Demographics of Australia

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Demographics of Australia
Australia Population Pyramid in 2023.svg
Population pyramid of Australia in 2022
Population27,231,525 (as of May 2024)
Growth rate1.60% (2023 est.)
Birth rate12.3 births/1,000 population
Death rate6.77 deaths/1,000 population
Life expectancy83.09 years
  male80.93 years
  female85.36 years
Fertility rate1.63 children
Infant mortality rate3.01 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate6.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio
Total0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
At birth1.05 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationality Australian
Major ethnic
Minor ethnic
Language
OfficialNone at Federal level or State level
Spoken English (72.00%)
Mandarin (2.70%)
Arabic (1.44%)
Vietnamese (1.26%)
Cantonese (1.16%)
Punjabi (0.94%)
Greek (0.90%)
Italian (0.90%)
Others (12.97%)

The population of Australia is estimated to be 27,553,300 as of 9December2024. [10] It is the 54th [11] most populous country in the world and the most populous Oceanian country. Its population is concentrated mainly in urban areas, particularly on the Eastern, South Eastern and Southern seaboards, and is expected to exceed 30 million by 2029. [12]

Contents

Australia's population has grown from an estimated population of between 300,000 and 2,400,000 Indigenous Australians at the time of British colonisation in 1788 due to numerous waves of immigration during the period since. Also due to immigration, the European component's share of the population rose sharply in the late 18th and 19th centuries, but is now declining as a percentage. [13]

Australia has an average population density of 3.6 persons per square kilometre of total land area, which makes it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. This is generally attributed to the semi-arid and desert geography of much of the interior of the country. Another factor is urbanisation, with 89% of its population living in a handful of urban areas, Australia is one of the world's most urbanised countries. [14] The life expectancy of Australia in 2015–2017 was 83.2 years, among the highest in the world. [15]

Historical population

European Australians from 1947 to 1966 when racial data was collected in the country European Australians from 1947 to 1966.gif
European Australians from 1947 to 1966 when racial data was collected in the country

Population estimates in the table below do not include the Aboriginal population before 1961. Estimates of Aboriginal population before European settlement range from 300,000 to one million, with archaeological finds indicating a sustainable maximum population of around 750,000. [16] Where available, actual population figures from census years are included.

Historic population (estimated)
Pre-1788
YearIndigenous population±%
pre 1788300,000 to 1,000,000    
Source: [17]
Settlement   Federation
YearNon-indigenous population±% p.a.
1788 859    
1798 4,588+18.24%
1808 10,263+8.38%
1818 25,859+9.68%
1828 58,197+8.45%
1838 151,868+10.07%
1848 332,328+8.15%
1858 1,050,828+12.20%
1868 1,539,552+3.89%
1878 2,092,164+3.11%
1888 2,981,677+3.61%
1898 3,664,715+2.08%
Source: [18]
Post-Federation
YearTotal population±%
1901 3,788,123    
1906 4,059,083+7.2%
1911 4,489,545+10.6%
1916 4,943,173+10.1%
1921 5,455,136+10.4%
1926 6,056,360+11.0%
1931 6,526,485+7.8%
1936 6,778,372+3.9%
1941 7,109,898+4.9%
1946 7,465,157+5.0%
1951 8,421,775+12.8%
1956 9,425,563+11.9%
1961 10,548,267+11.9%
1966 11,599,498+10.0%
1971 13,067,265+12.7%
1976 14,033,083+7.4%
1981 14,923,260+6.3%
1986 16,018,350+7.3%
1991 17,284,036+7.9%
1996 18,224,767+5.4%
2001 18,769,249+3.0%
2006 19,855,288+5.8%
2011 21,507,717+8.3%
2016 23,401,892+8.8%
2021 25,417,978+8.6%
Note: Estimated populations prior to 1961 do not include the Indigenous population.
Source: [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]
Historical population of Australia Historical population of Australia.svg
Historical population of Australia

Total fertility rate from 1850 to 1899

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation. [24]

The following figures show the total fertility rates since the first years of British colonisation.

Total fertility rate in Australia [24]
1850s
1850185118521853185418551856185718581859
4.945.014.075.034.865.325.195.635.715.75
1860s
1860186118621863186418651866186718681869
5.715.675.85.595.755.645.335.415.435.19
1870s
1870187118721873187418751876187718781879
5.195.094.975.014.934.814.814.694.744.8
1880s
1880188118821883188418851886188718881889
4.734.734.624.664.774.784.744.774.764.65
1890s
1890189118921893189418951896189718981899
4.694.624.524.44.134.073.813.783.643.66

Crude birth rates from 1860 to 1899

The crude birth rate is the total number of live births per 1,000 population in a year. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. [25]

