Named after an ex-Governor of New South Wales,Sydney is the state's capital city.Located on the south-east of Australia in the temperate zone,it enjoys a mild climate, averaging 14.5 hours of sunshine per day in summer and 10.25 hours in winter.lt is also the largest, oldest, and perhaps most beautifully situated city in Australia.First established by the British as a convict settlement in 1788,it is a modern cosmopolitan city that has developed into one of the nation's major industrial,business,and manufacturing centres.
　　Sydney is home to nearly 4.4 million people(as of 1997) .The suburbs reach out from the city centre and harbour some 55km to the north,35km to the west and 30km to the south,creating a metropolitan area of about 3,000 square kilometres.The 57 square kilometer harbour is one of the largest in the world,and famous for the unmistakable 134 metres high arch of the Harbour Bridge and the graceful sails of the Opera House.lt is a busy waterway with ferries,freighters,hydrofoils and pleasure craft.
　　Not far from the city centre are the attractive old residential suburbs of Balmain, Glebe,and Paddington,where many people live in smart terraced houses,art galleries, pubs,and restaurants abound in the cosy streets that tend to be quite narrow,whereas the suburbs surrounding the city's cosy streets that tend to be quite narrow,whereas the suburbs surrounding the city's colleges and universities consist mainly of family homes and multi-unit blocks-an ideal situation'for students looking for a homestay,or to rent.

　　……