Wales Waratahs play in the Super Rugby competition. The national Wallabies rugby union team plays international matches in Sydney. Sydney has nine teams in the National Rugby League competition.

Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers play in the A-League Men and A-League Women soccer competitions. The Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney Giants are local Australian rules football clubs. The Sydney Kings play in the National Basketball League.

Major Sporting Venues in Sydney

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  Stadium Australia

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  Sydney Cricket Ground

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  Western Sydney Stadium

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  Sydney Football Stadium

Women were first allowed to swim in public in the 1830s. Sea bathing became very popular in the early 1900s. The first surf lifesaving club started at Bondi Beach. The City2Surf is an annual 14 km (8.7 mi) running race from the CBD to Bondi Beach. In 2010, 80,000 runners took part, making it the largest race of its kind.

Sailing races have been held on Sydney Harbour since 1827. Yachting has been popular since the 1840s. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is a 1,170 km (727 mi) event that starts from Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day. It is known as one of the toughest yacht races in the world.

The Royal Sydney Golf Club in Rose Bay has hosted the Australian Open 13 times. Royal Randwick Racecourse opened in 1833 and holds several major horse races.

Sydney built many sports facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Sydney Olympic Park has facilities for athletics, swimming, tennis, and more. It also includes Stadium Australia, used for rugby, soccer, and Australian rules football. The Sydney Football Stadium was completed in 1988. The Sydney Cricket Ground is used for cricket and Australian rules football.

Sydney was a host city for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The Sydney Football Stadium and Stadium Australia were venues, with Stadium Australia hosting the final. The Sydney International tennis tournament is held each year as a warm-up for the Australian Open.

Sydney's Connections: Infrastructure and Services

Sydney's Schools: Education and Learning

Education became important in Sydney from the 1870s when public schools began. By 2011, 90% of working-age residents had finished some schooling. About 1.39 million people were enrolled in educational institutions in 2011. Most were attending school (45.1%) or university (16.5%).

Sydney has six public universities: The University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Technology Sydney, Macquarie University, Western Sydney University, and Australian Catholic University. Five other public universities have smaller campuses in Sydney. About 5.2% of Sydney residents attend a university. The University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney are ranked among the top 20 universities worldwide.

Sydney has public, religious, and independent schools. About 7.8% of Sydney residents attend primary school, and 6.4% are in secondary school. The New South Wales Department of Education runs 935 public schools in Sydney.

Public vocational education and training in Sydney are run by TAFE New South Wales. This began with the Sydney Technical College in 1878. In 2011, 2.4% of Sydney residents were enrolled in a TAFE course.

Sydney's Travel: Transport and Getting Around

Sydney's Roads: Driving and Traffic

Cars have shaped Sydney's growth since World War II. Many people in the outer suburbs need cars due to low-density housing. The percentage of trips taken by car increased from 13% in 1947 to 70% in 1971. Sydney's reliance on cars and its large road network has been criticized. The Light Horse Interchange in western Sydney is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

Up to 350,000 cars can be on Sydney's roads at once during peak hours, causing traffic jams. About 84.9% of Sydney homes own a car, and 46.5% own two or more. In 2014, Sydney had the highest use of public transport for commuting to work among Australian capital cities (26.3%). In the City of Sydney, only 25.2% of workers used a car, while 15.8% took a train, 13.3% used a bus, and 25.3% walked.

Sydney's Trains: Suburban Rail Network

Central station, established in 1906, is the largest and busiest railway station in New South Wales. It is the main hub of Sydney's rail network. Sydney Trains is the suburban train service. It serves 168 stations and had 302 million passenger journeys in 2023–24. Sydney's railway began in 1854.

Sydney's Metro: Driverless Rapid Transit

Sydney Metro is a driverless rapid transit system, separate from the suburban train network. It started operating in May 2019 and was extended through the city in August 2024. This line will extend to Bankstown in 2025. A new line through the inner west to Parramatta is planned for 2030. It currently serves 21 stations. A line to serve the greater west is planned for 2026, including a station for the second international airport.

Sydney's Light Rail: Trams and Modern Lines

Sydney once had one of the largest tram networks in the British Empire. It covered 291 km (181 mi) of routes. Buses became more popular than trams, leading to the network's closure in 1961.