Crude birth rate in Australia [25]
1860s
1860186118621863186418651866186718681869
42.642.343.341.742.942.139.840.440.538.7
1870s
1870187118721873187418751876187718781879
38.738.037.137.436.835.935.935.035.435.8
1880s
1880188118821883188418851886188718881889
35.335.334.534.835.635.735.435.635.534.7
1890s
1890189118921893189418951896189718981899
35.034.533.732.830.830.428.428.227.227.3

Historical distribution of the total population by age

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. [26] [27] [28] [29]

Ages1901191119211931194119511961197119811991200120072016
0–14 years35.131.631.828.524.227.230.328.725.021.920.519.418.6
15–24 years19.420.116.918.117.514.114.317.417.416.013.714.012.8
25–44 years29.428.830.029.330.029.427.727.428.428.630.029.227.9
45–64 years12.014.817.018.020.920.419.920.019.219.323.125.025.1
65 years and over4.04.34.56.17.48.18.58.39.811.312.613.215.8
Total (%)10099.6100100100100100100100100100100100

Historical median age of the population

Median age of the Australia population through history. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. [27] [28] [30] [31]

Years19011911192119511961197119811991200120152017
Median age of the total population22.524.025.830.329.327.729.632.435.737.438.7
Median age of males23.624.626.129.928.727.029.031.734.937.9
Median age of females21.523.425.530.830.228.330.233.036.439.5


Life expectancy at birth from 1921 to 2015

Life expectancy in Australia since 1885 Life expectancy in Australia.svg
Life expectancy in Australia since 1885

Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.

1921–1949
1920s
192119221923192419251926192719281929
61.062.961.762.563.262.962.862.963.1
1930s
1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
64.965.365.665.464.865.165.265.865.865.8
1940s
1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
66.266.165.966.468.068.568.068.668.569.1

Source: Our World in Data [32]

Life expectancy in Australia since 1960 by gender Life expectancy by WBG -Australia -diff.png
Life expectancy in Australia since 1960 by gender
1950–2015
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195569.41985–199076.2
1955–196070.41990–199577.7
1960–196570.91995–200078.8
1965–197070.82000–200580.3
1970–197571.82005–201081.5
1975–198073.62010–201582.3
1980–198575.1

Source: UN World Population Prospects [33]

Vital statistics

Statistics since 1900

Source: [34]

