Australian Capital Territory
Nestled within the state of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) houses the federal government of the Commonwealth whose capital city is Canberra. The smallest autonomous area within the Australian mainland, ACT occupies only 2,358 square kilometres including 77.6 sq. km of water—lakes, rivers, etc. With 358,894 residents in that small area, the ACT is the most densely populated of all Australian states and territories, and most of the population lives in the Canberra area.
Additional communities sprinkle the agricultural areas and around the Namadgi National Park and round out a varied economic profile that presents a per capita income for ACT of AUD $91,624. Within Canberra, the average weekly income ranges between AUD $600 and $699, while outside Canberra, it sinks to $400 to $499 AUD weekly for those over 15 years of age.
ACT's geography causes a four-seasons weather pattern with snow often experienced in the higher elevations. Its rainy season is generally in the spring and early summer.