Australian Capital Territory, also known as ACT, is the second-smallest population of Australia, following the Northern Territory.
Canberra is the capital of the state. Canberra is home to an estimated 380,000 residents. The ACT covers a surface of only 2,358 sq km, which is less than one percent of the landmass in Australia.
Based on our research, the Australian Capital Territory population will increase to 427,595 at the close of June 2022. At that point, it’ll be the very first time that ACT’s population exceeds 400,000.
The end of June is the date we use every year because the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) always follows the Australian budget when they publish the figures.
This calculation relies upon the annual growth rate of 1.38 percent over the last ten years, starting from 2011. Using the most recent year’s figures (see our table in the next section) will make the calculation more precise.
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Population Growth of Australian Capital Territory
ACT’s increase rate has been reasonably steady in the last ten years and ranges from 0.93 percent to 2.01 percent, adding about 3,600 to 7,400 individuals each year to the total population.
The reason for the increase in population is interstate migration. It’s not that many people are moving to the states; however, the increase in terms of percentage is in line with the Australian population increase.
| Year | Population | Growth Rate |
| 2011 | 367,800 | n/a |
| 2012 | 375,200 | 2.01% |
| 2013 | 381,500 | 1.68% |
| 2014 | 387,100 | 1.47% |
| 2015 | 390,700 | 0.93% |
| 2016 | 395,200 | 1.15% |
| 2017 | 401,737 | 1.65% |
| 2018 | 406,692 | 1.23% |
| 2019 | 412,576 | 1.45% |
| 2020 | 417,002 | 1.07% |
| 2021 | 421,780 | 1.15% |
Demography of Australian Capital Territory
According to census data, about 49.5 percent of the people living within the ACT are males and 50.5 percent are female.
The top five ancestries of those living in the ACT include Australian, English, Irish, Scottish, and German.
The top five languages spoken in the ACT include Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Italian and Spanish.
The top six birth countries for those born who reside in the ACT include Australia, England, China, India, New Zealand, and Vietnam.
The composition of the religious community in Australian Capital Territory is: There is no religion (28.9 percent), Catholic (26.1%), Anglican (14.7%) The affiliation of the religious community is not disclosed (7.6 percent), Uniting Church (3.3 percent), Buddhism (2.6%) Reformed and Presbyterian (2.4 percent), Christian (2.1%), Islam (2.1%) Eastern Orthodox(1.9 percent).
Population Density of Australian Capital Territory
The ACT’s population density has been recorded as 151.49 people per square kilometer, ranking as the second most dense State in Australia.
The ACT population density is nearly seven times that of Victoria due to its lowest population and having the most compact area in Australia.
| Position | State | Population Density |
| 1 | Australian Capital Territory | 151.49 |
| 2 | Victoria | 23.54 |
| 3 | New South Wales | 8.64 |
| 4 | Tasmania | 7.24 |
| 5 | Queensland | 2.50 |
| 6 | South Australia | 1.62 |
| 7 | Western Australia | 0.89 |
| 8 | Northern Territory | 0.16 |
Occupations and Industries
According to ABS, the most popular jobs of those who reside in the Australian Capital Territory are Professionals (29.6 percent), Administrative, Clerical and Clerical workers(19.1 percent), Managers(15.8%), Technicians, and trades workers(10.2 percent) as well as Community and personal service workers(9.3 percent) sales workers(6.8 percent) as well as workers (4.7%)) machinery operators and drivers(2.4 percent) Undetailed occupation and not stated(2.0%)).
The primary industries that residents of the Australian Capital Territory work in are 32.7 Percent Safety and public administration, 9.8% Professional, technical and scientific services, 9.2 percent Health Social and medical care, 8.8% Education and training, 7.6% Retail trade, 6.1% Construction, 5.8 Food and accommodation facilities, 3.2% Other services, 2.4% Administrative and support services.
Facts About Australian Capital Territory
- The ACT is sometimes referred to as” Nation’s Capital“or the Bush Capital.
- The Lodge is the name given to The Lodge, the name of the Australian Premier’s residence, which is the official home of Canberra.
- Billboards advertising advertisements along the roadside are prohibited in the ACT except for the use of bus stops.
- The ACT has the highest percentage of participation in any sport of any territory or state.
- Canberra boasts a larger share of volunteers than any city in other Australian cities.
- The majority of Australians who use bicycles as their principal mode of transport than in any other part of Australia
- ACT average age (34) is less than the rest of the Country (37).
- More than 70 percent of ACT comprises open areas.
References
The following links provide a data sources for this topic:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: www.abs.gov.au
- ACT Government: www.act.gov.au
- National Capital Authority: www.nationalcapital.gov.au
- Canberra History: www.canberrahistory.org.au