Average population [N 8] Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1,000)Crude death rate (per 1,000)Natural change (per 1,000)Crude migration change (per 1,000) Total fertility rates [A] [24] Net overseas migration [35] [36] [37]
19003,715,000102,22144,06058,16127.311.815.53.66
19013,765,000102,94546,33056,61527.112.214.9-1.63.64
19023,824,000102,77648,07854,69826.712.514.21.43.39
19033,875,00098,44347,29351,15025.312.113.212.03.58
19043,916,000104,11343,57260,54126.411.015.4-4.93.54
19053,974,000104,94143,51461,42726.210.915.3-0.63.51
19064,032,000107,89044,33363,55726.610.915.7-1.23.35
19074,091,000110,34745,30555,04226.711.015.71.23.35
19084,161,000111,54546,42655,11926.611.115.53.93.35
19094,232,000114,07144,17259,89926.710.316.42.93.35
19104,323,000116,80145,59061,21126.710.416.37.33.35
19114,425,000122,19347,86974,32427.210.616.66.83.51
19124,573,000133,08852,17780,91128.611.217.415.83.51
19134,820,172135,71451,78983,92528.210.717.536.63.51
19144,893,000137,98351,72086,26328.010.517.5-2.53.51
19154,971,000134,87152,78282,08927.110.616.5-0.63.51
19164,969,000131,42654,19777,21926.611.015.6-15.93.07
19174,917,000129,96548,02981,93626.39.716.6-27.13.35
19184,982,000125,73950,24975,49025.010.015.0-1.93.07
19195,080,000122,29065,93056,36023.612.710.98.63.07
19205,303,000136,40656,28980,11725.510.515.528.83.07
19215,411,000136,19854,07682,12224.99.915.05.23.12
19225,510,000137,49651,31186,18524.79.215.52.73.11
19235,637,000135,22256,23678,98623.79.913.89.03.02
19245,755,000134,92754,98079,95323.29.413.87.02.97
19255,882,000135,79254,65881,13422.99.213.78.32.95
19266,000,000133,16256,95276,21022.09.412.67.42.85
19276,124,000133,69858,28275,71621.69.412.28.32.80
19286,251,000134,07859,37874,70021.39.411.98.82.77
19296,355,000129,48060,85768,62320.29.510.75.82.64
19306,436,000128,39955,33173,06819.88.611.21.42.58
19316,500,000118,50956,56061,94918.28.79.50.42.36
19326,552,000110,93356,75754,17616.98.68.3-0.32.19
19336,603,000111,26959,11752,15216.88.97.9-0.12.17
19346,656,000109,47562,22947,24616.49.37.10.92.11
19356,707,000111,32563,59947,72616.59.47.10.52.12
19366,755,000116,07363,93252,14117.19.47.7-0.62.18
19376,810,000119,13164,49654,63517.49.48.00.12.21
19386,871,000120,41566,45153,96417.49.67.81.12.21
19396,935,000122,89169,14753,74417.69.97.71.62.22
19407,004,000126,34768,38457,96317.99.78.21.72.26
19417,077,000134,52571,17663,34918.910.08.91.52.36
19427,143,000136,70875,19161,51719.110.58.60.72.38
19437,201,000149,29574,48674,80920.610.310.3-2.32.57
19447,269,000153,34469,59683,74821.09.511.5-2.12.63
19457,347,000160,56070,23190,22921.79.512.2-1.62.74
19467,430,000176,37974,661101,71823.610.013.6-2.42.99
19477,517,000182,38473,468108,91624.19.714.4-2.83.08
19487,637,000177,97676,839101,13723.110.013.12.72.98
19497,792,000181,26175,260106,00122.99.513.46.72.99
19508,045,000190,59178,187112,40423.39.613.718.53.01
19518,307,000193,29881,788111,51023.09.713.331.23.06
19528,527,000201,65081,597120,05323.49.513.912.43.15
19538,739,000202,23580,188122,04722.99.113.810.93.23
19548,902,000202,25681,805120,45122.59.113.45.13.3
19559,089,000207,67782,036125,64122.68.913.77.23.35
19569,311,000212,63386,088126,54522.59.113.410.83.39
19579,530,000220,35884,953135,40522.98.814.19.33.41
19589,744,000222,50483,723138,48122.68.514.18.23.42
19599,947,000226,97689,212137,76522.68.913.77.03.41
196010,160,000230,32688,464141,86222.48.613.87.53.39
196110,391,000239,98688,961151,02522.88.514.38.23.35
196210,642,000237,08193,163143,91822.18.713.410.63.3
196310,846,000235,68994,894140,79521.58.712.86.23.24
196411,055,000229,149100,594128,55520.58.711.87.63.17
196511,280,000222,85499,715123,13919.68.810.89.42.97
196611,505,000223,731103,929119,80219.39.010.39.52.89
196711,704,000229,796102,703127,09319.48.710.76.42.85
196811,912,000240,906109,547131,35920.09.110.96.72.89
196912,145,000250,175106,496143,68120.48.711.77.72.93
197012,407,000257,516113,048144,46820.59.010.59.92.94
197112,663,000276,361110,650165,71121.58.612.97.52.98
197213,067,000271,960110,191161,76920.68.412.219.52.74
197313,303,000255,848111,336144,51219.18.310.87.22.49
197413,504,000243,658110,179133,47917.98.19.85.22.32
1975 [38] 13,771,400239,794114,501125,29317.48.39.110.72.15
197613,915,500231,135110,610120,52516.67.98.71.82.06
197714,074,100226,954111,490115,46416.17.98.23.22.01
197814,248,600226,359108,059118,30015.97.68.34.11.95
197914,521,700223,370108,315115,05515.57.58.011.21.91
198014,695,400223,664106,654117,01015.37.38.04.01.89
198114,923,300230,920109,429121,49115.67.48.27.41.94
198215,178,400237,076110,990116,08615.77.48.39.41.93128,100
198315,393,500241,764112,918128,84615.87.48.45.81.9273,300
198415,579,400240,544110,887129,65715.57.28.33.81.8449,100
198515,788,300241,814114,197127,61715.47.38.15.31.9273,800
198616,018,400239,115116,069123,04615.07.37.76.91.87100,500
198716,263,900242,977116,139126,83815.07.27.87.51.85125,800
198816,532,200246,200120,463125,73715.07.37.78.91.83149,400
198916,814,400250,155118,767131,38815.17.18.09.31.84157,500
199017,065,100257,521125,112132,40915.37.47.97.21.90124,700
199117,284,000261,158119,572141,58615.27.08.24.61.8586,500
199217,494,700259,200120,836138,80014.96.98.04.31.8968,600
199317,667,100259,959121,338138,62114.86.97.92.91.8630,100
199417,854,700258,314123,496134,81814.57.07.53.11.8446,600
199518,071,800258,210126,232131,97814.47.07.44.91.8280,200
199618,310,700250,438126,400124,03813.86.96.96.41.80104,000
199718,517,600253,660127,298126,36213.76.96.84.51.7887,200
199818,711,300249,105129,255119,85013.46.96.54.11.7579,100
199918,925,900249,965128,278121,48713.36.86.55.01.7596,500
200019,153,400249,310128,392120,91813.16.76.45.71.75107,200
200119,413,200247,500128,913118,58712.86.76.17.51.73135,700
200219,654,900247,400130,300117,20012.96.96.06.51.77110,600
200319,902,700247,400132,239115,20012.56.75.86.81.75116,500
200420,139,800252,100133,231115,85112.46.75.76.21.76100,000
200520,409,100255,800131,354124,58012.66.56.17.31.79123,800
200620,697,900263,500134,000129,50012.86.56.37.91.82146,700
200721,015,900277,700136,000141,70013.26.46.88.61.87232,700
200821,384,400289,500140,800148,70014.46.87.610.62.02277,400
200921,778,800297,100143,700153,40013.96.67.311.41.97299,800
201022,031,900304,200141,500162,60013.46.47.04.21.95172,038
201122,340,000301,200145,400155,80013.56.66.97.01.92205,679
201222,733,500306,000147,200158,80013.66.57.110.61.93241,151
201323,128,100311,100149,200161,90013.36.46.910.41.88235,797
201423,475,700307,000150,000157,00012.86.56.38.31.80179,000
201523,816,000307,700155,900151,80012.86.76.18.11.80181,000
2016 [39] 24,385,600311,800157,400154,40012.96.56.410.21.79243,800
201724,770,700 [40] 308,500160,300148,20012.76.66.19.71.74241,700
201825,180,200 [41] 314,900 [42] 158,500156,40012.76.46.310.21.75248,400
201925,522,169305,800166,700139,10012.16.65.58.11.67210,700
202025,694,400294,400161,400133,00011.56.35.21.51.593,300
202125,766,605(C)309,996171,469138,52712.16.75.4-2.61.70-3,600
202226,268,359300,684190,745109,80011.67.34.315.21.63387,000
202326,966,789286,998183,131103,86710.86.93.921.11.50547,300

