Editing Australian Capital Territory (section)

==Geography==
[[File:ACT-Jervis Bay-Sydney-MJC.png|left|thumb|125px|Location of the ACT and Jervis Bay]]
The territory is {{cvt|2358|km2|mi2}} in area, slightly smaller than Luxembourg.

It is bounded by the [[Bombala railway line]] in the east, the [[Drainage divide|watershed]] of [[Naas (valley)|Naas Creek]] in the south, the watershed of the [[Cotter River]] in the west and the watershed of the [[Molonglo River]] in the north-east. These boundaries were set to give the territory an adequate water supply.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/curious-canberra/2016-04-11/how-the-act-borders-were-determined/7304358 |title=How were the ACT's boundaries determined? |date=10 April 2016 |website=www.abc.net.au}}</ref> The territory extends about {{cvt|88.5|km|mi}} north-south between 35.124°S and 35.921°S, and {{cvt|57.75|km|mi}} west-east between 148.763°E and 149.399°E.{{NoteTag|Limits plotted on Google Maps: 
north: 35.12452°S, 149.12091°E (Gungahlin);
east: 35.31918°S, 149.39928°E (Kings Highway);
south: 35.92076°S, 149.04608°E (near Bumbalong);
west: 35.49551°S, 148.76268°E (Mount Franklin Rd, near Bimberi).}} The city area of [[Canberra]] occupies the north-eastern corner of this area.

The territory includes the city of [[Canberra]] and some towns such as [[Williamsdale, Australian Capital Territory|Williamsdale]], [[Oaks Estate]], [[Uriarra Village]], [[Tharwa]] and [[Hall, Australian Capital Territory|Hall]]. The territory also contains agricultural land ([[domestic sheep|sheep]], [[dairy cattle]], [[vineyard]]s and small amounts of crops) and a large area of national park ([[Namadgi National Park]]), much of it mountainous and forested.

[[File:Swans on molonglo river.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Molonglo River]], located in the north-east of the region]]

Tidbinbilla is a locality to the south-west of Canberra that features the [[Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve]] and the [[Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex]], operated by the United States' [[NASA]] as part of its [[Deep Space Network]]. The [[Southern Tablelands Temperate Grassland]] straddles the state.

The territory includes a large range of mountains, rivers and creeks, largely contained within the [[Namadgi National Park]]. These include the Naas and Murrumbidgee Rivers.

In September 2022, a proposal was announced to change the border between NSW and the territory, the first change since the territory was created in 1911.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-16 |title='It's happening': NSW-ACT border to change for first time since its creation as territory expands |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-16/border-to-change-to-allow-territory-expansion/101446700 |access-date=2022-09-16}}</ref> ACT chief minister [[Andrew Barr]] said NSW premier [[Dominic Perrottet]] had agreed to a proposed border change of {{cvt|330|ha|sqmi}} in the [[Ginninderra]] watershed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-16 |title=NSW and ACT in talks over biggest border shake-up in living memory |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/16/nsw-and-act-in-talks-over-biggest-border-shake-up-in-living-memory |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

=== Climate ===
[[File:Autumn in Canberra.jpg|thumb|right|280px|[[Autumn foliage]] in [[Canberra]]]]
The territory has a relatively dry, continental climate, experiencing warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/canberra/climate.shtml |title=Climate of Canberra Area |date=12 July 2009 |website=Bureau of Meteorology |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712100903/http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/canberra/climate.shtml |archive-date=2009-07-12 |access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref> Under the [[Köppen-Geiger climate classification system|Köppen-Geiger classification]], the territory has an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'').<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.climate-data.org/oceania/australia/australian-capital-territory-905/ |title=Climate: Australian Capital Territory |website=en.climate-data.org |access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref>

January is the hottest month with an average high of 27.7&nbsp;°C.<ref name=":0" /> July is the coldest month when the average high drops to {{cvt|11.2|C|F}}.<ref name=":0" /> The highest maximum temperature recorded in the territory was 44.0&nbsp;°C on 4 January 2020. The lowest minimum temperature was −10.0&nbsp;°C on 11 July 1971.<ref name=":0" />

Rainfall varies significantly across the territory.<ref name=":0" /> Much higher rainfall occurs in the mountains to the west of Canberra compared to the east.<ref name=":0" /> The mountains act as a barrier during winter with the city receiving less rainfall.<ref name=":0" /> Average annual rainfall in the territory is 629mm and there is an average of 108 rain days annually.<ref name=":0" /> The wettest month is October, with an average rainfall of 65.3mm, and the driest month is June, with an average of 39.6mm.<ref name=":0" />

