<Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.nsw.gov.au </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Footnotes </Th> <Td> Coordinates Emblems </Td> </Tr> <P> New South Wales (abbreviated as NSW) is a state on the east coast of Australia . It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west . Its coast borders the Tasman Sea to the east . The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state . New South Wales' state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia's most populous city . In March 2017, the population of New South Wales was over 7.8 million, making it Australia's most populous state . Just under two - thirds of the state's population, five million, live in the Greater Sydney area . Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as New South Welshmen . </P> <P> The Colony of New South Wales was founded as a penal colony in 1788 . It originally comprised more than half of the Australian mainland with its western boundary set at 129th meridian east in 1825 . The colony also included the island territories of New Zealand, Van Diemen's Land, Lord Howe Island, and Norfolk Island . During the 19th century, most of the colony's area was detached to form separate British colonies that eventually became New Zealand and the various states and territories of Australia . However, the Swan River Colony has never been administered as part of New South Wales . </P>

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