View source for Demographics of Australia

{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox place demographics
|place              = [[Australia]]
|image              = File:Australia populatoion pyramid 2026.png
|image_size         = 350
|caption            = [[Population pyramid]] of Australia in 2026
|size_of_population = 28,469,100 (as of 25 May 2026)
|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
<!-- nationality -->
|nation             = [[Australians|Australian]]
|major_ethnic       = {{unbulleted list
|{{Tree list}}
* [[European Australians|European]] (54.65%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group="N"|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.}}
** [[Anglo-Celtic Australians|Anglo-Celtic]] (51.63%){{refn|group="N"|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}}
*** [[English Australians|English]] (32.99%)
*** [[Irish Australians|Irish]] (9.48%)
*** [[Scottish Australians|Scottish]] (8.56%)
*** [[Welsh Australians|Welsh]] (0.60%)
** [[German Australians|German]] (4.04%)
** [[Dutch Australians|Dutch]] (1.50%)
** South & East European (10.52%){{refn|group="N"|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}}
*** [[Italian Australians|Italian]] (4.36%)
*** [[Greek Australians|Greek]] (1.67%)
*** [[Polish Australians|Polish]] (0.82%)
*** [[Maltese Australians|Maltese]] (0.78%)
*** [[Croatian Australians|Croatian]] (0.65%)
*** Others (3.27%)
* Australian ancestry (14.82%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group="N"|The Australian Bureau of Statistics has stated that most who nominate "Australian" as their ancestry have at least partial [[Anglo-Celtic Australian|Anglo-Celtic]] ancestry.<ref name="Commonwealth of Australia">{{cite news|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/49f609c83cf34d69ca2569de0025c182!OpenDocument|title=Feature Article – Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Australia (Feature Article) |publisher=[[Commonwealth of Australia]] |agency=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |work=1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 1995}}</ref>}}
{{tree list/end}}
}}
|minor_ethnic       = {{unbulleted list
|{{Tree list}}
* [[Asian Australians|Asian]] (without the [[Middle East]]) (17.02%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group="N"|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}}
** [[Chinese Australians|Chinese]] (5.47%)
** [[Indian Australians|Indian]] (3.08%)
** [[Filipino Australians|Filipino]] (1.61%)
** [[Vietnamese Australians|Vietnamese]] (1.32%)
** [[Nepalese Australians|Nepalese]] (0.54%)
** [[Korean Australians|Korean]] (0.54%)
** [[Australian Baloch|Baloch]] (0.1%)<ref>{{cite web|title=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/cultural-diversity-census/2021/Cultural%20diversity%20data%20summary.xlsx|access-date=December 19, 2024}}</ref>
** Others (4.86%)
* [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous]] (3.08%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group="N"|Due to the option to nominate up to two ancestries, the total amount of those that nominated an Indigenous Australian Ancestry is lower than the summation of each individual ancestry}}
** [[Aboriginal Australians]] (2.92%)
** [[Torres Strait Islanders]] (0.26%)
** Others (0.69%)
* [[North African and Middle Eastern Australians|Middle Eastern and North African]] (2.97%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group="N"|Due to the option to nominate up to two ancestries, the total amount of those that nominated a Middle Eastern or North African Ancestry is lower than the summation of each individual ancestry}}
** [[Lebanese Australians|Lebanese]] (0.98%)
** [[Turkish Australians|Turkish]] (0.34%)
** [[Iranian Australians|Iranian]] (0.32%)
** [[Egyptian Australians|Egyptian]] (0.24%)
** [[Iraqi Australians|Iraqi]] (0.23%)
** Others (1.84%)
* Pacific Islander (1.61%){{refn|group="N"|Due to the option to nominate up to two ancestries, the total amount of those that nominated a Pacific Islander Ancestry is lower than the summation of each individual ancestry}}
** [[Māori Australians|Māori]] (0.67%)
** [[Samoan Australians|Samoan]] (0.39%)
** [[Fijian Australians|Fijian]] (0.19%)
** [[Tongan Australians|Tongan]] (0.17%)
** Others (0.33%)
* [[African Australians|Sub-Saharan African]] (1.57%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group="N"|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}}
** [[South African Australians|South African]] (0.57%)
** ''African'' (0.22%){{refn|group="N"|As described on the 2021 ABS Census}}
** [[Mauritian Australians|Mauritian]] (0.14%)
** Others (0.82%)
* [[Americas|The Americas]] (1.16%)
** [[American Australians|American]] (0.29%)
** [[Canadian Australians|Canadian]] (0.17%)
** [[Brazilian Australians|Brazilian]] (0.14%)
** [[Colombian Australians|Colombian]] (0.13%)
** Others (0.43%)
* [[New Zealand Australians|New Zealander]] (0.80%)
* [[Australian Jews|Jewish]] (0.44%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Afrikaners|Afrikaner]] (0.02%)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | title=2021 Australia | access-date=28 June 2024 | archive-date=21 June 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621011457/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/ancestry#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20the%20ancestry%20responses,2%2C410%2C840%20people%20or%209.5%25) | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Other ancestries (1.42%)
{{Tree list/end}}
}}
<!-- language -->
|official           = [[English language|English]] <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Department of Home Affairs |date=1 June 2023 |title=English—Our National Language |url=https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/social-cohesion/english-our-national-language# |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260308160636/https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/social-cohesion/english-our-national-language |archive-date=8 March 2026 |access-date=21 April 2026 |website=Australian Government Department of Home Affairs}}</ref>
|spoken             = [[English language|English]] (72.00%) <br>[[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] (2.70%) <br> [[Arabic]] (1.44%) <br> [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] (1.26%) <br>Others (16.87%)
}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2022
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

