Sidney it is the largest and most populous city in Australia and Oceania. It is the capital of the state of New South Wales and was the settlement of the first British colony in Australia. It is located in the southeast of Australia, on the shores of the wide bay of Sydney (Port Jackson). In the city, Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or Harbor Bridge, and its beaches stand out. The metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks that contain bays and rivers. The city has hosted international sporting events such as the 1938 Commonwealth Games, the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, among others. Sydney is listed as one of the 15 most visited cities in the world, with millions of tourists coming every year to see attractions such as the Botanical Gardens, the city's port, the Royal National Park, the Opera House, etc. Sydney is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.
In 2017 the city was ranked as the second most expensive city in the world in housing prices after Hong Kong and as the third most expensive city in the world to buy the monthly public transport ticket only below London and Dublin. Despite this, the city is classified as one of the cities with the best quality of life standards in the world. Sydney leads the list of the 10 cities with the best quality of life in the world, in another study carried out by the same company together with The Economist magazine. Similarly, the city was designated in 2016 according to a study as the city with the best reputation in the world for living, studying and investing, followed by Vienna in Austria.
Sydney has a humid subtropical climate with mild summers and somewhat cold winters. The climate is moderate due to the proximity to the sea, and the most extreme temperatures are recorded in the interior western suburbs.
Sydney's most important economic sectors, by number of people employed, are business and private services, retail trade, manufacturing, healthcare and community services. The city has the highest average household income of any major city in Australia.
Sydney hosts different festivals and some of Australia's largest social and cultural events, including:
The Sydney Festival, the largest cultural event in the country, held annually in January.
The Biennale of Sydney, created in 1973.
The Big Day Out, a rap music festival originating in Sydney.
Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, along Oxford Street.
Sydney Film Festival.
Other minor film festivals such as the short film Tropfest and Flickerfest.
Sydney has a wide variety of cultural institutions. The iconic Sydney Opera House has five rooms capable of accommodating a wide range of performance styles, and is home to the Australian Opera and the Sydney Symphony. Other places of interest are the Sydney City Hall, the City Recital Hall, the State Theater, the Royal Theater, the Sydney Theater and the Wharf Theater.
Sport in Sydney is an important part of culture. The area is well endowed with parks and access to waterways, in addition to having many natural areas even within the city center. In the center of Sydney are the Chinese Garden of Friendship, Hyde Park, The Domain and the Royal Botanic Garden. The metropolitan area contains several national parks, including the Royal National Park, the second oldest national park in the world. The most popular sport in Sydney is rugby league.
Other data of interest the city has approximately four million inhabitants. Most are of British or Irish origin. Many Asians also live in this city, particularly in Chinatown. Sydney is not the capital of Australia, but it is the capital of New South Wales and the financial and corporate center of the country.
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