The Sydney area has been inhabited by indigenous Australians since the Upper Paleolithic period. The first British settlers arrived in 1788 to found Sydney as a penal colony, the first European settlement in Australia. Since convict transportation ended in the mid-19th century, the city has transformed from a colonial outpost into a major global cultural and economic centre. The population of Sydney at the time of the 2011 census was 4.39 million, 1.5 million of which were born overseas, representing many different nationalities and making Sydney one of the most multicultural cities in the world.
There are more than 250 different languages spoken in Sydney and about one-third of residents speak a language other than English at home. Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in finance, manufacturing and tourism. Its gross regional product was $337 billion in 2013, the largest in Australia. There is a significant concentration of foreign banks and multinational corporations in Sydney and the city is promoted as Asia Pacific's leading financial hub.
In addition to hosting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics, millions of tourists come to Sydney each year to see the city's landmarks.[18] Sydney is also a gateway to Australia for many international visitors.[18] Its natural features include Sydney Harbour, the Royal National Park, Bondi Beach, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Man-made attractions such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are also well known to international visitors.
This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Trees & Bushes meme,
and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.
Oh my, Nick ... you are surely a very busy person traveling to all corners of the earth. You are blessed with the ability and the finances to do that, I assume. What a wonderful world tour you gave us today. Australia is on my bucket list and fingers crossed I will make it to Sydney in years to come. My clock is ticking, however, so it best be soon. Thanks again, Nick for your wonderful pictures and information.
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From The Sol
Awesome images and views of Sydney. I would love to visit Australia! Happy Tuesday, enjoy the week ahead!
ReplyDeleteWow - what great aerial shots of a fantastic city!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/01/shells-on-shells.html
What beautiful cityscapes!!!
ReplyDeleteNice shots!
ReplyDeleteLove the bird's-eye view!
ReplyDeleteYou don't often see the Opera House photographed from that angle. Most images show either the front or the sides. Congratulations on finding something new in what must be one of the world's most photographed buildings.
ReplyDeletegreat series of shots....it looks like you flew right up to and past the Sydney Opera House! I love to visit Sydney and have wonderful memories of each time I have.
ReplyDeleteImpressive views!
ReplyDeleteNice views, Sydney from the air is gorgeous. We only got a glimpse of this when our plane was arriving.
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