The population of [[Australia]] is estimated to be {{data Australia|poptoday|formatnum}} as of {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}.<ref name="popclock">{{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/population-clock-pyramid|title=Population clock and pyramid|work=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] website|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=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.</ref> It is the 54th<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/population-by-country.htm|title=Population Figures for all Countries of the World (latest) - Nations Online Project}}</ref> most populous country in the world and the most populous [[Oceania]]n 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Australia's population forecast to hit 30 million by 2029|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/22/australias-population-forecast-to-hit-30-million-by-2029|access-date=16 March 2023|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 November 2018}}</ref>

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 [[Immigration to Australia|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.<ref name="aphmigr">{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Janet |last2=Simon-Davies |first2=Joanne |title=Migration—Australian migration flows and population |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/MigrationFlows |publisher=Australian Parliamentary Library |access-date=21 April 2019 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

Australia has an average [[population density]] of {{#expr:{{Data Australia|poptoday}} / 7682300 round 1}} persons per square kilometre of total land area, which makes it one of the [[List of countries by population density|most sparsely populated countries in the world]]. This is generally attributed to the [[semi-arid]] and [[Desert climate|desert]] [[Geography of Australia|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 [[Urbanization by country|most urbanised]] countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Data – Australia|url=http://data.worldbank.org/country/australia|work=The World Bank|publisher=The World Bank Group|access-date=24 April 2013|year=2013}}</ref> The [[life expectancy]] of Australia in 2015–2017 was 83.2 years, [[List of countries by life expectancy|among the highest in the world]].<ref name="lifeexp-abs">{{cite web |title=3302.0.55.001 – Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2015–2017 |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3302.0.55.001Main%20Features22015-2017?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=3302.0.55.001&issue=2015-2017&num=&view= |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref>

==Population==
[[File:ABS-3101.0-AustralianDemographicStatistics-EstimatedResidentPopulationStatesTerritories-EstimatedResidentPopulation-Persons-Australia-A2060842F.svg|thumb|left|Estimated resident population of Australia since 1981|349x349px]]
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.<ref name = "ABS 2002 Yr Bk">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/94713ad45ff1425ca25682000192af2/bfc28642d31c215cca256b350010b3f4!OpenDocument|work=1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2002|title=Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population|date=20 August 2007|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=21 October 2009}}</ref> Where available, actual population figures from census years are included.

=== Population growth rates ===
Australia is continuing to grow, with the annual growth rate being 423,400 people or 1.6% in March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> The quarterly growth rate in 2025 was 0.5% or 144,238 people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> As of 31 March 2025, all Australian states and territories reported positive population growth. Tasmania had the slowest population growth rate of 0.2% as of March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Western Australia had the fastest population growth rate of 2.3% as of March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> As of 31 March 2025, Australia had a positive natural increase of 107,400 people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> This is an increase of 2,000 people or 1.9% since 31 March 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Natural increase is the number of births minus the number of deaths in an area. The state of Victoria had the highest natural increase of 33,730 people in the year ending on 31 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Tasmania had the lowest natural increase of 179 people in the year ending on 31 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> 
{{box|border color=#bdc0c4|header=Historic population (estimated)|{{div flex row}}
{{Historical populations
|title = Pre-1788
|type = Australia
|align = left
|width = 14em
|cols = 1
|subbox = y
|source =<ref>{{cite book|last=Briscoe|first=Gordon|title=The Aboriginal Population Revisited: 70,000 years to the present|year=2002|publisher=Aboriginal History Inc.|location=Canberra, Australia|isbn=978-0-9585637-6-5|author2=Smith, Len|page=12}}</ref>
| pop_name=Indigenous population
| pre 1788| 300,000 to 1,000,000
}}

{{Historical populations
|title = [[Settlement of Australia|Settlement]]{{spaced endash}} [[Federation of Australia|Federation]]
|type = Australia
|width = 14em
|align = right
|cols  = 1
|subbox = y
|source =<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012014?OpenDocument|title=TABLE 1.1. Population by sex, states and territories, 31 December 1788 onwards|date=23 May 2014|access-date=8 July 2019}}</ref>
| percentages=pagr
| pop_name=Non-indigenous population
| 1788 | 859
| 1798 | 4,588
| 1808 | 10,263
| 1818 | 25,859
| 1828 | 58,197
| 1838 | 151,868
| 1848 | 332,328
| 1858 | 1,050,828
| 1868 | 1,539,552
| 1878 | 2,092,164
| 1888 | 2,981,677
| 1898 | 3,664,715
}}
{{Historical populations
|title = [[Settlement of Australia|Settlement]]{{spaced endash}} Post-Federation
|type = Australia
|align = right
|width = 14em
|cols  = 1
|subbox = y
|source =<ref name="ABSPostFederation">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012014?OpenDocument|title=TABLE 1.2. Population by sex, states and territories, 30 June 1901 onwards|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=23 May 2014|access-date=8 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2001 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=24 January 2016|quick=on}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2006 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=24 January 2016|quick=on}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2011 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=24 January 2016|quick=on}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=13 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|pop_name = Non-indigenous population
| footnote = Note: Estimated populations prior to 1961 do not include the Indigenous population.
| 1901 | 3,788,123
| 1906 | 4,059,083
| 1911 | 4,489,545
| 1916 | 4,943,173
| 1921 | 5,455,136
| 1926 | 6,056,360
| 1931 | 6,526,485
| 1936 | 6,778,372
| 1941 | 7,109,898
| 1946 | 7,465,157
| 1951 | 8,421,775
| 1956 | 9,425,563
}}

