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Population
Sydney, city, capital of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Located on Australia’s southeastern coast, Sydney is the country’s largest city and, with its magnificent harbour and strategic position, is one of the most important ports in the South Pacific. In the early 19th century, when it was still a small convict settlement and the first settlers had barely penetrated the interior, it had already established trade with the Pacific Islands, India, China, South Africa, and the Americas.
Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Port Jackson and extends about 70 km (43.5 mi) on its periphery towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs, 40 local government areas and 15 contiguous regions. Residents of the city are known as "Sydneysiders".
As Australia’s leading global city and the gateway to Asia, Sydney is the destination of choice for international corporations, business leaders, tourists and students. Sydney is I heaven for foods; the Harbour City is full of sophisticated spots to eat that showcase the quality and abundance of local produce.
Sydney is the capital of New South Wales and the seat of its government and parliament. The state government has delegated matters of local interest to more than 40 local government areas in the Sydney region, including the City Council of Sydney, but has retained direct control of some important matters, such as police and transport. In addition, a number of functions normally exercised by local councils have been transferred to boards, commissions, trusts, and departments established by the state government. The most important of these responsibilities concern water, sewerage and storm drainage, electricity, major roads, fruit and vegetable markets, and many aspects of health and welfare. Furthermore, some land remains under federal control.
The economy of Sydney is notable for its importance in the areas of trading, manufacturing, finance, education, and distribution in Australia. Sydney has the largest economy in Australia. Sydney's CBD is the largest in Australia and also has plenty of surrounding commercial areas that are considered part of Sydney. In 2018/19, around $140 billion was generated within the City of Sydney local area representing over 7% of Australia's economy. This in turn provided over half a million jobs across all skill levels that offer diverse opportunities for diverse communities.
Despite the growth of business districts such as North Sydney, Parramatta, Macquarie Park, Olympic Park and the growth corridor to the north-west, the City of Sydney has maintained its pre-eminent role. This is due to its large economic base including a dense network of globally competitive industries, well-developed infrastructure, good governance, and outstanding amenities and living environment. Over the past decade, our economy has proven its resilience by withstanding both internal and external economic shocks such as the global financial crisis. The number of businesses in the city grew by nearly 4,000 between 2007 and 2017.
Highways
Four main highways provide access to Sydney: the Pacific Highway/Sydney Newcastle Freeway (Route 1 north of the city) leads northward to Newcastle and Brisbane; the Western Motorway (Route 44) leads westward to Strathfield and the Great Western Highway; Princes Highway (Route 1 south of the city) leads to Wollongong and the south coast, and the Hume Highway leads southwest out of the city to Mittagong and eventually Melbourne.
Bus and Railroad Service
Greyhound Pioneer provides service between Sydney and points throughout Australia. The smaller McCafferty's and Kirkland's lines also service Sydney but do not run nationwide. Both interstate and regional train services are available.
The State Rail Authority of New South Wales provides passenger rail services throughout Greater Sydney and other population centers in the state. Its Countrylink service provides long-distance service throughout New South Wales, and also interstate service to Canberra, Melbourne, and Brisbane on an updated fleet of high-speed XPT and Explorer trains, transporting more than 2.6 million people annually.
Airports
The Kingsford Smith Airport, located about ten kilometers (6.2 miles) south of Sydney's central business district, is Australia's busiest airport. It is served by some 45 international passenger and cargo carriers.
Shipping
Sydney is served by Port Jackson, one of Australia's busiest ports, as well as a newer port in Botany Bay devoted exclusively to petroleum products.