Current vital statistics

[43]

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural increase
January - March 202371,30042,800+28,500
January - March 202476,00045,100+30,800
DifferenceIncrease2.svg +4,700 (+6.59%)Increase Negative.svg +2,300 (+5.37%)Increase2.svg +2,300

Total fertility rates by state or territory

2023 [44]
State/TerritoryTFR
Flag of Western Australia.svg  Western Australia 1.57
Flag of the Northern Territory.svg  Northern Territory 1.55
Flag of New South Wales.svg  New South Wales 1.55
Flag of Queensland.svg  Queensland 1.54
Flag of Tasmania.svg  Tasmania 1.51
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1.50
Flag of South Australia.svg  South Australia 1.50
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria 1.39
Flag of the Australian Capital Territory.svg  Australian Capital Territory 1.31

Structure of the population

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 09.VIII.2016) (These data have been randomly rounded to protect confidentiality. Individual figures may not add up to totals, and values for the same data may vary in different tables.): [45]
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total11 546 63811 855 24823 401 892100
0–4752 142712 6381 464 7796.26
5–9771 055731 5921 502 6466.42
10–14717 629679 5531 397 1835.97
15–19727 677693 9151 421 5956.07
20–24795 423771 3691 566 7936.70
25–29824 084840 5251 664 6027.11
30–34839 821864 0261 703 8477.28
35–39773 132788 5481 561 6796.67
40–44777 702805 5511 583 2576.77
45–49773 170808 2821 581 4556.76
50–54748 954774 6011 523 5516.51
55–59709 115745 2141 454 3326.21
60–64632 357667 0481 299 3975.55
65-69581 230607 7661 188 9995.08
70-74431 325456 390887 7163.79
75-79307 441345 217652 6572.79
80-84204 026256 529460 5491.97
85-89123 502185 463308 9601.32
90-9446 82893 570140 3980.60
95-999 24424 67233 9200.14
100+7772 7883 5690.02
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–142 240 8262 123 7834 364 60918.65
15–647 601 4397 759 07015 360 50965.64
65+1 704 3731 972 3953 676 76815.71

Cities

Australia contains five cities (including their suburbs) that consist of over one million people. Most of Australia's population live close to coastlines. [46]

 
Largest populated areas in Australia
Rank Name State Pop. Rank Name State Pop.
1 Sydney NSW 5,259,76411 Geelong Vic 289,400
2 Melbourne Vic 4,976,15712 Hobart Tas 251,047
3 Brisbane Qld 2,568,92713 Townsville Qld 181,665
4 Perth WA 2,192,22914 Cairns Qld 155,638
5 Adelaide SA 1,402,39315 Darwin NT 148,801
6 Gold CoastTweed Heads Qld/NSW 706,67316 Toowoomba Qld 143,994
7 NewcastleMaitland NSW 509,89417 Ballarat Vic 111,702
8 CanberraQueanbeyan ACT/NSW 482,25018 Bendigo Vic 102,899
9 Sunshine Coast Qld 355,63119 Albury-Wodonga NSW/Vic 97,676
10 Wollongong NSW 305,88020 Launceston Tas 93,332

Ancestry

The earliest accepted timeline for the first arrivals of humans to the continent of Australia places this human migration to at least 65,000 years ago, [48] most probably from the islands of Indonesia and New Guinea. [49]

Captain James Cook claimed the east coast for Great Britain in 1770; the west coast was later settled by Britain also. At that time, the indigenous population was estimated to have been between 315,000 and 750,000, [50] divided into as many as 500 tribes speaking many different languages.