{{Historical populations
|title = Post-Federation
|type = Australia
|align = right
|width = 14em
|cols  = 1
|subbox = y
|source =<ref name="ABSPostFederation">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012014?OpenDocument|title=TABLE 1.2. Population by sex, states and territories, 30 June 1901 onwards|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=23 May 2014|access-date=8 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2001 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=24 January 2016|quick=on}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2006 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=24 January 2016|quick=on}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2011 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=24 January 2016|quick=on}}</ref><ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=0|name=Australia|access-date=13 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
| 1961 | 10,548,267
| 1966 | 11,599,498
| 1971 | 13,067,265
| 1976 | 14,033,083
| 1981 | 14,923,260
| 1986 | 16,018,350
| 1991 | 17,284,036
| 1996 | 18,224,767
| 2001 | 18,769,249
| 2006 | 19,855,288
| 2011 | 21,507,717
| 2016 | {{formatnum:23401892}}
| 2021 | 25,417,978
}}
{{Div flex row end}}}}

===Population by age===
[[File:Population pyramid of Australia from 1950 to 2020.gif|thumb|462x462px|Population pyramid of Australia from 1950 to 2020]]
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012008|author=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=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|date=5 August 2008|author-link=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref><ref name="abs.gov.au2">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/db7193812e1efc92ca2570ec000e215a!OpenDocument|author=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=Population Characteristics: 20th century: beginning and end|date=6 April 2006|author-link=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref><ref name="abs.gov.au3">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/3101.0Media%20Release3Jun%202015|author=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Jun 2015|date=15 February 2016|author-link=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://profile.id.com.au/australia/five-year-age-groups|author=.idcommunity|title=Australia. Five year age groups|access-date=4 May 2019|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112000833/https://profile.id.com.au/australia/five-year-age-groups|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable nowrap" style="text-align:right"
|- style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" |Ages
! scope="col" |1901
! scope="col" |1911
! scope="col" |1921
! scope="col" |1931
! scope="col" |1941
! scope="col" |1951
! scope="col" |1961
! scope="col" |1971
! scope="col" |1981
! scope="col" |1991
! scope="col" |2001
! scope="col" |2007
! scope="col" |2016
|-
! scope="row" |0–14 {{wbr}}years
|35.1
|31.6
|31.8
|28.5
|24.2
|27.2
|30.3
|28.7
|25.0
|21.9
|20.5
|19.4
|18.6
|-
! scope="row" |15–24 {{wbr}}years
|19.4
|20.1
|16.9
|18.1
|17.5
|14.1
|14.3
|17.4
|17.4
|16.0
|13.7
|14.0
|12.8
|-
! scope="row" |25–44 {{wbr}}years
|29.4
|28.8
|30.0
|29.3
|30.0
|29.4
|27.7
|27.4
|28.4
|28.6
|30.0
|29.2
|27.9
|-
! scope="row" |45–64 {{wbr}}years
|12.0
|14.8
|17.0
|18.0
|20.9
|20.4
|19.9
|20.0
|19.2
|19.3
|23.1
|25.0
|25.1
|-
! scope="row" |65 years {{wbr}}and over
|4.0
|4.3
|4.5
|6.1
|7.4
|8.1
|8.5
|8.3
|9.8
|11.3
|12.6
|13.2
|15.8
|-
! scope="row" |Total (%)
|100
|99.6
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|100
|}

===Median age===
[[File:Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0109 Median age of persons.svg|thumb|right|300px|Map of the median age of Australians by Statistical Local Area in the 2011 census]]
[[Median age]] of the Australia population through history. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.<ref name="abs.gov.au2"/><ref name="abs.gov.au3"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/e2f62e625b7855bfca2570ec0073cdf6!OpenDocument|title=4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 1996|author=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=15 March 2006|author-link=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012008|title=3105.0.65.001 - Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2008. 4. Population Age-Sex Structure - 4.18. Median age by sex, states and territories, 30 June, 1971 onwards |author=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=5 August 2008|author-link=Australian Bureau of Statistics }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable " style="text-align:right"
|-
! Years !! 1901!!1911!!1921!!1951!!1961!!1971!!1981!!1991!!2001!!2015!!2017
|-
| align="left"|Median age of the total population || 22.5||24.0||25.8||30.3||29.3||27.7||29.6||32.4||35.7||37.4||38.7
|-
| align="left"|Median age of males || 23.6|| 24.6||26.1||29.9||28.7||27.0||29.0||31.7||34.9||||37.9
|-
| align="left"|Median age of females || 21.5||23.4 ||25.5||30.8||30.2||28.3||30.2||33.0||36.4||||39.5
|}

