wagga wagga is the major city of the riverina and the largest inland city in new south wales. as at june 2018 the urban area of wagga wagga was home to an estimated population of 56,442 having grown, on average, 0.65 percent year-on-year during the previous five years. much of this growth is attributable to the "sponge city" phenomenon as wagga wagga attracts residents from smaller towns in the region such as urana. other factors include wagga's role as a regional centre and its hosting of major defence establishments and a charles sturt university campus.