In 1997, the Inner West Light Rail opened. It was extended to Dulwich Hill in 2014. It connects the Inner West and Darling Harbour with Central station. A second line, the CBD and South East Light Rail, opened in 2019–2020. A light rail line serving Western Sydney opened in 2024.

Sydney's Buses: Road Transport

Private companies run bus services under contract to Transport for NSW. Integrated tickets called Opal cards work on bus routes. Nearly 225 million bus journeys were recorded. NightRide is a nightly bus service that runs between midnight and 5am.

Sydney's Ferries: Water Transport

When the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932, Sydney's ferry service was the largest in the world. Passenger numbers dropped after 1945 but have increased recently. From its main hub at Circular Quay, the ferry network goes from Manly to Parramatta. Ferries in Sydney are operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries and run 10 routes.

Sydney's Airports: Air Travel

Sydney Airport, also called "Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport," is in Mascot. It serves 46 international and 23 domestic destinations. It is Australia's busiest airport, handling 37.9 million passengers in 2013. A new airport, Western Sydney Airport, will be built at Badgerys Creek from 2016. Bankstown Airport is Sydney's second busiest airport. Port Botany is now Sydney's main shipping port. Cruise ship terminals are at Sydney Cove and White Bay.

Sydney's Services: Utilities and Resources

Getting enough fresh water was hard in early colonial times. The Tank Stream supplied water but became polluted. The Botany Swamps Scheme in the mid-1800s built wells and dams for Sydney's growing population.

The Upper Nepean Scheme started in 1886. It brings water 100 km (62 mi) from the Nepean, Cataract, and Cordeaux rivers. It still provides about 15% of Sydney's water. Dams were built on these rivers between 1907 and 1935. In 1977, the Shoalhaven Scheme added more dams.

The state-owned company WaterNSW manages eleven major dams, including Warragamba Dam, one of the largest in the world. Water is collected from five areas covering 16,000 km² (6,200 sq mi). The Sydney Desalination Plant started in 2010. WaterNSW supplies water to Sydney Water, which manages water distribution and sewerage.

Sydney's electricity is managed by Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy. Their networks include over 815,000 poles and 83,000 km (52,000 mi) of cables. Sydney also has undersea cables connecting it to other countries.

Sydney's Environment: Issues and Solutions

Sydney's Air: Air Quality and Pollution

Climate change and pollution are big issues for Australia. Sydney has been criticized for not focusing enough on reducing pollution and improving water quality. The Metropolitan Air Quality Scheme (MAQS) helped understand pollution causes, leading to better solutions.

The 2019–20 Australian bushfire season greatly affected outer Sydney. It caused smoky haze for days. The air quality was sometimes 11 times the hazardous level, worse than New Delhi's. It was compared to "smoking 32 cigarettes." Since Sydney is surrounded by bushland, bushfires can create a "ring of fire" around the region.

The City of Sydney became the first council in Australia to be certified as carbon-neutral in 2008. The city has reduced its carbon emissions by 6% since 2007. It has also cut carbon emissions from city buildings by up to 20% since 2006. The Sustainable Sydney 2030 program aims to reduce energy use in homes and offices by 30%. This has saved $30 million a year in energy bills. Solar panels on many CBD buildings reduce carbon pollution by about 3,000 tonnes a year.

The city also has an "urban forest growth strategy." It aims to increase tree coverage by planting trees with dense leaves. This provides cleaner air and moisture, lowering city temperatures. Sydney is also a leader in developing green office buildings. All new building proposals must be energy-efficient. The One Central Park development, completed in 2013, is an example of this.

Sydney's Cars: Reducing Car Dependency

Australian cities are very dependent on cars. However, Sydney's car dependency is the lowest among Australia's major cities, at 66%. Sydney also has the highest use of public transport in an Australian city, at 27%. Despite this, Sydney has a low level of mass-transit services and a lot of urban sprawl, which increases car dependency.

Strategies are in place to reduce car pollution. These include encouraging mass and public transit. They also involve building more high-density housing and using new electric cars. Electric cars do not produce carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide, which harm the environment. Cycling trips in inner Sydney increased by 113% from 2010 to 2015. Transport developments in the north-west and east are designed to encourage public transport use.

Sister Cities

Sydney has sister city relationships with:

• San Francisco, USA
• Wellington, New Zealand
• Florence, Italy
• Nagoya, Japan
• Portsmouth, United Kingdom

See also

In Spanish: Sídney para niños