===Structure of the population===
[[File:Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0259 Age years 0 Persons.svg|thumb|left|300px|Australian babies: 0 year olds as a fraction of total persons, in Australia, according to the 2011 census results.]]
[[File:Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0274 Age years 0 4 years Persons.svg|thumb|right|300px|Australian babies: 0–4 year olds as a fraction of total persons, in Australia, according to the 2011 census results]]
{{Hidden begin
|title= Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 09.VIII.2016) (These data sets 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.):<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=unstats.un.org}}</ref>
|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age Group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 11 546 638
| align="right" | 11 855 248
| align="right" | 23 401 892
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 752 142
| align="right" | 712 638
| align="right" | 1 464 779
| align="right" | 6.26
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 771 055
| align="right" | 731 592
| align="right" | 1 502 646
| align="right" | 6.42
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 717 629
| align="right" | 679 553
| align="right" | 1 397 183
| align="right" | 5.97
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 727 677
| align="right" | 693 915
| align="right" | 1 421 595
| align="right" | 6.07
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 795 423
| align="right" | 771 369
| align="right" | 1 566 793
| align="right" | 6.70
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 824 084
| align="right" | 840 525
| align="right" | 1 664 602
| align="right" | 7.11
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 839 821
| align="right" | 864 026
| align="right" | 1 703 847
| align="right" | 7.28
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 773 132
| align="right" | 788 548
| align="right" | 1 561 679
| align="right" | 6.67
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 777 702
| align="right" | 805 551
| align="right" | 1 583 257
| align="right" | 6.77
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 773 170
| align="right" | 808 282
| align="right" | 1 581 455
| align="right" | 6.76
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 748 954
| align="right" | 774 601
| align="right" | 1 523 551
| align="right" | 6.51
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 709 115
| align="right" | 745 214
| align="right" | 1 454 332
| align="right" | 6.21
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 632 357
| align="right" | 667 048
| align="right" | 1 299 397
| align="right" | 5.55
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 581 230
| align="right" | 607 766
| align="right" | 1 188 999
| align="right" | 5.08
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 431 325
| align="right" | 456 390
| align="right" | 887 716
| align="right" | 3.79
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 307 441
| align="right" | 345 217
| align="right" | 652 657
| align="right" | 2.79
|-
| align="right" | 80-84
| align="right" | 204 026
| align="right" | 256 529
| align="right" | 460 549
| align="right" | 1.97
|-
| align="right" | 85-89
| align="right" | 123 502
| align="right" | 185 463
| align="right" | 308 960
| align="right" | 1.32
|-
| align="right" | 90-94
| align="right" | 46 828
| align="right" | 93 570
| align="right" | 140 398
| align="right" | 0.60
|-
| align="right" | 95-99
| align="right" | 9 244
| align="right" | 24 672
| align="right" | 33 920
| align="right" | 0.14
|-
| align="right" | 100+
| align="right" | 777
| align="right" | 2 788
| align="right" | 3 569
| align="right" | 0.02
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 2 240 826
| align="right" | 2 123 783
| align="right" | 4 364 609
| align="right" | 18.65
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 7 601 439
| align="right" | 7 759 070
| align="right" | 15 360 509
| align="right" | 65.64
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 1 704 373
| align="right" | 1 972 395
| align="right" | 3 676 768
| align="right" | 15.71
|-
|}
{{Hidden end}}

===Population density===
[[File:50% of Australia's population (2024).svg|thumb|right|300px|>50% of Australia's population lives in the red [[Local government in Australia|LGAs]]]]
{{As of|2022|6}}, the population density of Australia was reported as {{convert|3.4|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="rpg-abs">{{cite web |title=3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2021-22 financial year |date=31 August 2023 |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release |access-date=22 February 2024 |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref> This makes Australia the 3rd least densely populated country in the world, after [[Namibia]] and [[Mongolia]].<ref name="wb-popdens">{{cite web |title=Population density (people per sq. km of land area) |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST?year_high_desc=false |website=World Bank Open Data |publisher=The World Bank |access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref>

===Population by states and territories===
{{See also|States and territories of Australia}}

=== Migration===
The major contributor to the positive population growth in Australia was the positive net overseas migration.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Net overseas migration is the number of overseas arrivals minus the number of overseas departures. New South Wales had the highest net overseas migration of 96,761 people for the year ending on 31 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Tasmania had the lowest net overseas migration of 3,182 people for the year ending on 31 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref>

Another aspect of population change within Australian states and territories is the net interstate migration.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Net interstate migration is the interstate arrivals minus the interstate departures, so this only affects population changes between states and territories in Australia. Queensland had the greatest net interstate migration of 24,015 people as of 31 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> New South Wales had the lowest net interstate migration of -26,560 people as of 31 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-18 |title=National, state and territory population, March 2025 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> New South Wales recorded a negative net interstate migration, meaning more people left than entered.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | State/territory
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Population<br />(June 2023 estimate)<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release | title = National, state and territory population, June 2023 |website= Australian Bureau of Statistics| date = December 14, 2023 }}</ref>
! scope="col" colspan=2 | Land area
! scope="col" colspan=2 | Population density
! rowspan="2" |% of total
national

population
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | % of<br />population<br />living in capital
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Notes
|-
! scope="col" | [[Square kilometre|km²]]
! scope="col" | [[Square mile|mi²]]
! scope="col" | per km²
! scope="col" | per mi²
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|New South Wales}} || 8,339,300 || {{convert|800642|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|8.64|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|32%|| 63% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=1|name=New South Wales|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|Victoria}} || 6,812,500 || {{convert|227416|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|23.54|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|26%|| 71% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=2|name=Victoria|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|Queensland}} || 5,459,400 || {{convert|1730648|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|2.50|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|20%|| 46% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=3|name=Queensland|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|Western Australia}} || 2,878,600 || {{convert|2239170|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|0.89|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|9%|| 73.4% ||<ref>{{Census 2011 AUS|id=5|name=Western Australia|access-date=12 February 2013|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|South Australia}} || 1,851,700 || {{convert|983482|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|1.62|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|8%|| 73.5% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=4|name=South Australia|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|Tasmania}} || 572,800 || {{convert|68401|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|7.24|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|2%|| 41% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=6|name=Tasmania|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|Australian Capital Territory}} || 466,800 || {{convert|2358|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|151.49|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|0|disp=table}}
|2%|| 100% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=8|name=Australian Capital Territory|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flag|Northern Territory}} || 252,500 || {{convert|1349129|km2|0|disp=table}} || {{convert|0.16|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|1|disp=table}}
|1%|| 54% || <ref>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=7|name=Northern Territory|access-date=2 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
|}