Between 1788 and the Second World War, the vast majority of settlers and immigrants came from the British Isles (principally England, Ireland and Scotland), although there was significant immigration from China and Germany during the 19th century. In the decades immediately following the Second World War, Australia received a large wave of immigration from across Europe, with many more immigrants arriving from Southern and Eastern Europe than in previous decades. Since the end of the White Australia policy in 1973, Australia has pursued an official policy of multiculturalism, [51] and there has been a large and continuing wave of immigration from across the world, with Asia being the largest source of immigrants in the 21st century. [52]

The Australian Bureau of Statistics no longer collects data on race, but does ask each Australian resident to nominate up to two ancestries each census. [53] These ancestry responses are classified into broad standardised ancestry groups. [54] In the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated individual ancestries as a proportion of the total population were: [55]

At the 2021 census, 3.2% of the Australian population identified as being IndigenousAboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. [N 10] [56] In 2020, 7.5% of births were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons up from 5.7% in 2010; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fertility rates have stayed above replacement levels even as the nation's has declined rapidly. [57]

Although the ABS does not collect data on race and ethnic background, various studies have put together results of the census to determine the ethnic composition of Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission has estimated the European population at 76% of the Australian population in 2016, [58] while a media diversity study put it at 72% in 2021, the non-European proportion was 21% and 23% respectively, and the Aboriginal Australian population at 3% in both. [59]

Immigration minister Andrew Giles had pledged to incorporate a question on ethnicity into the 2026 Australian census. [60] However in 2024 the ABS decided against collecting data on ethnicity. [61]

Immigration and country of birth

Australian and foreign born population pyramid in 2021 Australian and foreign born population pyramid in 2021.svg
Australian and foreign born population pyramid in 2021

In 2019, 30% of the Australian resident population, or 7,529,570 people, were born overseas. [62]

Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I, [63] much of this increase from immigration. Australia has the world's eighth-largest immigrant population, with immigrants accounting for 30% of the population, a higher proportion than in any other nation with a population of over 10 million. [62] [64] Most immigrants are skilled, [65] but the immigration quota includes categories for family members and refugees. [65]

The following table shows Australia's population by country of birth as estimated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2023. It shows only countries or regions or birth with a population of over 100,000 residing in Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023) [66]
Place of birthEstimated resident population [B]
Total Australian-born 18,473,240
Total foreign-born 8,175,640
Flag of England.svg England [C] 961,570
Flag of India.svg India 845,800
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China [D] 655,760
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand 598,090
Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines 361,860
Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam 298,960
Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa 214,790
Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia 180,470
Flag of Italy.svg Italy 158,990
Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal 179,050
Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland 167,180
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka 158,290
Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan 120,440
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong [D] 119,680
Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea 115,360
Flag of the United States.svg United States 114,260
Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand 109,980
Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia 109,170
Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq 106,830
Flag of Germany.svg Germany 104,460
  1. In fertility rates, 2.1 and above is a stable population and has been marked blue, 2 and below leads to an aging population and the result is that the population decreases.
  2. Only countries with 100,000 or more are listed here.
  3. The Australian Bureau of Statistics source lists England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland separately although they are all part of the United Kingdom. These should not be combined as they are not combined in the source.
  4. 1 2 In accordance with the Australian Bureau of Statistics source, Mainland China, Taiwan and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are listed separately.

As of 2020, 29.8% of Australia's population was born overseas and 76% as of 2016 had European ancestry. The percentage of Australians with European backgrounds has been declining since the 1960s and 1970s, which is around the time the White Australia policy was abolished.

