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Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 
After Federation in 1901 when the colonies came together to form Australia, it was decided that a separate area would need to be set aside for the nation's capital. In 1908 a site was selected between Melbourne and Sydney, then the two biggest and most powerful cities in Australia.
In 1911 the Commonwealth Government bought land for the future capital in southern New South Wales and a competition was held to design the city to be called Canberra.
Development of the site was slow and it was not until 1927 that the Commonwealth Government and federal Parliament was moved to Canberra from Melbourne.
In 1915 a smaller area around Jervis Bay on the southern New South Wales coast was purchased and also transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia and is now a part of the Australian Capital Territory.
Related weblinks -
• Visit the Australian Capital Territory government website for information on ACT-
http://www.act.gov.au
• The ACT may be small but it has a lot to see -
http://www.visitcanberra.com.au
• Check out this Encyclopedia entry about the Australian Capital Territory -
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Australian-Capital-Territory