===Cities===
{{Main|List of cities in Australia by population|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/beach/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226144234/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/beach/ |archive-date=26 February 2010 |title=The Beach |work=Australian Government: Culture Portal |publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Commonwealth of Australia |date=17 March 2008 }}</ref>
{{Largest cities of Australia}}{{Clear}}

{{Chart|definition=Australia Total Population.chart|data=Australia Total Population.tab|Width=600}}

{{Chart|definition=Australia Population Change.chart|data=Australia Population Change.tab|Width=600}}
{{Chart|definition=Australia Natural population growth.chart|data=Australia Natural population growth.tab|Width=600}}

===Total fertility rate===
{{Chart|definition=Australia TFR.chart|data=Australia TFR.tab|Width=600}}

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]].<ref name="ourworldindata.org">{{citation|url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/children-born-per-woman?year=1800&country=AUS|title=Total Fertility Rate around the world over the last centuries|author=Max Roser|date=2014|work=[[Our World In Data]], [[Gapminder Foundation]]}}</ref>

The following figures show the total fertility rates since the first years of British colonisation.
{| class="wikitable " style="text-align:right"
|+Total fertility rate in Australia<ref name="ourworldindata.org"/>
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1850s}} !! 1850!!1851!!1852!!1853!!1854!!1855!!1856!!1857!!1858!!1859
|-
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.94|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.01 ||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.07||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.03||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.86||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.32||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.19||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.63||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.71||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.75
|- style="border-top:2px solid gray"
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1860s}}!!1860!! 1861!!1862!!1863!!1864!!1865!!1866!!1867!!1868!!1869
|-
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.71||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.67|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.8||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.59|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.75||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.64|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.33||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.41|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.43|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.19
|- style="border-top:2px solid gray"
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1870s}}!!1870!! 1871!!1872!!1873!!1874!!1875!!1876!!1877!!1878!!1879
|-
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.19||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.09||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.97|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.01||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.93|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.81||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.81|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.69||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.74|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.8
|- style="border-top:2px solid gray"
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1880s}}!!1880!! 1881!!1882!!1883!!1884!!1885!!1886!!1887!!1888!!1889
|-
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.73||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.73||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.62|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.66||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.77|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.78||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.74|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.77||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.76|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.65
|- style="border-top:2px solid gray"
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1890s}}!!1890!!1891!!1892!!1893!!1894!!1895!!1896!!1897!!1898!!1899
|-
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.69||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.62||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.52|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.4||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.13|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.07||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.81|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.78||style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.64|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.66
|}

==Vital statistics==
Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/data/online-databases/developed-countries-database/|title=Developed countries database|work=ined.fr|access-date=10 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Brian |title=International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750–1993 |publisher=[[Macmillan Inc.]] |year=1998 |pages=64,76}}</ref><ref name="abs.gov.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012006?OpenDocument|title=3105.0.65.001 - Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2006.Table 42. Crude birth rates, states and territories, 1860 onwards|author= Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=23 May 2006|author-link=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>

Notable events in Australian demographics:

* 1852-1861 – [[Australian gold rushes|Gold rush]]
* 1946-1964 – [[Mid-20th-century baby boom|Post-World War II baby boom]]

