New South Wales jiha ce dake kudu maso gabashin Ostiraliya. Kyaftin James Cook ne ya ba da sunan "New South Wales" a cikin 1770, wanda ya ga kamanceceniya tsakanin gabar tekun gabashin Ostiraliya da gabar kudancin Wales a Burtaniya. Kalmar “sabuwa” tana nufin sabuwar ƙasar da masu binciken Burtaniya suka gano, yayin da “South Wales” ke nufin kamanceceniyar yankin da gabar tekun kudancin Wales a Burtaniya. Babban birnin jihar shine Sydney, wanda kuma shine birni mafi girma a Australia.