Sydney city

Сity, capital of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Located on Australia's southeastern coast, Sydney is a major port in the South Pacific and is noted for its beautiful harbour. The city was established as a penal colony in the late 18th century and had become a major trading centre even before the first pioneers pushed inland. It is now the largest metropolitan area in Australia.

The metropolitan area of Sydney stretches from the Blue Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east and from the Hawkesbury River in the north to south of Botany Bay. The city itself was built on the low hills surrounding the harbour.

Sydney's climate is temperate, with a mean temperature in February, the warmest month, of 72 F (22 C); the coolest month, July, averages 54 F (12 C). Rainfall averages 45 inches (1,140 mm) annually, and much of it occurs during the summer months.

Sydney is widely known both for its water sports and recreational facilities and for its cultural life. The universities of Sydney and New South Wales are located there, as is Macquarie University. The world-renowned Sydney Opera House, set on a promontory southeast of the Harbour Bridge, is a major centre for the performing arts, with theatres and recording, concert, and exhibition halls. It is the home of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera, dance and theatre companies, and a library.

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