Canberra, Australia's purpose-built national capital with a population of 474,000, represents one of the 20th century's most successful experiments in planned urban development, created from scratch to resolve the bitter Sydney-Melbourne rivalry over which city should serve as capital of the new Commonwealth of Australia. Following federation in 1901, the Australian Constitution mandated a compromise—the new capital must be in New South Wales (satisfying Sydney) but at least 100 miles from Sydney (satisfying Melbourne), resulting in the selection of a pastoral valley in the Limestone Plains region. An international design competition in 1911-1912 chose American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin's visionary plan organizing the city around geometric patterns and axes aligned with topographic features, creating an urban form inspired by the City Beautiful movement and garden city principles. Construction commenced in 1913, and Parliament moved from temporary Melbourne headquarters to the new capital in 1927, though Canberra remained a small government town until post-World War II expansion transformed it into a thriving metropolis known affectionately as the "Bush Capital" for its abundance of native bushland and parklands comprising 50% of total area.

The centerpiece of Griffin's plan, Parliament House, opened in 1988 on Capital Hill, its grass-covered roof allowing citizens to literally stand atop their government in symbolic democratic gesture, while the building's imposing presence anchors the monumental axis extending north through ANZAC Parade to the Australian War Memorial honoring the nation's military sacrifice. Lake Burley Griffin, an artificial lake created by damming the Molonglo River in 1963 and named for the city's architect, provides scenic focal point with sailing, cycling paths, and waterfront dining, while national cultural institutions cluster along the lakeshore including the National Gallery housing one of the world's finest collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, the National Museum exploring Australian history and identity, and the National Library preserving the nation's documentary heritage. Questacon science museum, the Australian Institute of Sport training elite athletes, and numerous embassies in architecturally distinctive buildings contribute to Canberra's identity as a cosmopolitan capital despite modest size. The city's layout, extensive parks, and mountain backdrop create exceptional livability, though critics sometimes characterize Canberra as sterile and lacking the organic vitality of Sydney or Melbourne.

Canberra's economy revolves almost entirely around government employment—federal departments, Parliament, public service, defense facilities—creating a workforce more highly educated and affluent than the Australian average, with median household incomes the nation's highest. Tourism centered on national institutions, universities including the prestigious Australian National University, and research facilities diversify somewhat, though the public sector dominance makes Canberra's economy uniquely dependent on government spending. The city consistently ranks among the world's most livable, with low crime, excellent public services, abundant green space, and quality of life attracting government workers, though the artificial, planned character and public sector monoculture create identity challenges as Canberrans navigate being capital city residents in a young nation still defining national character.