Countries in Australia
According to current estimates, Australia’s population will gradually rise for the remainder of the century. Australia’s population is estimated to be at 25.5 million people in 2020, with a predicted increase to 42.68 million people by 2099.
The population of Australia is growing at a pace of 1.18 percent, adding roughly 296,000 people to the people in 2019. This is due to net migration, which has averaged about 150,000 per year in recent years, and natural growth. The fertility rate in Australia is 1.83 births per woman, which is lower than the replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman.
In terms of population growth, Australia is ranked fifth among OECD nations. Like the other OECD nations with high growth rates, Australia has a significant labor demand that cannot be fulfilled domestically, necessitating mass migration.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| Sydney | 4,627,345 |
| Melbourne | 4,246,375 |
| Brisbane | 2,189,878 |
| Perth | 1,896,548 |
| Adelaide | 1,225,235 |
| Gold Coast | 591,473 |
| Canberra | 367,752 |
| Newcastle | 308,308 |
| Wollongong | 292,190 |
| Logan City | 282,673 |
Australia Area and Population Density
It is also the most populated nation in Oceania, with a population three times that of its neighbor, Papua New Guinea (8.2 million), and five times that of New Zealand (4.5 million). Australia, the world’s sixth-biggest country, with a population density of just 3 persons per square kilometer, or 7 people per square mile. As a result, it is one of the world’s least densely inhabited nations. Mongolia, Western Sahara, and Suriname are the only countries with fewer inhabitants per square kilometer than Australia. Even less densely populated areas of Australia exist. In the Northern Territory, there are just 0.2 persons per square kilometer. As you can see from the density map higher down the page, most of Australia’s population is centered on or around the more favorable coastline regions.
The most recent Australian population census was in 2016 when the population of Australia was certified to be 23,401,892. The Australian Bureau of Statistics also offers the Australian Population Clock, which estimates the current population count based on population indices.
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Australia’s Largest Cities
There are five cities in Australia with populations of over a million people. Continue reading for additional information about the country’s biggest urban regions.
The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are located in Sydney, which also hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics. Sydney is the biggest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia. It is also New South Wales’ capital and biggest city. According to the 2011 census, the city’s population was 4,391,674, up 6.6 percent from 2006. According to 2016 estimates, the population is 4,920,970, accounting for 20% of the country’s total population.
The capital of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia’s second-biggest city and a fierce competitor to Sydney. It is located on the south coast and has a population of 3,999,982 people, according to the 2011 census. It is developing faster than Sydney and is expected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s biggest city over the next 25 years. According to 2016 estimates, the population is 4,529,496, or 19.05 percent of the total population of Australia.
On the day of the 2011 census, Brisbane, Queensland’s capital, had a population of 2,065,996 people. Its population has increased by 11.5 percent in the five years from the 2006 census. In 2016, the population was estimated to be approximately 2,308,720 people, or 9.71 percent of the country’s total population.
Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is the country’s fastest-growing state capital. Its population increased by 14.3 percent in only five years, from 1,512,105 in 2006 to 1,728,867 in 2011. In 2016, the population was predicted to be 2,039,193, up from 2,039,193 in 2015.
Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, has a population of 1,316,779 people. It has the weakest growth rate among Australia’s five major cities, with a growth rate of 5.9% from 2006 to 2011.
In addition to the five cities mentioned above, Canberra, Australia’s capital, is the country’s eighth biggest city, with 424,666 people.
Hobart, Australia’s tenth most populated city, is the only state or national capital not featured. It has an estimated population of 220,593 people.
There are six Australian states, with populations ranging from 0.5 million to 7.6 million.
New South Wales is Australia’s most populous state, with an estimated population of 7,618,200 people in 2016. Sydney is the country’s capital and biggest metropolis.
Victoria is Australia’s second-largest state, named after the English Queen. It had a population of 5,938,100 people in 2016. Melbourne, Australia’s second-biggest city, is home to three-quarters of all Victorians.
Queensland is the third-largest state in Australia. In 2016, it had a population of 4,779,400 people. Brisbane is the capital of Queensland.
The population of Western Australia is expected to be 2,591,600 people. Perth, the state’s capital, is home to 2 million of the state’s 2.5 million people.
South Australia has around 1,698,600 people and is situated in the heart of Australia’s south coast. Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, is home to all but 400,000 of the state’s inhabitants.
Tasmania is Australia’s smallest state, although it has the highest population of all its territories. Its main city, Hobart, has about 220,000 people and is home to around 516,600 people.
Australia has 10 territories in addition to its six states. The three internal territories are the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Jervis Bay Territory, and Northern Territory. Because each of the territories’ legislative assembly may be overturned by the federal government, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory practically operate as states.
The Australian Antarctic Territory, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and Norfolk Island are among the country’s seven outlying territories. These uninhabited territories: are Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Heard Island, and McDonald Islands. The Australian Antarctic Territory has around 60 people, the majority of whom are research station workers.
The Australian Capital Territory is a self-contained territory inside the state of New South Wales. The ACT is home to Australia’s capital city, Canberra, and has 390,800 people.
The Northern Territory has an estimated population of 244,600 people, making it Australia’s least densely inhabited region and one of the world’s least densely populated locations. Darwin, the Territory’s main city, is home to more than half of the Territory’s people.
