Demographics of Australia explained

Place:Australia
Size Of Population:27,231,525 (as of May 2024)
Growth:1.60% (2023 est.)
Birth:12.3 births/1,000 population
Death:6.77 deaths/1,000 population
Net Migration:6.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sr At Birth:1.05 male(s)/female
Total Mf Ratio:0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality:3.01 deaths/1,000 live births
Life:83.09 years
Life Male:80.93 years
Life Female:85.36 years
Fertility:1.63 children
Nation:Australian
Official:None 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 as of .[1] Australia is the 56th[2] 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.[3]

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.[4]

Australia has an average population density of 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.[5] The life expectancy of Australia in 2015–2017 was 83.2 years, among the highest in the world.[6]

Cities

See main article: List of cities in Australia by population and List of cities in Australia. Australia contains five cities (including their suburbs) that consist of over one million people. Most of Australia's population live close to coastlines.[7]

Ancestry

See main article: Australians.

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,[8] most probably from the islands of Indonesia and New Guinea.

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, 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,[9] 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.[10]

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.[11] These ancestry responses are classified into broad standardised ancestry groups.[12] In the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated individual ancestries as a proportion of the total population were:[13]

At the 2021 census, 3.2% of the Australian population identified as being Indigenous — Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.[14] 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.[15]

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,[16] while a media diversity study put it at 72%, the non-European proportion was 21% and 23% respectively, and the Aboriginal Australian population at 3% in both.[17]

Immigration minister Andrew Giles had pledged to incorporate a question on ethnicity into the 2026 Australian census.[18] However in 2024 the ABS decided against collecting data on ethnicity.[19]

Immigration and country of birth

See main article: Immigration to Australia and Foreign-born population of Australia. In 2019, 30% of the Australian resident population, or 7,529,570 people, were born overseas.[20]

Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I,[21] 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.[20] [22] Most immigrants are skilled,[23] but the immigration quota includes categories for family members and refugees.[23]

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)[24]
Place of birthEstimated resident population
Total Australian-born18,473,240
Total foreign-born8,175,640
England961,570
India845,800
China655,760
New Zealand598,090
Philippines361,860
Vietnam298,960
South Africa214,790
Malaysia180,470
Italy158,990
Nepal179,050
Sri Lanka158,290
Scotland124,820
Pakistan120,440
Hong Kong119,680
South Korea115,360
United States114,260
Thailand109,980
Indonesia109,170
Iraq106,830
Germany104,460

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

Date Immigration ('000) Emigration ('000) Net Migration ('000)
Jun-2013 482.09 -251.76 230.33
Sep-2013 484.31 -263.10 221.21
Dec-2013 478.68 -270.31 208.38
Mar-2014 472.63 -270.44 202.19
Jun-2014 464.68 -276.90 187.78
Sep-2014 459.84 -276.11 183.74
Dec-2014 458.76 -276.41 182.35
Mar-2015 460.64 -279.56 181.08
Jun-2015 465.25 -281.22 184.03
Sep-2015 469.39 -285.16 184.23
Dec-2015 473.25 -286.52 186.73
Mar-2016 481.33 -285.35 195.98
Jun-2016 489.28 -283.04 206.23
Sep-2016 507.11 -277.60 229.51
Dec-2016 519.65 -275.82 243.83
Mar-2017 536.66 -277.08 259.59
Jun-2017 540.15 -276.80 263.35
Sep-2017 540.06 -280.64 259.43
Dec-2017 531.37 -289.71 241.66
Mar-2018 527.23 -289.23 238.00
Jun-2018 527.52 -289.30 238.22
Sep-2018 530.94 -288.62 242.32
Dec-2018 534.40 -282.18 252.22
Mar-2019 536.60 -285.93 250.67
Jun-2019 550.40 -309.06 241.34
Sep-2019 566.35 -324.32 242.04
Dec-2019 607.87 -360.25 247.62
Mar-2020 618.36 -379.11 239.25
Jun-2020 506.85 -314.16 192.70
Sep-2020 361.95 -286.34 75.61
Dec-2020 235.35 -240.32 -4.97
Mar-2021 113.00 -207.34 -94.34
Jun-2021 146.00 -230.93 -84.94
Sep-2021 162.49 -218.63 -56.14
Dec-2021 216.11 -209.24 6.87
Mar-2022 336.24 -208.35 127.89
Jun-2022 426.73 -223.14 203.59
Sep-2022 571.41 -229.93 341.48
Dec-2022 646.11 -223.88 422.23
Mar-2023 694.61 -221.53 473.08
Jun-2023 737.17 -219.08 518.09