{{sticky-header}}{{sort under}}{{table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sort-under sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! scope="col" | 
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Average population {{refn|group="N"|June 1 from 1900-2016, since 2017 Dec 31}}
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Live births
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Deaths
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Natural change
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Crude birth rate (per 1,000)
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Crude death rate (per 1,000)
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Natural change (per 1,000)
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Crude migration change (per 1,000)
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Total<br/>fertility<br/>rate{{efn-ua|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. }}<ref name="ourworldindata.org"/>
! scope="col" style="width:70pt;"|Net overseas migration<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/historical-migration-stats.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809114035/https://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/historical-migration-stats.htm|archive-date=9 August 2014|title=Historical Migration Statistics|date=25 July 2014|access-date=27 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs%40.nsf/mf/3101.0 |title=3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Mar 2017 |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |access-date=27 September 2017}}</ref><ref name ="cia.gov">{{citation|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/australia/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109090604/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/australia|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 January 2021|title=World Factbook EUROPE : AUSTRALIA|work=[[The World Factbook]]|date=July 12, 2018}}</ref>
|-
|1852
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| 438,000
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| 16,381
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"| 6,088
|10,293
|37.4
|13.9
|23.5
|
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.07
|
|-
|1853
|514,000
|18,021
|8,995
|9,026
|35.1
|17.5
|17.6
|138.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.03
|
|-
|1854
|601,000
|22,538
|14,134
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| 8,404
|37.5
|23.5
|14.0
|139.9
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.86
|
|-
|1855
|695,000
|25,229
|15,161
|10,068
|36.3
|21.8
|14.5
|132.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.32
|
|-
|1856
|793,000
|31,532
|14,978
|16,554
|39.7
|18.9
|20.8
|118.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.19
|
|-
|1857
|877,000
|33,920
|13,155
|20,765
|38.7
|15.0
|23.7
|80.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.63
|
|-
|1858
|970,000
|40,740
|15,908
|24,832
|42.0
|16.4
|25.6
|78.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.71
|
|-
|1859
|1,051,000
|44,733
|19,221
|25,512
|42.6
|18.3
|24.3
|55.6
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.75
|
|-
|1860
|1,097,000
|47,031
|19,098
|27,933
|42.9
|17.4
|25.5
|19.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.71
|
|-
|1861
|1,146,000
|48,820
|23,921
|24,899
|42.6
|20.9
|21.7
|18.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.67
|
|-
|1862
|1,168,000
|49,386
|20,186
|29,200
|42.3
|17.3
|25.0
| -2.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.80
|
|-
|1863
|1,207,000
|52,193
|21,263
|30,930
| style="color: blue"|43.3
|17.6
|25.7
|8.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.59
|
|-
|1864
|1,259,000
|52,530
|21,791
|30,739
|41.7
|17.3
|24.4
|17.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.75
|
|-
|1865
|1,325,000
|56,893
|21,573
|35,320
|42.9
|16.3
| style="color: blue"| 26.6
|27.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.64
|
|-
|1866
|1,390,000
|58,519
|23,074
|35,445
|42.1
|16.6
|25.5
|21.9
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.33
|
|-
|1867
|1,444,000
|57,431
|26,858
|30,573
|39.8
|18.6
|21.2
|13.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.41
|
|-
|1868
|1,484,000
|59,954
|27,157
|32,797
|40.4
|18.3
|22.1
|6.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.43
|
|-
|1869
|1,540,000
|62,370
|23,870
|38,500
|40.5
|15.5
|25.0
|15.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.19
|
|-
|1870
| 1,592,000
| 61,451
|23,402
|38,049
|38.6
|14.7
|23.9
|8.9
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.19
|
|-
|1871
|1,648,000
|63,758
|23,442
|40,316
|38.7
|14.2
|24.5
|9.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.09
|
|-
|1872
|1,701,000
|64,638
| 22,457
|42,181
|38.0
|13.2
|24.8
|6.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.97
|
|-
|1873
|1,743,000
|64,665
|25,274
|39,391
|37.1
|14.5
|22.6
|1.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|5.01
|
|-
|1874
|1,795,000
|67,157
|26,387
|40,770
|37.4
|14.7
|22.7
|6.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.93
|
|-
|1875
|1,849,000
|67,991
|29,779
|38,212
|36.8
|16.1
|20.7
|8.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.81
|
|-
|1876
|1,898,000
|68,088
|37,321
|30,767
|35.9
|19.7
|16.2
|9.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.81
|
|-
|1877
|1,959,000
|70,358
|34,538
|35,820
|35.9
|17.6
|18.3
|13.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.69
|
|-
|1878
|2,031,000
|71,085
|32,603
|38,482
|35.0
|15.9
|18.9
|16.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.74
|
|-
|1879
|2,092,000
|74,057
|34,124
|39,933
|35.4
|16.3
|19.1
|10.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.80
|
|-
|1880
|2,161,000
|77,364
|31,667
|45,697
|35.8
|14.7
|21.2
|11.0
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.73
|
|-
|1881
|2,232,000
|78,566
|32,563
|46,003
|35.2
|14.6
|20.6
|11.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.73
|
|-
|1882
|2,307,000
|81,548
|33,939
|47,609
|35.3
|14.7
|20.6
|12.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.62
|
|-
|1883
|2,388,000
|82,386
|38,208
|44,178
|34.5
|16.0
|18.5
|15.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.66
|
|-
|1884
|2,506,000
|87,209
|38,842
|48,367
|34.8
|15.3
|19.3
|28.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.77
|
|-
|1885
|2,606,000
|92,774
|42,999
|49,775
|35.6
|16.5
|19.1
|19.7
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.78
|
|-
|1886
|2,695,000
|96,212
|43,120
|53,092
|35.7
|16.0
|19.7
|13.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.74
|
|-
|1887
|2,788,000
|98,695
|42,935
|55,760
|35.4
|15.4
|20.0
|13.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.77
|
|-
|1888
|2,881,000
|102,564
|42,063
|60,501
|35.6
|14.6
|21.0
|11.5
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.76
|
|-
|1889
|2,982,000
|105,861
|43,537
|62,324
|35.5
|14.6
|20.9
|13.2
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.65
|
|-
|1890
|3,062,000
|106,251
|47,155
|59,096
|34.7
|15.4
|19.3
|6.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.69
|
|-
|1891
|3,151,000
|110,285
|45,059
|65,226
|35.0
|14.3
|20.7
|7.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.62
|
|-
|1892
|3,241,000
|111,815
|47,961
|63,854
|34.5