Frost is common in the winter months. [[Snow in Australia|Snow]] is rare in Canberra's city centre, but the surrounding areas get annual snowfall through winter and often the snow-capped mountains can be seen from the city. The last significant snowfall in the city centre was in 1968.<ref name=":0" />

Smoke haze became synonymous with the 2019/2020 Australian summer. On 1 January 2020 Canberra had the worst air quality of any major city in the world, with an AQI of 7700 (USAQI 949).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/03/canberra-chokes-on-worlds-worst-air-quality-as-city-all-but-shut-down |title=Canberra chokes on world's worst air quality as city all but shut down |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=3 January 2020 |access-date=5 January 2020}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location=Canberra Airport, ACT (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1939–present)
|metric first=Yes
|single line=Yes
|Jan record high C=44.0
|Feb record high C=42.2
|Mar record high C=37.5
|Apr record high C=32.6
|May record high C=24.5
|Jun record high C=20.1
|Jul record high C=19.7
|Aug record high C=24.0
|Sep record high C=30.2
|Oct record high C=32.7
|Nov record high C=39.9
|Dec record high C=41.6
|year record high C=44.0
|Jan high C=28.7
|Feb high C=27.7
|Mar high C=24.8
|Apr high C=20.5
|May high C=16.3
|Jun high C=12.5
|Jul high C=11.8
|Aug high C=13.5
|Sep high C=16.6
|Oct high C=19.9
|Nov high C=23.3
|Dec high C=26.3
|year high C=20.2
|Jan mean C=21.2
|Feb mean C=20.7
|Mar mean C=17.9
|Apr mean C=13.8
|May mean C=10.0
|Jun mean C=6.9
|Jul mean C=6.0
|Aug mean C=7.4
|Sep mean C=10.2
|Oct mean C=13.2
|Nov mean C=16.4
|Dec mean C=19.1
|year mean C=13.6
|Jan low C=13.7
|Feb low C=13.6
|Mar low C=10.9
|Apr low C=7.1
|May low C=3.7
|Jun low C=1.3
|Jul low C=0.2
|Aug low C=1.3
|Sep low C=3.8
|Oct low C=6.4
|Nov low C=9.5
|Dec low C=11.9
|year low C=7.0
|Jan record low C=1.6
|Feb record low C=2.8
|Mar record low C=-1.1
|Apr record low C=-3.7
|May record low C=-7.5
|Jun record low C=-8.5
|Jul record low C=-10.0
|Aug record low C=-8.5
|Sep record low C=-6.8
|Oct record low C=-3.4
|Nov record low C=-1.8
|Dec record low C=0.3
|year record low C=-10.0
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=58.5
|Feb precipitation mm=56.4
|Mar precipitation mm=50.7
|Apr precipitation mm=46.0
|May precipitation mm=44.4
|Jun precipitation mm=40.4
|Jul precipitation mm=41.4
|Aug precipitation mm=46.2
|Sep precipitation mm=52.0
|Oct precipitation mm=62.4
|Nov precipitation mm=64.4
|Dec precipitation mm=53.2
|year precipitation mm=615.2
|Jan precipitation days=7.3
|Feb precipitation days=6.7
|Mar precipitation days=6.9
|Apr precipitation days=7.3
|May precipitation days=8.4
|Jun precipitation days=9.8
|Jul precipitation days=10.5
|Aug precipitation days=11.1
|Sep precipitation days=10.2
|Oct precipitation days=10.4
|Nov precipitation days=9.8
|Dec precipitation days=7.7
|year precipitation days=106.1
|Jan sun=294.5
|Feb sun=254.3
|Mar sun=251.1
|Apr sun=219.0
|May sun=186.0
|Jun sun=156.0
|Jul sun=179.8
|Aug sun=217.0
|Sep sun=231.0
|Oct sun=266.6
|Nov sun=267.0
|Dec sun=291.4
|year sun=2813.7
|source 1 = Climate averages for Canberra Airport Comparison (1939–2010)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_070014_All.shtml |title=Climate statistics for Australian locations: Canberra Airport Comparison |publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]] |access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref>
source 2 = Special climate statements and climate summaries for more recent extremes<ref>
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_070351_All.shtml |title=Climate statistics for Australian locations: Canberra Airport |publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]] |date=2 January 2020 |access-date=5 January 2020}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs36b.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs36b.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=Special climate statement 36 – Unseasonal cold in southeast Australia |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |date=13 January 2012 |access-date=4 September 2014}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/act/archive/201209.summary.shtml |title=ACT in September 2012 |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |date=2 October 2012 |access-date=4 September 2014}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/act/archive/201212.summary.shtml |title=ACT in December 2012 |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |date=2 January 2013 |access-date=4 September 2014}}
*{{cite web |title=Special Climate Statement 43 – extreme heat in January 2013 |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs43e.pdf |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |access-date=2 February 2013 |date=1 February 2013}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/act/archive/201310.summary.shtml |title=ACT in October 2013 |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |date=1 November 2013 |access-date=4 September 2014}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=122&p_display_type=dailyDataFile&p_startYear=&p_c=&p_stn_num=070351 |title=Daily maximum temperature Canberra Airport |publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]] |date=5 January 2020 |access-date=5 January 2020}}
</ref>}}