Religion

At the 2021 Census, 38.9% of the population identified as having "no religion",[13] up from 15.5% in 2001.[25] The largest religion is Christianity (43.9% of the population).[13] 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%).[13]

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

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.[26] [27] Catholics first outnumbered Anglicans in the 1986 census.[28] 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.[29]

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.[30] 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).[31]

Religious affiliation in Australia
Religion 2006 2011 2016 2021
('000) (%) ('000) (%) ('000) (%) ('000) (%)
Christian 12,685 63.9 13,149.3 61.1 12,201.6 52.1 11,148.8 43.9
No religion 3,706.8 18.7 4,804.6 22.3 7,040.7 30.1 9,887.0 38.9
Islam 340.4 1.7 476.3 2.2 604.2 2.6 813.4 3.2
Buddhism 418.8 2.1 529.0 2.5 563.7 2.4 615.8 2.4
Hinduism - - 275.5 1.3 440.3 1.9 684.0 2.7
Sikhism - - 72.3 0.3 125.9 0.5 210.4 0.8
Other 133.8 0.5 193.2 0.9 186.7 0.8 215.0 0.8
Not stated 224.0 11.2 235.8 1.1 237.8 1.0 237.4 1.0
Total population ('000) 21,507.7 - 21,507.7 - 23,401.9 - 25,422.8 -

Language

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.[32] Australian English is a major variety of the language, with a distinctive accent and lexicon,[33] and differs slightly from other varieties of English in grammar and spelling.[34] 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%), Cantonese (1.2%), and Punjabi (0.9%).[14] 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.[35] About 110 others are spoken exclusively by older people.[36] 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.[37]

Australia has its own sign language, Auslan. It is the main language of about 5,500 deaf people.[38]

Indigenous population

See main article: Indigenous Australians. 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.[39]

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,[40] [41] divided into many tribes speaking many different languages. In the, 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.

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.[42]

States and territories

See also: States and territories of Australia.

State/territoryPopulation
(June 2023 estimate)[43] 		Land areaPopulation density% of total national

population

% of
population
living in capital		Notes
km²mi²per km²per mi²
8,339,300 800642km2 8.640NaN0 32%63%
6,812,500 227416km2 23.540NaN026%71%
5,459,400 1730648km2 2.50NaN0 20%46%
2,878,600 2239170km2 0.890NaN0 10%73.4%
1,851,700 983482km2 1.620NaN0 7%73.5%
572,800 68401km2 7.240NaN0 2%41%
466,800 2358km2 151.490NaN0 2%100%
252,500 1349129km2 0.161NaN1 1%54%

Historical population

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.[44] Where available, actual population figures from census years are included.

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.

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

Total fertility rate in Australia! rowspan=2 !! 1850!!1851!!1852!!1853!!1854!!1855!!1856!!1857!!1858!!1859
4.945.01 4.075.034.865.325.195.635.715.75
rowspan=2 1860186118621863186418651866186718681869
5.715.675.85.595.755.645.335.415.435.19
rowspan=2 1870187118721873187418751876187718781879
5.195.094.975.014.934.814.814.694.744.8
rowspan=2 1880188118821883188418851886188718881889
4.734.734.624.664.774.784.744.774.764.65
rowspan=2 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.[45]

Crude birth rate in Australia
rowspan=2 1860186118621863186418651866186718681869
42.642.3 43.341.742.942.139.840.440.538.7
rowspan=2 1870187118721873187418751876187718781879
38.738.037.1 37.436.835.935.935.035.435.8
rowspan=2 1880188118821883188418851886188718881889
35.335.334.5 34.835.635.735.435.635.534.7
rowspan=2 1890189118921893189418951896189718981899
35.0 34.533.7 32.830.830.428.428.227.227.3

