Melbourne

Melbourne
	Melbourne; Victoria
	; Top: Melbourne city centre, centre/left: Flinders Street Station, centre/right: Shrine of Remembrance, centre: Federation Square, bottom/left: Melbourne Cricket Ground, bottom/right: Royal Exhibition Building.
Population:	3,892,419 (2008 Estimate) (2nd)
• Density:	1566/km² (4,055.9/sq mi) (2006)
Established:	30 August 1835
Coordinates:	37°48′49″S 144°57′47″E / 37.81361°S 144.96306°ECoordinates: 37°48′49″S 144°57′47″E / 37.81361°S 144.96306°E
Elevation:	31 m (102 ft)
Area:	8806 km² (3,400.0 sq mi)
Time zone: • Summer (DST)	AEST (UTC+10) AEDT (UTC+11)
LGA:	31 Municipalities across Greater Melbourne
County:	Bourke
State District:	54 electoral districts and regions
Federal Division:	23 Divisions

Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia. It is the capital of Victoria, which is a state in the south-east of Australia. The population of Melbourne is 3,806,092.

Melbourne is a multicultural city (it welcomes people and cultures from all over the world). It is famous for its trams (small short trains). The centre of Melbourne is around a river called the Yarra River. Melbourne also has many big parks and gardens and some beaches.

There are many things to do in Melbourne. Visitors in Melbourne can go to museums, look at art, eat food at restaurants, go to shops, and go to many large sport events.

There is a lot of industry (factories) and commerce (buying and selling) in Melbourne. Many of Australia's largest companies and many large companies from other countries work there. It is home to Australia's largest seaport. There are a number of universities (the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Deakin University, Victoria University, La Trobe University, RMIT University, Swinburne University and the Australian Catholic University). Much of Australia's automotive (car) industry is there, for example the engine maker "Holden", and "Ford" and "Toyota" car builders.

An old tram in Melbourne

History [change]

Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner. In 1851, some people found gold near Melbourne.^[3] Melbourne grew very quickly because people came from all over the world to look for gold. At the end of the 19th century, Melbourne was called "Marvellous Melbourne" ("marvellous" means "wonderful"). Melbourne was the biggest and most important city in Australia for many years, but now Sydney is bigger. The first Australian government was in Melbourne from 1901 until 1927 when it moved to Canberra.

Population [change]

Many people from different countries live in Melbourne. In fact 43% of the people living in Melbourne were born outside Australia or have parents from another country. All together people from 233 countries live in Melbourne and people with 116 different religions.

Melbourne Population by year
1836	177
1851	29,000
1854	123,000	(gold rush)
1860	140,000
1880	280,000
1890	490,000
1895	900,000	(economic collapse)
1956	1,500,000
1981	2,806,000
1991	3,156,700	(economic slump)
2001	3,366,542
2004	3,592,975
2006	3,720,300	(2006 estimate)
2030	4,500,000	(projected)