 Following discussion and exploration of various areas within New South Wales, the "Seat of Government Act 1908" was passed in 1908 which specified a capital in the Yass-Canberra region.The land was transferred to the Commonwealth by New South Wales in 1911, creating the Australian Capital Territory, two years prior to the capital city being founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913.It is unusual among Australian cities, being an entirely planned city outside of any state, similar to Washington, D.C. in the United States or Brasília in Brazil.