Historical distribution of the total population by age

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.[46] [47] [48] [49]

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 years12.014.817.018.020.920.419.9 20.019.219.323.125.025.1
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.[47] [48] [50] [51]

Years 19011911192119511961197119811991200120152017
Median age of the total population 22.524.025.830.329.327.729.632.435.737.438.7
Median age of males 23.624.626.129.928.727.029.031.734.937.9
Median age of females 21.523.4 25.530.830.228.330.233.036.439.5

Vital statistics since 1900

Source:[52]

Average population (June 1, form 2017 Dec 31)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 ratesNet overseas migration[53] [54]
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[55] 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[56] 24,385,600311,800157,400154,40012.96.56.410.21.79243,800
201724,770,700308,500160,300148,20012.76.66.19.71.74241,700
201825,180,200314,900158,500156,40012.76.46.310.21.75248,400
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 style="text-align:right; color:red"-3,600
202226,268,359300,684190,745109,80011.67.34.315.21.63387,000
202326,966,789287,100183,100104,00010.86.93.921.1547,300

Current vital statistics

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural increase
January - September 2022228,759146,865+81,894
January - September 2023220,727138,876+81,851
Difference -8,032 (-3.51%) -7,989 (-5.44%) -43

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/sep-2022/310101.xlsx

In 2012, the total fertility rate of Australian-born women was 1.94, while for overseas-born women, it was 1.81,[57] while in 2013, it was 1.91 and 1.79 respectively.[58] In 2017, TFR was 1.68 for overseas women (overseas father 1.73) and 1.78 for native women (native father 1.69).

Structure of the population

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total11 546 63811 855 248 23 401 892 100
0–4752 142712 6381 464 7796.26
5–9771 055 731 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 188 999 5.08
70-74431 325456 390887 7163.79
75-79307 441345 217652 6572.79
80-84204 026 256 529460 5491.97
85-89123 502185 463308 960 1.32
90-9446 82893 570140 3980.60
95-999 24424 67233 9200.14
100+7772 7883 5690.02
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
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

Life expectancy at birth from 1921 to 2015

Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.

1921–1949! rowspan=2 !!1921!1922!1923!1924!1925!1926!1927!1928!1929
61.062.961.762.563.262.962.862.963.1
1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
64.965.365.665.464.865.165.265.865.865.8
1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
66.266.165.966.468.068.568.068.668.569.1
Source: Our World in Data[59]
1950–2015!Period!Life expectancy in
Years!Period!Life 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[60]

Other general demographic statistics

As of the year to 30 June 2023, the population growth rate was 2.4%.[61] This rate was based on estimates of (June 2023):

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

Population

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

(as of)

23,470,145 (July 2018 est.)

23,232,413 (July 2017 est.)

21,262,641 (July 2009 – CIA World Factbook)

Age structure

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

total: 38.8 years. Country comparison to the world: 58th

male: 38.1 years

female: 39.7 years (2018 est.)

Total: 36.9 years[62]

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

See also: List of Australian states by life expectancy.

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.[63]

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

See main article: HIV/AIDS in Australia.

Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2017 est.)

People living with HIV/AIDS: 26,000 (2017 est.)

Deaths: fewer than 200 (2017 est.)[64]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 23 years

male: 23 years

female: 23 years (2016)

Unemployment, youth ages 15–24

total: 12.6%. Country comparison to the world: 105th

male: 13.7%

female: 11.5% (2017 est.)

Incarceration and punishment

See main article: Punishment in Australia.

