What is the capital of Australia?

Canberra is the capital of Australia. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory, an inland territory surrounded by New South Wales in southeastern Australia.

Canberra was selected as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s two largest cities and longtime rivals for national prominence. After the colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901, the new nation needed a neutral federal capital. The Canberra area was chosen in 1908, and the city was officially named and proclaimed the capital in 1913.

Unlike many capitals that grew gradually around older settlements, Canberra was deliberately planned. American architect Walter Burley Griffin and architect Marion Mahony Griffin won the international design competition for the city. Their plan used geometric avenues, open spaces and views aligned with landmarks such as Parliament House, Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain.

A frequent mistake is choosing Sydney or Melbourne because they are larger, better-known cities and major cultural and economic centres. Sydney is Australia’s largest city, while Melbourne was the temporary seat of federal government until Canberra’s parliamentary institutions moved there in 1927.