[3] Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre (4,170 ft) kunanyi / Mount Wellington,[8] and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world,[9] with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land.

The city lies on country which was known by the local Muwinina people as nipaluna, a name which includes surrounding features such as kunanyi / Mount Wellington and timtumili minanya (River Derwent).

The early 20th century saw an economic boom on the back of mining, agriculture and other primary industries, and the loss of men who served in the world wars was counteracted by an influx of immigration.

[16] Despite the rise in migration from Asia and other non-English speaking regions, Hobart's population is predominantly ethnically Anglo-Celtic and has the highest percentage of Australian-born residents among Australia's capital cities.

[17] Today, Hobart is the financial and administrative hub of Tasmania, serving as the home port for both Australian and French Antarctic operations and acting as a tourist destination.

Later names by the TAC include piyura kitina (little native hens) at Risdon Cove and turikina truwala (mountain waterfall) on the Myrtle Gully Falls track.

[26] The first European settlement began in 1803 as a military camp at Risdon Cove on the eastern shores of the River Derwent, amid British concerns over the presence of French explorers.

In 1832, four years after martial law had been declared, 26 people, including Tongerlongeter (Tukalunginta) and Montpelliatta (Muntipiliyata) of the combined Big River and Oyster Bay nations, surrendered to G. A. Robinson's "friendly mission" and were marched into Hobart to negotiate a truce with Governor George Arthur.

[29] He writes of Hobart and the Derwent estuary in The Voyage of the Beagle:"...The lower parts of the hills which skirt the bay are cleared; and the bright yellow fields of corn, and dark green ones of potatoes, appear very luxuriant...

[30] The post-transportation era saw the city shift between periods of economic uncertainty in the 1860s and 1890s: "...While brash Victorians talked of the future, Tasmanians nurtured memories of a more prosperous past.

"[31] However, this was mixed in with evolving politics, a greater connection with mainland Australia, tourism in the 1880s and the establishment of important cultural and social institutions including The University of Tasmania.

[44] While parts of kunanyi / Mt Wellington have been cleared in the past (and species like celery top pine were allegedly present), stands of old-growth white gums accompanied by giant stringybarks (such as the Octopus tree)[45] remain there.

Salamanca Place contains many Georgian era buildings, as well as Kelly's Steps, which were built in 1839 to provide a short-cut to Battery Point, a largely residential suburb known for its weatherboard cottages and multi-storey terraces.

[73] The postmodern Hotel Grand Chancellor was built in 1987 in what was the Wapping neighbourhood, which now features many examples of contemporary architecture, such as the 2001 Federation Concert Hall and The Hedberg, designed in 2013 around Conceptualism.

For its early history, housing was small-scale but clustered in very small areas (the highest concentration and diversity of Hobart's heritage remains around the constantly-evolving city centre).

[110] Another popular live entertainment location is the Hanging Garden precinct, which contains several venues[111] and hosts Dark Mofo and Hobart Festival of Comedy events.

Located within the Moorilla winery on the Berriedale peninsula, the multi-storey MONA gallery houses the collection of David Walsh and is the Southern Hemisphere's largest privately owned museum.

Other Hobart musicians have co-founded successful mainland Australian bands, including singer-songwriters Sacha Lucashenko (of The Morning After Girls) and Michael Noga (of The Drones), and multi-instrumentalist Monika Fikerle (of Love of Diagrams).

Theremin player Miles Brown, blues guitarist Phil Manning (of blues-rock band Chain), and TikTok artist Kim Dracula all originated in Hobart.

In addition, founding member of Violent Femmes, Brian Ritchie, now calls Hobart home, and curated the annual international arts festival MONA FOMA.

The Tasmanian Tigers cricket team plays its home games at Bellerive Oval on the Eastern Shore, and the Hobart Hurricanes compete in the Big Bash League.

[137] These employment areas are reflected by the gross value added provided by industries, which is greatest among the "healthcare and social assistance (17%), public administration and safety (11%), and financial and insurance services (10%)."

Tourism is a significant part of the economy, with visitors coming to the city to explore its historic inner suburbs and nationally acclaimed restaurants and cafes, as well as its vibrant music and nightlife culture.

Major local employers include catamaran builder Incat, zinc refinery Nyrstar Hobart, Cascade Brewery and Cadbury's Chocolate Factory, Norske Skog Boyer and Wrest Point Casino.

Another side-effect of this transition in investment away from public transport is that Hobart has limited mode redundancy compared to larger Australian capitals and a higher proportion of vehicle traffic, meaning that individual incidents can shut the entire network down.

In Sullivans Cove, the two Princes Wharves are used for Antarctic restocking operations, while there are many piers and pontoons for berthing sailing boats, fishing vessels and yachts (at Victoria and Constitution Docks, especially following the Sydney to Hobart) and a seaplane.

There has been a push from public transport advocates and the two local councils[162][163] to establish a light rail network, intended to be fast, efficient, and eco-friendly, along existing tracks on the Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor to solve the frequent jamming of traffic in Hobart CBD.

[164][165] The earlier Riverline proposal, which reached a business case (at $100 million, demonstrating benefits for socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of the city), was scrapped in the 2014 Australian federal budget.

These schools are made up of a mix of public, catholic, private and independent run, with the heaviest distribution lying in the more densely populated West around the Hobart city core.

[177] The Hobart Clinic (formerly St Michael's Priory) is a not-for-profit operating a 27-bed psychiatric hospital in Rokeby and Mind Hub on Collins Street, with a focus on therapies.