Canberra, Australia

Canberra (pronounced /ˈkænbɹə/[3]) is the capital city
of the Commonwealth of Australia. With a population of over 334,000,
it is Australia's largest inland city. The city is located at the northern
end of the Australian Capital Territory, 280 km (170 mi) south-west
of Sydney, and 650 km (400 mi) north-east of Melbourne.
The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation's
capital in 1908 as a compromise between age-old rivals Sydney
and Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities. It is unusual
among Australian cities, being an entirely purpose-built, planned city.
Following an international contest for the city's design, a design
by the Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and
Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913.
The city's design was heavily influenced by the garden city movement
and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation that
have earned Canberra the title "bush capital". Although the growth
and development of Canberra were hindered by the World Wars and
the Great Depression, it emerged as a thriving city after World War II.

As the seat of the government of Australia, Canberra is the site
of Parliament House, the High Court of Australia and numerous
government departments and agencies. It is also the location
of many social and cultural institutions of national significance,
such as the National Gallery of Australia and the
National Museum of Australia. The federal government contributes
the largest percentage of Gross State Product and is the largest single
employer in Canberra.