===Geology===
{{main|Geology of the Australian Capital Territory}}
Notable geological formations in the territory include the ''Canberra Formation'', the ''Pittman Formation'', ''Black Mountain Sandstone'' and ''State Circle Shale''.

In the 1840s [[fossil]]s of [[brachiopod]]s and [[trilobite]]s from the [[Silurian]] period were discovered at Woolshed Creek near [[Duntroon, Australian Capital Territory|Duntroon]]. At the time, these were the oldest fossils discovered in Australia, though this record has now been far surpassed.<ref>{{citation |title=Entry to the ACT Heritage Register – 20010. Woolshed Creek Fossil Site |url=http://www.environment.act.gov.au/Files/heritageregister20010.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051022162853/http://www.environment.act.gov.au/Files/heritageregister20010.pdf |publisher=ACT Heritage Council |archive-date=22 October 2005}}</ref> Other specific geological places of interest include the State Circle cutting and the Deakin [[anticline]].<ref>{{cite AHD|105733|State Circle Cutting}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=National Trust of Australia – Deakin Anticline |url=http://www.act.nationaltrust.org.au/places/deak-anti.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040706073745/http://www.act.nationaltrust.org.au/places/deak-anti.html |archive-date=6 July 2004}}</ref>

The oldest rocks in the territory date from the [[Ordovician]] around 480 million years ago. During this period the region along with most of Eastern Australia was part of the ocean floor; formations from this period include the ''Black Mountain Sandstone'' formation and the ''Pittman Formation'' consisting largely of [[quartz]]-rich [[sandstone]], [[siltstone]] and [[shale]]. These formations became exposed when the ocean floor was raised by a major [[orogeny|volcanic activity]] in the [[Devonian]] forming much of the east coast of Australia.

=== Flora and fauna ===
{{main|Fauna of the Australian Capital Territory|Flora of the Australian Capital Territory}}
The environments range from [[Alpine climate|alpine]] area on the higher mountains, to [[sclerophyll]] forest and to [[woodland]]. Much of the territory has been cleared for grazing and is also burnt off by [[Bushfires in Australia|bushfire]]s several times per century. The kinds of plants can be grouped into [[vascular plants]], that include [[gymnosperm]]s, flowering plants, and [[fern]]s, as well as [[bryophyte]]s, [[lichen]]s, fungi and freshwater [[algae]]. Four flowering plants are endemic to the territory. Several lichens are unique to the territory. Most plants in the territory are characteristic of the [[Australian flora|Flora of Australia]] and include well known plants such as [[Grevillea]], [[Eucalyptus]] trees and [[kangaroo grass]].

The native forest in the territory was almost wholly [[Eucalyptus|eucalypt]] species and provided a resource for fuel and domestic purposes. By the early 1960s, logging had depleted the eucalypt, and concern about water quality led to the forests being closed. Interest in forestry began in 1915 with trials of a number of species including ''[[Pinus radiata]]'' on the slopes of Mount Stromlo. Since then, plantations have been expanded, with the benefit of reducing erosion in the Cotter catchment, and the forests are also popular recreation areas.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/113939/McLeodInquiry.pdf |title=Inquiry into the Operational Response to the January 2003 Bushfires in the ACT |last=McLeod |first=Ron |year=2003 |isbn=0-642-60216-6 |location=Canberra, ACT |publisher=ACT Government |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514031921/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/113939/McLeodInquiry.pdf |archive-date=14 May 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Fauna in the territory includes representatives from most major [[Fauna of Australia|Australian animal groups]]. This includes kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, platypus, echidna, emu, kookaburras and dragon lizards.