2. • Bordered by the
Pacific Ocean to the
east, the Blue
Mountains to the
west, the
Hawkesbury River to
the north and the
Royal National Park
to the south.
•Capital of New South
Wales
•Most populous city
•It’s in the rain-
shadow of the Blue
Mountains
3. •The urban area, which is
1.687 km2 (651 sq mi), is
surrounded by
approximately 70 harbors
and beaches. One of it’s
most famous is the Bondi
Beach.
•It sits on a
submergent
coastline.
4. • Sydney covers
two regions: the
Cumberland Plain
- a mostly flat
region to the
south and west of
the harbor, and
the Hornsby
Plateau - a
sandstone plateau
to the north of
the harbor and
full of steep
valleys.
5. •Sydney has a temperate climate and due to
proximity of the ocean the weather is moderated,
while the more extreme temperatures occur in the
inland western suburbs.
6. Climate
• Due to being located in the southern hemisphere, summers
and winters are reversed.
• January is the warmest month, with an average temperature
range of 18.6-25.8°C (65-78°F).
• July is the coldest month, with an average temperature
range of 8.0-16.2°C (46-61°F).
• Only about fifteen days a year have temperatures of more
than 30°C (86.0°F).
• Winter temperatures rarely drop below 5°C (41°F) in the
coastal areas.
• Rainfall occurs pretty evenly throughout the year, with an
average annual rainfall of 1,217 mm (48 in).
• The last reported snowfall in Sydney was in 1836.
• The ocean is 19°C (66°F) in July to 24 °C (75°F) in January.
7. Climate, cont.
• The El Niño Southern Oscillation is an important part of
Sydney’s weather patterns. Resulting in drought and
bushfires or storms and flooding on opposite phases of the
oscillation.
• Much like here, bushfires tend to occur during spring and
summer - affecting areas of the city that border bushland.
• Sydney is also prone to severe hail storms and wind
storms. Such as the 1999 hailstorm – which damaged
eastern suburbs with hailstones of at least 9 cm (3.5 in)
diameter. In February 2010 Sydney had the some of the
highest rainfall recorded in 25 years that resulted in flash
flooding.
• In 2002-2005 Sydney had the warmest summers since
records began in 1859, the following summer of 2007-08
was one of the coolest on record. 2009 and 2010 saw
warmer and drier conditions with above average
temperatures. These dry conditions of 2009 brought a
severe dust storm towards eastern Australia. 2011 had
above average rainfall.
8.
9. History
• Radio carbon dating suggests the region of Sydney has
been inhabited by indigenous Australians for at least
30,000 years.
• The Cadigal people are the traditional indigenous
inhabitants of Sydney Cove. Though population estimates
prior to the First Fleet arrival in 1788 are suspect,
~4,000-8,000 Aboriginal people lived in the Sydney region
prior to contact with the British.
• Aboriginal people were called “Eora” by the British settlers
because when asked where they came from they
answered “eora,” meaning “from this place.”
• There were three main language groups that were then
divided into dialects spoken by smaller clans. Darug (a
coastal dialect was spoken by the Cadigal), Dharawal and
Guringai.
• Due to urbanization most evidence of these indigenous
settlements was destroyed. However a number of rock
engravings, carvings and rock art are still visible in the
Hawkesbury sandstone of the Sydney basin.
10. History, cont.
• James Cook landed in Botany Bay on the Kurnell Peninsula in
1770. This was the first contact with the Aboriginals
(specifically the Gweagal) in this region.
• A convict settlement was founded by Arthur Phillip at Sydney
Cove on Port Jackson on 26 January 1788.
• A catastrophic epidemic disease spread through the region in
April 1789 and decimated the indigenous populations. This
disease was thought to be smallpox and widely believed to be
caused by the British settlers, as the indigenous population had
no previous exposure to European diseases. Leading to a
population reduction of an estimated 500-1000 Aboriginal
people in the early 1880s.
• There was violent resistance to British settlement in the area
around Botany Bay and the area surrounding the Hawkesbury
River.
• Governor Macquarie improved Sydney with the construction of
roads, bridges, wharves and public buildings, built by British
and Irish convicts. He also began a campaign to “civilize,
Christianize and educate” the Aborigines by removing them
from their clans.
11. History, cont.
• By 1822 Sydney had banks, markets, well-established
thoroughfares and an organized constabulary.
• The 1830-40s saw urban development, with the first
suburbs, due to rapid growth by immigrants from Britain
and Ireland.
• On 20 July 1842 Sydney was the declared the first city
in Australia, with John Hosking the first elected mayor.
• In 1851 the first of several gold rushed began. These
lead to Sydney overtaking Melbourne in population and
financial growth.
• Due to the introduction of steam-powered tramways and
railways rapid suburban development began in the late
19th century. By the beginning of the 20th century the
population had reached more than a million.
• Following the World War II, Sydney continued to expand
due to immigrantion by Europeans and Asians in the
metropolitan area. Sydney is still expanding today.
14. Statistics!
From 2006 census
• 4,119,190 people are residents of Sydney
• 3,641,422 of them live in Sydney’s Urban Centre.
• Inner Sydney is the most densely populated place in
Australia, with 4,023 people per square kilometer
(10,420/sqmi).
• The most common self-identified ancestries for Sydney
residents were: Australia, English, Irish, Scottish and
Chinese. Only 1.1% identified as being of indigenous origin
while. 31.7% were born overseas.
• 75% of Sydney’s annual population growth are immigrants.
Mainly from the United Kingdom, China, New Zealand,
Vietnam, Lebanon, India, Italy and the Philippines.
• The median age of residents is 34.
• 12% of the population is over 65 years old.
• 64% identified as Christian, 14.1% no religion, 10.4% left
the question blank, 4.4% as Muslim, 3.7% as Buddhist,
1.7% as Hindu, and 0.9% as Jewish.
15. Statistics!
Economics
• Sydney is the financial and economic hub of Australia.
• Beating out Melbourne which has been the financial hub
before, due mostly to the gold rushes.
• Since the 1980s jobs have moved from manufacturing to
the services and informations sectors.
• Provides approximately 25% of Australia’s total GDP.
• Houses more than half of the country’s top companies, the
regional headquarters for about 500 multinational
corporations and the headquarters of 90 different banks. As
well as the Australian Securities Exchange and the reserve
bank of Australia. Fox Studios Australia also has a large film
studios in the city.
• The unemployment rate was 4.9% as of 2004.
• The 16th most expensive city in the world to live in.
• Also ranks as the 15th in the world for net earnings.
• 12% (~$1billion per annum) of the total agricultural
production of NSW comes from the Sydney region.
16.
17. Government
• Australia as a colony of Britain, has a government
modeled after the British government. Still accept
the Queen of England, she’s even on their money.
• The Sydney metropolitan area has no overall
governing body. The Cumberland County Council
from 1945-1964 has a limited role, but failed.
• The metropolitan area is divided into local
government areas, much like the boroughs in cities
such as London and New York.
• Elected councils are responsible for functions
delegated to them by the New South Wales State
Government.
