The oldest and most populous state in Australia is New South Wales. Every third Australian lives on its territory. In this article, we will tell you in detail about the geography, natural features, history of settlement and the modern economy of this state.
Administrative map of Australia and South Wales
In the modern world, there are nine states that are divided into states. The Australian Union is one such country. But if in the USA there are 50 states, then in Australia there are only six (see the map below): Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. In addition, two territories are distinguished - the Northern and the Australian Capital (the latter is a geographical enclave).
It is curious that the oldest administrative-territorial unit of the country was originally referred to as "South Wales". So the land was named by the Englishman James Cook, traveling in 1770 along the east coast of the "Southern Land". Although later he himself corrected this name by adding the prefix “new” to the toponym.
A brief history of the state
About 50 thousand years ago, the first inhabitants appeared on this territory - Aboriginal tribes. In the second half of the 18th century, Europeans came here along with the Cook expedition. Officially, South Wales became a state back in 1778. It was here that the first British colony on the mainland was formed, the governor of which was appointed Arthur Phillip.
Initially, South Wales was a regular penal colony. Only at the beginning of the 19th century did the active construction of roads, marinas, churches and other housing infrastructure begin here, and research deep into the continent intensified. British architects were invited for the design and future development of Sydney. Throughout the nineteenth century, certain territories separated from New South Wales, which later became separate colonies.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the movement for the unification of all Australian colonies into a single federation gained popularity on the mainland. The main apologists for this idea were Henry Parks and future Prime Minister of Australia Edmund Barton. In 1899, the creation of the federation was supported by referenda, which took place in all Australian colonies.
Today, the state of New South Wales has its own parliament, its own police and executive branch. The state governor is David Harley.
Geography and Terrain
State area - 801 thousand sq. Km. New South Wales borders Queensland in the north, Victoria in the south and South Australia in the west. In the southeastern part of the state is an enclave - the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra).
The Great Dividing Range divides the state into two parts: western — steppe and agrarian, and eastern — coastal and densely populated. The mountainous areas of the state are a real tourist Klondike with waterfalls, national parks, rain forests and unique flora. About 70% of the plant species that grow here cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. By the way, it is in this state that the highest point of Australia is located - Mount Kosciusko (height 2228 meters).
The climate of New South Wales is diverse. In the coastal part - hot and humid, in the west - very arid. The state lies immediately in four climatic zones: desert, semi-desert, temperate and subtropical.
Population
The population of New South Wales is about 7 million people. And five million of them live in the state capital - the city of Sydney. The annual population growth is 1.6%. Today it is the most populous state in Australia.
Residents of this region belong to the most diverse religious denominations. So, 28% consider themselves Catholics, 22% - Anglicans, another 14% - atheists. The unemployment rate is 5.9%, which is slightly higher than the national average. The able-bodied population of the state is predominantly employed in services, trade, tourism, and agriculture.
Economy
For quite some time, the Sydney Coal Basin, the largest in Australia, served as the basis for the region’s economy. Yes, and today, coal remains an important export item of the state, bringing to its treasury annually up to five billion dollars.
The traditional industries of New South Wales are shipbuilding and metallurgy. But since the early 1970s, their share in the state’s economy began to decline gradually. In exchange, new industries arose and began to actively develop - first of all, the tourism industry, information technology and financial services. Their center was quite predictably the city of Sydney.
State agriculture provides about 99% of Australian rice production and over 50% of vegetable oil. In addition, in New South Wales in large quantities grows legumes, wheat, oats, nuts, fruits and vegetables, raise sheep, pigs and oysters. The state also produces half of Australia's timber.
Winemaking has been developing in this region for more than two centuries. About 40 thousand hectares of land are occupied under the vineyards. Australia's finest wines are made in the Hunter Valley.