Australia migration data, 2013-present

DateImmigration ('000)Emigration ('000)Net Migration ('000)
Jun-2013482.09-251.76230.33
Sep-2013484.31-263.10221.21
Dec-2013478.68-270.31208.38
Mar-2014472.63-270.44202.19
Jun-2014464.68-276.90187.78
Sep-2014459.84-276.11183.74
Dec-2014458.76-276.41182.35
Mar-2015460.64-279.56181.08
Jun-2015465.25-281.22184.03
Sep-2015469.39-285.16184.23
Dec-2015473.25-286.52186.73
Mar-2016481.33-285.35195.98
Jun-2016489.28-283.04206.23
Sep-2016507.11-277.60229.51
Dec-2016519.65-275.82243.83
Mar-2017536.66-277.08259.59
Jun-2017540.15-276.80263.35
Sep-2017540.06-280.64259.43
Dec-2017531.37-289.71241.66
Mar-2018527.23-289.23238.00
Jun-2018527.52-289.30238.22
Sep-2018530.94-288.62242.32
Dec-2018534.40-282.18252.22
Mar-2019536.60-285.93250.67
Jun-2019550.40-309.06241.34
Sep-2019566.35-324.32242.04
Dec-2019607.87-360.25247.62
Mar-2020618.36-379.11239.25
Jun-2020506.85-314.16192.70
Sep-2020361.95-286.3475.61
Dec-2020235.35-240.32-4.97
Mar-2021113.00-207.34-94.34
Jun-2021146.00-230.93-84.94
Sep-2021162.49-218.63-56.14
Dec-2021216.11-209.246.87
Mar-2022336.24-208.35127.89
Jun-2022426.73-223.14203.59
Sep-2022571.41-229.93341.48
Dec-2022646.11-223.88422.23
Mar-2023694.61-221.53473.08
Jun-2023737.17-219.08518.09

Religion

Religion in Australia as declared in the 2021 census [67]

   Christianity (43.9%)
   No religion (38.9%)
   Islam (3.2%)
   Hinduism (2.7%)
   Buddhism (2.4%)
   Sikhism (0.8%)
  Other religions (0.9%)
  Not stated or unclear (7.2%)

At the 2021 Census, 38.9% of the population identified as having "no religion", [55] up from 15.5% in 2001. [68] The largest religion is Christianity (43.9% of the population). [55] The largest Christian denominations are the Roman Catholic Church (20% of the population) and the Anglican Church of Australia (9.8%). Multicultural immigration since the Second World War has led to the growth of non-Christian religions, the largest of which are Islam (3.2%), Hinduism (2.7%), Buddhism (2.4%), Sikhism (0.8%), and Judaism (0.4%). [55]

The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 Census Dictionary statement on religious affiliation states the purpose for gathering such information:

Data on religious affiliation are used for such purposes as planning educational facilities, aged persons' care and other social services provided by religion-based organisations; the location of church buildings; the assigning of chaplains to hospitals, prisons, armed services and universities; the allocation of time on public radio and other media; and sociological research.

Historically, Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology was the prevalent belief system in Australia until around 1840, when European Australians first outnumbered indigenous Australians. For a period, in the 19th and 20th centuries, Australia was majority Protestant with a large Catholic minority. [69] [70] Catholics first outnumbered Anglicans in the 1986 census. [71] As a result of this history, while Australia has no official religion and "no religion" constitutes the largest group by religious identification, the various governments of Australia refer to the Christian God in their ceremonies, as do the various Australian Courts. [72] In all censuses since 1991, the percentage of Christians has been steadily decreasing, while the percentage of non-religious has been increasing. [73]

As in many Western countries, the level of active participation in religious services is lower than would be indicated by the proportion of the population identifying themselves as affiliated with a religion; weekly attendance at Christian church services is about 1.5 million, or about 7.5% of the population. [74] Christian charitable organisations, hospitals and schools play a prominent role in welfare and education services. The Catholic education system is the second biggest sector after government schools, with more than 795,000 students (and around 20 per cent of all secondary school enrolments). [75]

Religious affiliation in Australia
Religion2006201120162021
('000)(%)('000)(%)('000)(%)('000)(%)
Christian12,68563.913,149.361.112,201.652.111,148.843.9
No religion3,706.818.74,804.622.37,040.730.19,887.038.9
Islam340.41.7476.32.2604.22.6813.43.2
Buddhism418.82.1529.02.5563.72.4615.82.4
Hinduism--275.51.3440.31.9684.02.7
Sikhism--72.30.3125.90.5210.40.8
Other133.80.5193.20.9186.70.8215.00.8
Not stated224.011.2235.81.1237.81.0237.41.0
Total population ('000)21,507.7-21,507.7-23,401.9-25,422.8-

Language

Percentage of people who speak the English language at home in 2016 Rate in which the English language is spoken at home in Australia - 2016.png
Percentage of people who speak the English language at home in 2016

The vast majority of Australians speak English at home, with the exception of some Aboriginal Australians and first-generation immigrants. Although Australia has no official language, English has always been the de facto national language and the only common tongue. [76] Australian English is a major variety of the language, with a distinctive accent and lexicon, [77] and differs slightly from other varieties of English in grammar and spelling. [78] General Australian serves as the standard variety.

At the 2021 census English was the only language spoken in the homes of 72% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home are Mandarin Chinese (2.7%), Arabic (1.4%), Vietnamese (1.3%), and Cantonese (1.2%). [56] Considerable proportions of first- and second-generation immigrants are bilingual.

