Introduction
Sydney is Australia's most famous city, and although many people think it is the
capital of Australia, it is only the capital of the state of New South Wales.
It is, however, the biggest and oldest city in Australia.
History
In little more than 200 years Sydney has grown to become the most multicultural
city in Australia, with a population of more than 4 million. The first wave
of immigrants came to Australia from Europe; then, in the seventies, immigration
was mostly from Asia. Now Australia has a mixed culture with one thing in common:
its children are all 100 percent Australian. Sydney has absorbed this
mixture of cultures, and Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Greek, Italian or Mexican
food is on the menu.
Lifestyle
The climate, with almost eight months of good weather, makes Sydney the perfect
city for an outdoor life. What's more, the city has more than 30 beaches
along the 37 miles of its coast. In Sydney Harbour, one of the world's
most spectacular bays, you can find the Sydney Opera House, Australia's most
well-known building. Passing by the Opera House is a constant parade of small
boats, yachts, ferries and enormous cruise ships.
Shorts and sandals are the most popular clothes to wear for Sydney's inhabitants. Christmas is celebrated in the
sun, with a swim and a barbecue. In Sydney a California lifestyle has been combined
with European influences in its cafés, theaters, movie theaters and concerts.
Future
In a short time Sydney has come a long way. The 2000 Olympic Games put Sydney
even more in the spotlight. Sydney is a city looking toward the future.