Canberra is the capital city of Australia and the largest population centre in the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra was established following the federation of the Australian colonies to serve as the seat of government for the new nation, and was a compromise between Melbourne and Sydney, Australia’s two largest cities. Today, Canberra is Australia's largest inland city, and the eighth-largest Australian city by population. The city occupies most of the northern quadrant of the Australian Capital Territory, and its urban sprawl borders the state of New South Wales to the northwest, northeast and southeast. The Brindabellas are located south and west of the city, and form the northern part of the Australian Alps, the country's highest mountain range. As of June 2025, Canberra's estimated population was 484,630.