Over 250 Indigenous Australian languages are thought to have existed at the time of first European contact; fewer than 20 are still in daily use by all age groups. [79] [80] About 110 others are spoken exclusively by older people. [80] At the time of the 2006 census, 52,000 Indigenous Australians, representing 12% of the Indigenous population, reported that they spoke an Indigenous language at home. [81]

Australia has its own sign language, Auslan. The Australian Bureau of Statistics included Auslan as an option for the first time in the 2021 census when asking which language was used at home. [82] [83] According to the census, it is the main language of about 16,000 deaf people. [83]

Indigenous population

Indigenous Australians as a percentage of the population as of the 2011 census Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0054 Indigenous Persons Total Persons.svg
Indigenous Australians as a percentage of the population as of the 2011 census

The earliest accepted timeline for the first arrivals of indigenous Australians to the continent of Australia places this human migration to at least 40,000 years ago. [49]

Dutch navigators landed on the coasts of modern Western Australia and Queensland several times during the 17th century. Captain James Cook wrote that he claimed the east coast for Great Britain in 1770 while standing on Possession Island off the west coast of Cape York Peninsula. The west coast was later settled by Britain also. At that time, the indigenous population was estimated to have numbered between as few as 315,000 and as many as 1,100,000, [50] [84] divided into many tribes speaking many different languages. In the 2011 census, 495,757 respondents declared they were Aboriginal, 31,407 declared they were Torres Strait Islander, and a further 21,206 declared they were both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. [85]

Today, most of Australia's Indigenous population live on the east coast of Australia, where almost 60% of Indigenous Australians live in New South Wales (208,476) and Queensland (188,954) which roughly represents 2–5% of those state's populations. The Northern Territory has an Indigenous population of 61,115, which represents 26.3% of the total Northern Territory population. [86]

States and territories

State/territoryPopulation
(June 2023 estimate) [87]
Land areaPopulation density% of total

national

population

 % of
population
living in capital
Notes
km² mi² per km²per mi²
Flag of New South Wales.svg  New South Wales 8,339,300800,642309,1308.642232%63% [88]
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria 6,812,500227,41687,80623.546126%71% [89]
Flag of Queensland.svg  Queensland 5,459,4001,730,648668,2072.50620%46% [90]
Flag of Western Australia.svg  Western Australia 2,878,6002,239,170864,5480.89210%73.4% [91]
Flag of South Australia.svg  South Australia 1,851,700983,482379,7251.6247%73.5% [92]
Flag of Tasmania.svg  Tasmania 572,80068,40126,4107.24192%41% [93]
Flag of the Australian Capital Territory.svg  Australian Capital Territory 466,8002,358910151.493922%100% [94]
Flag of the Northern Territory.svg  Northern Territory 252,5001,349,129520,9020.160.41%54% [95]

Other general demographic statistics

As of the year to 30 June 2023, the population growth rate was 2.4%. [96] This rate was based on estimates of (June 2023): [10]

Much of the data that follows has been derived from the CIA World Factbook [37] and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, through censuses.

Population

Estimated resident population of Australia since 1981 ABS-3101.0-AustralianDemographicStatistics-EstimatedResidentPopulationStatesTerritories-EstimatedResidentPopulation-Persons-Australia-A2060842F.svg
Estimated resident population of Australia since 1981

The following figures are ABS estimates for the resident population of Australia, based on the 2001 and 2006 Censuses and other data.

27,553,300 (as of 9December2024) [10]
23,470,145 (July 2018 est.)
23,232,413 (July 2017 est.)
21,262,641 (July 2009 – CIA World Factbook)
Population pyramid of Australia from 1950 to 2020 Population pyramid of Australia from 1950 to 2020.gif
Population pyramid of Australia from 1950 to 2020

Age structure

Australian babies: 0 year olds as a fraction of total persons, in Australia, according to the 2011 census results. Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0259 Age years 0 Persons.svg
Australian babies: 0 year olds as a fraction of total persons, in Australia, according to the 2011 census results.
Australian babies: 0-4 year olds as a fraction of total persons, in Australia, according to the 2011 census results Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0274 Age years 0 4 years Persons.svg
Australian babies: 0–4 year olds as a fraction of total persons, in Australia, according to the 2011 census results
0–14 years: 17.75% (male 2,138,080 /female 2,027,583)
15–24 years: 12.62% (male 1,520,528 /female 1,442,461)
25–54 years: 41.35% (male 4,944,587 /female 4,760,752)
55–64 years: 11.84% (male 1,379,681 /female 1,398,177)
65 years and over: 16.44% (male 1,786,595 /female 2,071,701) (2018 est.)
0–14 years: 17.8% (male 2,122,139/female 2,012,670)
15–24 years: 12.79% (male 1,524,368/female 1,446,663)
25–54 years: 41.45% (male 4,903,130/female 4,725,976)
55–64 years: 11.83% (male 1,363,331/female 1,384,036)
65 years and over: 16.14% (male 1,736,951/female 2,013,149) (2017 est.)