In March 2019, 43,320 adults were imprisoned in Australia – an incarceration rate of 221 prisoners per 100,000 adult population[65] or 169 per 100,000 total population.[66] Additionally, 75,544 people were in community corrections (various non-custodial punishments such as parole, bail, probation and community service).[67]

In June 2018, about 980 minors were imprisoned in Australia on an average night.[68]

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

, the population density of Australia was reported as 3.4/km2.[69] This makes Australia the 3rd least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia.[70]

References

Sources

General references

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population clock and pyramid. Australian Bureau of Statistics website. Commonwealth of Australia. 5 March 2024. The population estimate shown is automatically calculated daily at 00:00 UTC and is based on data obtained from the population clock on the date shown in the citation.
  2. Web site: Population Figures for all Countries of the World (latest) - Nations Online Project.
  3. News: Australia's population forecast to hit 30 million by 2029. 16 March 2023. The Guardian. 22 November 2018.
  4. Web site: Phillips . Janet . Simon-Davies . Joanne . Migration—Australian migration flows and population . Australian Parliamentary Library . 21 April 2019 . en-AU.
  5. Web site: Data – Australia. The World Bank. The World Bank Group. 24 April 2013. 2013.
  6. Web site: 3302.0.55.001 – Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2015–2017 . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 21 April 2019.
  7. Web site: The Beach . https://web.archive.org/web/20100226144234/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/beach/ . 26 February 2010 . Australian Government: Culture Portal . Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Commonwealth of Australia . 17 March 2008 .
  8. Weule . Genelle . Felicity James . Indigenous rock shelter in Top End pushes Australia's human history back to 65,000 years . Nature . 547 . 7663 . 306–310 . 10.1038/nature22968 . 28726833 . Abc.net.au . 20 July 2017 . 27 September 2017. 2440/107043 . 205257212 . free .
  9. Web site: The Evolution of Australia's Multicultural Policy. 18 September 2007. 2005. Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. https://web.archive.org/web/20060219130703/http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/06evolution.htm. 19 February 2006.
  10. Web site: 2018-19 Migration Program Report. Department of Home Affairs. 30 June 2019.
  11. Web site: Understanding and using Ancestry data | Australian Bureau of Statistics . 28 June 2022 .
  12. Web site: Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG), 2019 | Australian Bureau of Statistics . 18 December 2019 .
  13. Web site: 2021 Census Community Profiles: Australia.
  14. Web site: 2021 Australia, Census All persons QuickStats . Australian Bureau of Statistics .
  15. Web site: Births, Australia . 12 August 2021 . 3 January 2022.
  16. Web site: April 2018 . Leading for Change A blueprint for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership revisited . 2023-06-26 . humanrights.gov.au.
  17. Web site: Groutsis . Dimitria . Martin . Lee . Lattouf . Antoinette . Soutphommasane . TIm . Lumby . Catharine . Young . Nareen . Crawford . Joanne . Robertson . Adam . 2022 . Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? . 2023-06-26 . mediadiversityaustralia.org.
  18. News: 'If you're not counted, you don't know that you exist': Federal government to collect data on Australians' ethnicity . ABC News . 16 June 2022 .
  19. News: The ABS has changed its mind about ethnicity in the next census. Here's what the experts say . ABC News . 24 April 2024 .
  20. Web site: Table 5.1 Estimated resident population, by country of birth(a), Australia, as at 30 June, 1996 to 2019(b)(c). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4 May 2020.
  21. Web site: 3105.0.65.001—Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2006 . 18 September 2007 . 23 May 2006 . . . Australian population: (1919) 5,080,912; (2006) 20,209,993 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070908212308/http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs%40.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012006?OpenDocument . 8 September 2007 . live . dmy.
  22. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, (2015). 'International Migration' in International migrant stock 2015. Accessed from International migrant stock 2015: maps on 24 May 2017
  23. Web site: Fact Sheet 20 – Migration Program Planning Levels . 17 June 2010 . 11 August 2009 . Department of Immigration and Citizenship . https://web.archive.org/web/20100507054151/http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/20planning.htm . 7 May 2010 . dead . dmy-all .
  24. Web site: Table 5.1 Estimated resident population, by country of birth(a), Australia, as at 30 June, 1996 to 2023(b)(c). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 3 November 2023.
  25. Web site: 2001 Australia, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics .
  26. Book: Pettersson. Thorleif. Esmer. Yilmaz R.. Changing Values, Persisting Cultures: Case Studies in Value Change. 2008. Brill. 21. 978-9004162341.
  27. Book: Australian Political Facts. 1990. Longman Chesire. 122. 9780582712584.
  28. Australian Bureau of Statistics, "Special Feature: Trends in religious affiliation", 4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 1994
  29. Web site: Religion in Australia, 2016. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 28 June 2017. 31 January 2018.