Australia Population by Year (Historical)
| Year | Population | Growth Rate | Density (km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 26,068,792 | 1.18% | 3.39 | 55 | 227 |
| 2021 | 25,788,215 | 1.23% | 3.36 | 55 | 227 |
| 2020 | 25,499,884 | 1.18% | 3.32 | 55 | 227 |
| 2019 | 25,203,198 | 1.23% | 3.28 | 55 | 227 |
| 2018 | 24,898,152 | 1.27% | 3.24 | 55 | 227 |
| 2017 | 24,584,620 | 1.33% | 3.20 | 53 | 227 |
| 2015 | 23,932,502 | 1.56% | 3.12 | 53 | 227 |
| 2010 | 22,154,679 | 1.89% | 2.88 | 53 | 226 |
| 2005 | 20,178,540 | 1.22% | 2.63 | 52 | 226 |
| 2000 | 18,991,431 | 1.09% | 2.47 | 51 | 226 |
| 1995 | 17,993,074 | 1.19% | 2.34 | 51 | 225 |
| 1990 | 16,960,597 | 1.60% | 2.21 | 49 | 225 |
| 1985 | 15,663,663 | 1.43% | 2.04 | 47 | 224 |
| 1980 | 14,588,405 | 1.16% | 1.90 | 46 | 223 |
| 1975 | 13,773,288 | 1.49% | 1.79 | 42 | 223 |
| 1970 | 12,793,034 | 2.49% | 1.67 | 42 | 223 |
| 1965 | 11,313,195 | 2.01% | 1.47 | 42 | 223 |
| 1960 | 10,242,076 | 2.25% | 1.33 | 39 | 222 |
| 1955 | 9,165,707 | 2.31% | 1.19 | 42 | 222 |
| Year | Population | Growth Rate | Density (km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26,343,068 | 1.14% | 3.43 | 55 | 227 |
| 2024 | 26,612,914 | 1.09% | 3.46 | 55 | 227 |
| 2025 | 26,879,753 | 1.06% | 3.50 | 55 | 227 |
| 2030 | 28,177,481 | 0.95% | 3.67 | 55 | 226 |
| 2035 | 29,410,244 | 0.86% | 3.83 | 57 | 227 |
| 2040 | 30,572,489 | 0.78% | 3.98 | 59 | 227 |
| 2045 | 31,702,142 | 0.73% | 4.13 | 59 | 227 |
| 2050 | 32,814,113 | 0.69% | 4.27 | 63 | 226 |
| 2055 | 33,899,321 | 0.65% | 4.41 | 61 | 225 |
| 2060 | 34,950,168 | 0.61% | 4.55 | 60 | 225 |
| 2065 | 35,966,769 | 0.57% | 4.68 | 59 | 225 |
| 2070 | 36,960,960 | 0.55% | 4.81 | 59 | 225 |
| 2075 | 37,937,457 | 0.52% | 4.94 | 57 | 224 |
| 2080 | 38,899,749 | 0.50% | 5.06 | 58 | 224 |
| 2085 | 39,863,846 | 0.49% | 5.19 | 59 | 224 |
| 2090 | 40,854,876 | 0.49% | 5.32 | 58 | 224 |
| 2095 | 41,870,415 | 0.49% | 5.45 | 56 | 224 |
Australia Demographics
According to the 2011 Australian population census, 25.4 percent of the population claimed Australian ancestry out of 21,507,717. The percentage of people who claimed to be of English origin was 25.9% of the total population. Other percentages were 7.5 percent Irish, 6.4 percent Scottish, and 3.3 percent Italian.
Since World War I, Australia’s population has doubled, owing largely to immigration. Nearly 6 million immigrants arrived in Australia between the end of WWII and 2000, accounting for 2 out of every 7 Australians. Over 30% of Australians were born outside of Australia in the 2011 census, and over 46% had at least one parent born outside of Australia. The United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, India, and Vietnam are Australia’s most popular immigration sources.
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders accounted for about 548,000 people in 2011, or 2.5 percent of the overall population, up from 116,000 in 1976. This rise is partly because many persons with partial indigenous ancestry were previously undercounted.
Like those of other industrialized nations, Australia’s demographics are transitioning toward an older population. Australia’s median age is 37 years.
Religion, Economics, and Politics in Australia
According to the findings of the 2016 census, 30.1 percent of Australians do not have a religious practice or belief, 22.6 percent are Catholic, 13.3 percent are Anglican Christian, 3.7 percent are affiliated with the Uniting Church, 2.6 percent identify as Christian in general, and another 2.6 percent are affiliated with Islam. Buddhists account for 2.4 percent, Presbyterians for 2.3 percent, Eastern Orthodox for 2.1 percent, Hindus for 1.9 percent, Baptists for 1.5 percent, Pentecostals for 1.1 percent, and Lutherans for.7%, Sikhs for.5%, and other Protestants for.5%. 4% follow Judaism,4% follow Jehovah’s Witnesses,.3 percent follow Seventh-Day Adventists,.3 percent follow Latter-Day Saints, and 2% follow Oriental Orthodox Christianity.
Australia has a long history of economic stability, and in 2018, it was the nation with the highest average adult wealth. The service sector accounts for most of the Australian economy, accounting for 61.1 percent of the market and employing 79.2 percent of the population. Despite these achievements, the economy is expanding at its weakest pace in a long time, at about 1.8 percent per year.
History of Australia’s Population
In 1770, Captain James Cook made a map of the land’s eastern coast and tried to claim it for Britain. The region was utilized as a prison colony for more than two decades, and when gold was discovered in New South Wales in 1851, the population swelled. By 1901, Australia had grown to six states, each with its constitution. After this period, the population rate soared to well over 2%, and the nation continued to expand at this pace until the 1970s when it began to settle down to the more manageable rate of growth of today.