Australian Visa Bureau » Australia Resources » Australian State and Territory Government » Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory. It is an inland enclave in New South Wales, situated in bushland.

Population

With a population of 339,900, the ACT is Australia’s second least populated area, with the capital city of Canberra being the only major populate location. However, it is also the smallest in terms of area by a considerable margin, being only 910 sq miles in size.

Climate

Unlike many other Australian territories whose climates are moderated by the sea, the ACT experiences four distinct seasons. This is due to its elevation (650 m) and distance from the coast. However, Canberra is notorious for hot, dry summers, and cold winters with occasional fog and frequent frosts.

Many of the higher mountains in the territory’s south-west are snow-covered for at least part of the winter. Thunderstorms can occur between October and March, and annual rainfall is 623 millimetres, with rainfall highest in spring and summer, and lowest in winter.

Interested in emigrating to Australia? Take the online skilled migration assessment

Economy and Primary Industries

As a result of low unemployment and substantial levels of public sector and commercial employment, Canberra has the highest average disposable income of any Australian capital city.

The city's main industry is Australian Government administration and defence, which accounts for over a quarter of Gross Territory Product and employs over 40% of Canberra's workforce.

The major public-sector employers in Canberra include the parliament and government departments such as Department of Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Treasury.

In recent years, a growing number of independent software vendors have based themselves in Canberra, to capitalise on the concentration of government customers.

Property and business services, construction, health and community services, and education are other significant contributors to the economy of Canberra.

See if you are eligible to emigrate to Australia and take the online skilled migration assessment