Sydney (Civ5)/Civilopedia

Sydney, located on the southeastern coast of Australia, was not only the first British colony established on the continent, but also the first European settlement of any kind. Founded by Admiral Arthur Phillip in 1788 as a penal colony, Sydney's early development would be led initially by convicts, and later continued by retired soldiers and settlers arriving from Britain. Over time, Sydney would grow to become the largest and perhaps most famous city in Australia, with a population of over 4 million people today.
Scouted by James Cook in 1770, the original landing site, known famously as "Botany Bay", was deemed unsuitable for the location of a permanent settlement. The nearby Sydney Cove named for "Lord Sydney" Thomas Townshend, would prove to be the ideal location. This area is thought to have been inhabited by Australian Aborigines for several thousand years prior to the arrival of British colonists, and numerous tribes were found in the region upon their arrival. Despite the efforts of Admiral Phillip to regulate the interaction between colonists and the local tribesmen, thousands of aborigines would die from smallpox and measles spread by colonial expeditions.
During its later history, Sydney experienced a massive population boom throughout the 19th century as gold was discovered in neighboring areas, particularly Bathurst. Greatly expanding its industrial development during this period, by the 1920s, Sydney's population would reach over 1 million and the city would continue expanding to meet its growing infrastructure needs.
In the present day, Sydney is known for its financial development, serving as the economic hub for all of Australia. Home to numerous major banks and financial institutions, the Australian Securities Exchange is also located in Sydney. Since the early 1800s, the date of Sydney's founding, January 26th, has been celebrated as Australia's national day, commemorating not only the city's history, but also its importance to Australia in the present day.