Median age

Map of the median age of Australians by Statistical Local Area in the 2011 census Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0109 Median age of persons.svg
Map of the median age of Australians by Statistical Local Area in the 2011 census
total: 38.8 years. Country comparison to the world: 58th
male: 38.1 years
female: 39.7 years (2018 est.)
Total: 36.9 years [97]
Male: 36.6 years
Female: 38.1 years (2009 est.)

Birth rate

12 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 165th
12.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
12.47 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) (Rank 164)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 118th
6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.) (Rank 146)

Total fertility rate

1.77 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 155th

Net migration rate

5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 22nd
5.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) (Rank 21)
6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population. (2009 est.) (Rank 15)

Population growth rate

1.6% (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.7 years (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.4 years (2018 estimate)
male: 79.9 years (2018 estimate)
female: 85 years (2018 estimate)

At the time of Australian Federation in 1901, the rate of natural increase was 14.9 persons per 1,000 population. The rate increased to a peak of 17.4 per thousand population in the years 1912, 1913 and 1914. During the Great Depression, the rate declined to a low of 7.1 per thousand population in 1934 and 1935. Immediately after World War II, the rate increased sharply as a result of the start of the post–World War II baby boom and the immigration of many young people who then had children in Australia. A rate plateau of over 13.0 persons per 1,000 population occurred for every year from 1946 to 1962.

There has been a fall in the rate of natural increase since 1962 due to falling fertility. In 1971, the rate of natural increase was 12.7 persons per 1,000 population; a decade later it had fallen to 8.5. In 1996 the rate of natural increase fell below seven for the first time, with the downward trend continuing in the late 1990s. Population projections by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that continued low fertility, combined with the increase in deaths from an ageing population, will result in natural increase falling below zero sometime in the mid-2030s. However, in 2006 the fertility rate rose to 1.81, one of the highest rates in the OECD.

Since 1901, the crude death rate has fallen from about 12.2 deaths per 1,000 population, to 6.4 deaths per 1,000 population in 2006. [98]

Urbanisation

urban population: 86% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanisation: 1.43% annual rate of change (2015–20 est.)
Urbanisation population: 89% of total population (2008)
Rate of urbanisation: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005–2010)

Sex ratio

Birth: 1.06 males/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 males/female
15–64 years: 1.03 males/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2009)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 51.1
youth dependency ratio: 28.5
elderly dependency ratio: 22.6
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS

Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2017 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 26,000 (2017 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2017 est.) [99]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 23 years
male: 23 years
female: 23 years (2016)

Unemployment rate

total: 4.1%.
male: 4.1%
female: 4.0%
youth unemployment: 9.4% (2024 est.) [100]

Incarceration and punishment

In March 2019, 43,320 adults were imprisoned in Australia – an incarceration rate of 221 prisoners per 100,000 adult population [101] or 169 per 100,000 total population. [102] Additionally, 75,544 people were in community corrections (various non-custodial punishments such as parole, bail, probation and community service). [103]

In June 2018, about 980 minors were imprisoned in Australia on an average night. [104]

Literacy

Definition: aged 15 years and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (2003 est.)

Education expenditure

4.9% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world: 55

Population density

As of June 2022, the population density of Australia was reported as 3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi). [105] This makes Australia the 3rd least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia. [106]

See also

Notes

    1. Lowest range value as it only represents the percentage of Australians who nominated at least one European Ancestry. This is likely an undercount and should incorporate the additional Australians who nominated only Australian as an ancestry.
    2. Due to the option to nominate up to two ancestries, the total amount of those that nominated an Anglo-Celtic Ancestry is lower than the summation of each individual ancestry
    3. Due to the option to nominate up to two ancestries, the total amount of those that nominated a Southern & Eastern European Ancestry is lower than the summation of each individual ancestry
    4. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has stated that most who nominate "Australian" as their ancestry have at least partial Anglo-Celtic ancestry. [3]
    5. Due to the option to nominate up to two ancestries, the total amount of those that nominated an Asian Ancestry is lower than the summation of each individual ancestry
    6. Likely an overcount in terms of Australians of Sub-Saharan descent/ethnicity as this figure includes ancestries such as South African which is predominantly made up of South Africans of European descent
    7. As described on the 2021 ABS Census
    8. June 1 from 1900-2016, since 2017 Dec 31
    9. Those who nominated their ancestry as "Australian Aboriginal". Does not include Torres Strait Islanders. This relates to nomination of ancestry and is distinct from persons who identify as Indigenous (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) which is a separate question.
    10. Indigenous identification is separate to the ancestry question on the Australian Census and persons identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander may identify any ancestry.

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    Sources

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    Further reading