NSW

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

NSW
Stands forNew South Wales
Meanings2
CategoriesGeography & Places, Military

NSW has two meanings. It stands for New South Wales (Australian state and territory) or Naval Special Warfare Command (military unit and organization).

Meanings of NSW at a glance

#NSW stands forContext
1New South WalesGeography & Places › Australian State and Territory
2Naval Special Warfare CommandMilitary › Military Unit and Organization

1. New South Wales

Geography & Places · Australian State and Territory Abbreviations

Australia's most populous state, with about 8.3 million people, and the site of the first British colony, founded at Sydney Cove in 1788. Sydney is the capital, and NSW postcodes start with 2, apart from ACT ranges, plus 1 for PO boxes.

Example: Lodge the form online or post it to Parramatta NSW 2150.

Pronounced as letters (en-ess-double-you). Victoria and Queensland were carved out of the original colony, which once covered most of eastern Australia. NSW appears in names such as NSW Police Force and NSW Health; locals sometimes call the state the Premier State, a reference to its seniority.

2. Naval Special Warfare Command

Military · Military Unit and Organization Abbreviations

Navy component of US Special Operations Command, responsible for SEAL teams and special boat teams manned by Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen. It is headquartered at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California.

Example: NSW reported record numbers of candidates completing SEAL training this year.

Established in 1987. Naval Special Warfare Groups on each coast organize SEAL teams, while the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado runs Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. In Australia, NSW is the abbreviation for the state of New South Wales.

More Australian state and territory abbreviations

  • ACT – Australian Capital Territory
  • FNQ – Far North Queensland
  • NT – Northern Territory
  • QLD – Queensland
  • SA – South Australia
  • SEQ – South East Queensland
  • TAS – Tasmania
  • VIC – Victoria

See all 10 Australian state and territory abbreviations →

More military unit and organization abbreviations

  • NGB – National Guard Bureau
  • NORAD – North American Aerospace Defense Command
  • NORTHCOM – United States Northern Command
  • NROTC – Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps
  • NVA – North Vietnamese Army
  • NWC – National War College
  • ODA – Operational Detachment Alpha
  • OSD – Office of the Secretary of Defense

See all 126 military unit and organization abbreviations →