Canberra is the capital city of Australia and with a population of
just over 323,000 is Australia's largest inland city. Canberra was
selected as the location of the nation's capital in 1908 as a
compromise between Sydney and Melbourne and is unusual amongst
Australian capital cities as an entirely purpose-built, planned city.
Following an international contest for the city's design, a design by
Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin was selected and construction
commenced in 1913. Although the growth and development of Canberra was
hindered by the World Wars and the Great Depression, it emerged as a
thriving city post-World War II. As Australia's seat of government,
Canberra is the site of Parliament House, the High Court of Australia
and numerous government departments; it is also the location of
numerous social and cultural institutions of national significance.
The federal government contributes the largest percentage of Gross
State Product and is the largest employer in Canberra. Canberra is
also a popular destination for domestic and international tourists.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1603:
King James I became the first British monarch to reign in the Kingdoms
of England, Ireland and Scotland simultaneously.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_I_of_England)
1882:
Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacterium that causes
tuberculosis.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tuberculosis)
1944:
World War II: Captured Allied soldiers began "the Great Escape",
breaking out of the German prison camp Stalag Luft III.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_Luft_III)
1976:
Dirty War: President Isabel Perón of Argentina was kidnapped and
deposed in a bloodless coup d'état.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_War)
1989:
The tanker Exxon Valdez spilled more than 11 million gallons of oil
into Prince William Sound, Alaska, causing a major environmental
disaster.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill)
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Wikiquote of the day:
"With the arrogance of youth, I determined to do no less than to
transform the world with Beauty. If I have succeeded in some small
way, if only in one small corner of the world, amongst the men and
women I love, then I shall count myself blessed, and blessed, and
blessed, and the work goes on." -- William Morris
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Morris)