Go on a language study trip to Australiameans flying to a country fifteen times the size of France, yet much less populated: in 2017, the country had “only” 24.6 million inhabitants. The country’s five largest cities are all coastal and are home to nearly 60% of Australia’s population. Discover them.
No. 1: Sydney
Sydney is often mistakenly—and to Canberra’s detriment—considered the capital of Australia, and for good reason: with a population of about 4.8 million, it is the country’s most populous city. It is, however, the capital of New South Wales.
No. 2: Melbourne
Approximately 4.4 million people call Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, home. The city is located on the southwestern tip of Australia and is separated from Tasmania by Bass Strait.
No. 3: Brisbane
According to the latest census, Brisbane has a population of 2.2 million, making it Australia’s third-most populous city—roughly the same size as Paris. Situated on the river from which it takes its name, equidistant from the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, Brisbane is also the capital of the state of Queensland, which covers the northwestern part of the island.
No. 4: Perth
Perth is home to approximately 1.9 million people. As the capital of the state of Western Australia, it lies on the banks of the Swan River and overlooks the Indian Ocean. It is twinned with cities such as Houston in the United States, Taipei in Taiwan, and Rhodes in Greece.
No. 5: Adelaide
What do the French department of Essonne and Adelaide, Australia’s fifth-most populous city, have in common? They both have a population of around 1.3 million. A coastal city located on the shores of Gulf St. Vincent, it is the capital of South Australia.