  30. Web site: NCLS releases latest estimates of church attendance. NCLS Research. 24 April 2013. Media release. 28 February 2012.
  31. Web site: Schools, 2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics . 15 February 2023 .
  32. Web site: Pluralist Nations: Pluralist Language Policies? . 1995 Global Cultural Diversity Conference Proceedings, Sydney . . 11 January 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081220020910/http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/multicultural/confer/04/speech18b.htm . 20 December 2008 . dead . dmy. English has no de jure status, but is so entrenched as the common language that it is de facto the official language as well as the national language..
  33. Web site: The Vocabulary Of Australian English . Moore . Bruce . National Museum of Australia . 5 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110320004658/http://www.nma.gov.au/libraries/attachments/exhibitions/vocabulary_of_australian_english/files/5471/Vocabulary%20of%20Australian%20English.pdf . 20 March 2011 . dmy.
  34. "The Macquarie Dictionary", Fourth Edition. The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd, 2005.
  35. Web site: A mission to save indigenous languages. https://web.archive.org/web/20131224075354/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2011/08/a-mission-to-save-indigenous-languages/. 24 December 2013. 19 August 2011 . Australian Geographic. 18 March 2016.
  36. Web site: National Indigenous Languages Survey Report 2005 . Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts . 5 September 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090709141342/http://www.arts.gov.au/indigenous/national_indigenous_languages_survey_report_2005 . 9 July 2009 . dead . dmy .
  37. Web site: 4713.0 – Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006 . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 4 May 2010 . Canberra . 7 December 2010.
  38. Web site: 20680-Language Spoken at Home (full classification list) by Sex – Australia . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 27 June 2007 . 2006 Census Tables : Australia . Canberra . Australian Bureau of Statistics . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090703074714/http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?action=404&documentproductno=0&documenttype=Details&order=1&tabname=Details&areacode=0&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&javascript=true&textversion=false&navmapdisplayed=true&breadcrumb=POTLD&&collection=Census&period=2006&productlabel=Language%20Spoken%20at%20Home%20(full%20classification%20list)%20by%20Sex&producttype=Census%20Tables&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&topic=Language&. 3 July 2009. 7 December 2010.
  39. Web site: When did Australia's earliest inhabitants arrive?. University of Wollongong. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090621020107/http://media.uow.edu.au/news/2004/0917a/index.html. 21 June 2009. 17 September 2004. 3 January 2009.
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  46. Web site: 3105.0.65.001 - Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2008 - 4. Population Age-Sex Structure - 4.1 Population, age and sex, Australia 30 June, 1901 onwards. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 5 August 2008. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  47. Web site: Population Characteristics: 20th century: beginning and end. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 6 April 2006. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  48. Web site: 3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Jun 2015. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 15 February 2016. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  49. Web site: Australia. Five year age groups. .idcommunity.
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  52. Web site: Developed countries database. ined.fr. 10 July 2012.
  53. Web site: Historical Migration Statistics. https://web.archive.org/web/20140809114035/https://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/historical-migration-stats.htm. 9 August 2014. 25 July 2014. 27 July 2014.
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  55. https://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/8DFF9A3223E8C7DCCA2576EF0012911F/$File/31010_12_1980.pdf www.abs.gov.au; Australian Demographic Statistics Quarterly, Dec 1980; visited September 17 2023
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  58. Web site: 3301.0 Births, Australia, 2013 . Australian Bureau of Statistics. XL file. 19 December 2014 . 23 October 2014.
  59. Web site: Life expectancy. Our World in Data. 28 August 2018.
  60. Web site: World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations. 2019. United Nations, Population Division. 10 July 2019.
  61. Web site: Australia's population grows by 2.4 per cent. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 14 December 2023 . 5 March 2024 .
  62. Web site: 3201.0 – Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, Jun 2010 . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 21 December 2010 . 5 June 2016.
  63. Web site: Population Size and Growth. 1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2008. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 7 February 2008. 3 January 2009.
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  66. Web site: Highest to Lowest – Prison Incarceration Rate. World Prison Brief. 8 July 2019.
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