|14.8
|19.7
|8.2
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.52
|
|-
|1893
|3,306,000
|111,412
|42,647
|68,765
|33.7
|12.9
|20.8
| -1.2
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.40
|
|-
|1894
|3,362,000
|110,274
|46,045
|64,229
|32.8
|13.7
|19.1
| -2.5
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.13
|
|-
|1895
|3,427,000
|105,552
|43,545
|62,007
|30.8
|12.7
|18.1
|0.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|4.07
|
|-
|1896
|3,492,000
|106,157
|43,650
|62,507
|30.4
|12.5
|17.9
|0.7
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.81
|
|-
|1897
|3,553,000
|100,911
|45,478
|55,433
|28.4
|12.8
|15.6
|1.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.78
|
|-
|1898
|3,618,000
|102,068
|43,778
|58,290
|28.2
|12.1
|16.1
|1.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.64
|
|-
|1899
|3,665,000
|99,462
|51,677
|47,785
|27.1
|14.1
|13.0
| -0.2
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.66
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1900
| 3,715,000
| 102,221
| 44,060
| 58,161
| 27.3
| 11.8
| 15.5
| -2.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.66
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1901
| 3,765,000
| 102,945
| 46,330
| 56,615
| 27.1
| 12.2
| 14.9
| -1.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.64
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1902
| 3,824,000
| 102,776
| 48,078
| 54,698
| 26.7
| 12.5
| 14.2
| 1.4
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.39
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1903
| 3,875,000
|98,443
| 47,293
| 51,150
| 25.3
| 12.1
| 13.2
| 12.0
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.58
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1904
| 3,916,000
| 104,113
| 43,572
| 60,541
| 26.4
| 11.0
| 15.4
| -4.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.54
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1905
| 3,974,000
| 104,941
| 43,514
| 61,427
| 26.2
| 10.9
| 15.3
| -0.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.51
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1906
| 4,032,000
| 107,890
| 44,333
| 63,557
| 26.6
| 10.9
| 15.7
| -1.2
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1907
| 4,091,000
| 110,347
| 45,305
| 55,042
| 26.7
| 11.0
| 15.7
| 1.2
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1908
| 4,161,000
| 111,545
| 46,426
| 55,119
| 26.6
| 11.1
| 15.5
| 3.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1909
| 4,232,000
| 114,071
| 44,172
| 59,899
| 26.7
| 10.3
| 16.4
| 2.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1910
| 4,323,000
| 116,801
| 45,590
| 61,211
| 26.7
| 10.4
| 16.3
| 7.3
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1911
| 4,425,000
| 122,193
| 47,869
| 74,324
| 27.2
| 10.6
| 16.6
| 6.8
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.51
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1912
| 4,573,000
| 133,088
| 52,177
| 80,911
|28.6
| 11.2
| 17.4
| 15.8
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.51
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1913
| 4,820,172
| 135,714
| 51,789
| 83,925
| 28.2
| 10.7
|17.5
| 36.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.51
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1914
| 4,893,000
| 137,983
| 51,720
| 86,263
| 28.0
| 10.5
| 17.5
| -2.5
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.51
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1915
| 4,971,000
| 134,871
| 52,782
| 82,089
| 27.1
| 10.6
| 16.5
| -0.6
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.51
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1916
| 4,969,000
| 131,426
| 54,197
| 77,219
| 26.6
| 11.0
| 15.6
| -15.9
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.07
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1917
| 4,917,000
| 129,965
| 48,029
| 81,936
| 26.3
| 9.7
| 16.6
| -27.1
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1918
| 4,982,000
| 125,739
| 50,249
| 75,490
| 25.0
| 10.0
| 15.0
| -1.9
|style="color:blue;"|3.07
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1919
| 5,080,000
| 122,290
| 65,930
| 56,360
| 23.6
|12.7
| 10.9
| 8.6
|style="color:blue;"|3.07
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1920
| 5,303,000
| 136,406
| 56,289
| 80,117
| 25.5
| 10.5
| 15.5
| 28.8
|style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.07
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1921
| 5,411,000
| 136,198
| 54,076
| 82,122
| 24.9
| 9.9
| 15.0
| 5.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.12
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1922
| 5,510,000
| 137,496
| 51,311
| 86,185
| 24.7
| 9.2
| 15.5
| 2.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.11
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1923
| 5,637,000
| 135,222
| 56,236
| 78,986
| 23.7
| 9.9
| 13.8
| 9.0
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.02
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1924
| 5,755,000
| 134,927
| 54,980
| 79,953
| 23.2
| 9.4
| 13.8
| 7.0
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.97
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1925
| 5,882,000
| 135,792
| 54,658
| 81,134
| 22.9
| 9.2
| 13.7
| 8.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.95
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1926
| 6,000,000
| 133,162
| 56,952
| 76,210
| 22.0
| 9.4
| 12.6
| 7.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.85
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1927
| 6,124,000
| 133,698
| 58,282
| 75,716
| 21.6
| 9.4
| 12.2
| 8.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.80
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1928
| 6,251,000
| 134,078
| 59,378
| 74,700
| 21.3
| 9.4
| 11.9
| 8.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.77
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1929
| 6,355,000
| 129,480
| 60,857
| 68,623
| 20.2
| 9.5
| 10.7
| 5.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.64
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1930
| 6,436,000
| 128,399
| 55,331
| 73,068
| 19.8
| 8.6
| 11.2
| 1.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.58
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1931
| 6,500,000
| 118,509
| 56,560
| 61,949
| 18.2
| 8.7
| 9.5
| 0.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.36
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1932
| 6,552,000
| 110,933
| 56,757
| 54,176
| 16.9
| 8.6
| 8.3
| -0.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.19
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1933
| 6,603,000
| 111,269
| 59,117
| 52,152
| 16.8
| 8.9
| 7.9
| -0.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.17
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1934
| 6,656,000
| 109,475
| 62,229
| 47,246
| 16.4
| 9.3
| 7.1
| 0.9
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.11
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1935
| 6,707,000
| 111,325
| 63,599
| 47,726
| 16.5
| 9.4
| 7.1
| 0.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.12
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1936
| 6,755,000
| 116,073
| 63,932
| 52,141
| 17.1
| 9.4
| 7.7
| -0.6
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.18
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1937
| 6,810,000
| 119,131
| 64,496
| 54,635
| 17.4
| 9.4
| 8.0
| 0.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.21
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1938
| 6,871,000
| 120,415
| 66,451
| 53,964
| 17.4
| 9.6
| 7.8
| 1.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.21
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1939
| 6,935,000
| 122,891
| 69,147
| 53,744
| 17.6
| 9.9
| 7.7
| 1.6
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.22
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1940
| 7,004,000
| 126,347
| 68,384
| 57,963
| 17.9
| 9.7
| 8.2
| 1.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.26
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1941
| 7,077,000
| 134,525
| 71,176
| 63,349
| 18.9
| 10.0
| 8.9
| 1.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.36
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1942
| 7,143,000
| 136,708
| 75,191
| 61,517
| 19.1
| 10.5
| 8.6
| 0.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.38
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1943
| 7,201,000
| 149,295
| 74,486
| 74,809
| 20.6
| 10.3
| 10.3
| -2.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.57
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1944
| 7,269,000
| 153,344
| 69,596
| 83,748
| 21.0
| 9.5
| 11.5
| -2.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.63
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1945
| 7,347,000
| 160,560
| 70,231
| 90,229
| 21.7
| 9.5
| 12.2
| -1.6
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.74
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1946
| 7,430,000
| 176,379
| 74,661
| 101,718
| 23.6
| 10.0
| 13.6
| -2.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.99
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1947
| 7,517,000
| 182,384
| 73,468
| 108,916
| 24.1
| 9.7
| 14.4
| -2.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.08
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1948
| 7,637,000
| 177,976
| 76,839
| 101,137
| 23.1
| 10.0
| 13.1
| 2.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.98
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1949
| 7,792,000
| 181,261
| 75,260
| 106,001
| 22.9
| 9.5
| 13.4
| 6.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.99
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1950
| 8,045,000
| 190,591
| 78,187
| 112,404
| 23.3
| 9.6
| 13.7
| 18.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.01
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1951
| 8,307,000
| 193,298
| 81,788
| 111,510
| 23.0
| 9.7
| 13.3
| 31.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.06
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1952
| 8,527,000
| 201,650
| 81,597
| 120,053
| 23.4
| 9.5
| 13.9
| 12.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.15
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1953
| 8,739,000
| 202,235
| 80,188
| 122,047
| 22.9
| 9.1
| 13.8
| 10.9
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.23
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1954
| 8,902,000
| 202,256
| 81,805
| 120,451
| 22.5
| 9.1
| 13.4
| 5.1
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.3
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1955
| 9,089,000
| 207,677
| 82,036
| 125,641
| 22.6
| 8.9
| 13.7
| 7.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1956
| 9,311,000
| 212,633
| 86,088
| 126,545
| 22.5
| 9.1
| 13.4
| 10.8
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.39
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1957
| 9,530,000
| 220,358
| 84,953
| 135,405
| 22.9
| 8.8
| 14.1
| 9.3
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.41
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1958
| 9,744,000
| 222,504
| 83,723
| 138,481
| 22.6
| 8.5
| 14.1
| 8.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.42
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1959
| 9,947,000
| 226,976
| 89,212
| 137,765
| 22.6
| 8.9
| 13.7
| 7.0
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.41
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1960
| 10,160,000
| 230,326
| 88,464
| 141,862
| 22.4
| 8.6
| 13.8
| 7.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.39
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1961
| 10,391,000
| 239,986
| 88,961
| 151,025
| 22.8
| 8.5
| 14.3
| 8.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.35
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1962
| 10,642,000
| 237,081
| 93,163
| 143,918
| 22.1
| 8.7
| 13.4
| 10.6
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.3
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1963
| 10,846,000
| 235,689
| 94,894
| 140,795
| 21.5
| 8.7
| 12.8
| 6.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.24
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1964
| 11,055,000
| 229,149
| 100,594
| 128,555
| 20.5
| 8.7
| 11.8
| 7.6
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|3.17
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1965
| 11,280,000
| 222,854
| 99,715
| 123,139
| 19.6
| 8.8
| 10.8
| 9.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.97
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1966
| 11,505,000
| 223,731
| 103,929
| 119,802
| 19.3
| 9.0
| 10.3
| 9.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.89
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1967
| 11,704,000
| 229,796
| 102,703
| 127,093
| 19.4
| 8.7
| 10.7
| 6.4
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.85
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1968
| 11,912,000
| 240,906
| 109,547
| 131,359
| 20.0
| 9.1
| 10.9
| 6.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.89
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1969
| 12,145,000
| 250,175
| 106,496
| 143,681
| 20.4
| 8.7
| 11.7
| 7.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.93
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1970
| 12,407,000
| 257,516
| 113,048
| 144,468
| 20.5
| 9.0
| 10.5
| 9.9
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.94
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1971
| 12,663,000
| 276,361
| 110,650
|  style="text-align:right; color:blue;"| 165,711
| 21.5
| 8.6
| 12.9
| 7.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.98
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1972
| 13,067,000
| 271,960
| 110,191
| 161,769
| 20.6
| 8.4
| 12.2
| 19.5
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.74
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1973
| 13,303,000
| 255,848
| 111,336
| 144,512
| 19.1
| 8.3
| 10.8
| 7.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.49
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1974
| 13,504,000
| 243,658
| 110,179
| 133,479
| 17.9
| 8.1
| 9.8
| 5.2
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.32
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1975<ref>[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]</ref>
| 13,771,400
| 239,794
| 114,501
| 125,293
| 17.4
| 8.3
| 9.1
| 10.7
| style="text-align:right; color:blue;"|2.15
| 
|-
| scope="row" | 1976
| 13,915,500
| 231,135
| 110,610
| 120,525
| 16.6
| 7.9
| 8.7
| 1.8
| 2.06
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1977
| 14,074,100
| 226,954
| 111,490
| 115,464
| 16.1
| 7.9
| 8.2
| 3.2
| 2.01
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1978
| 14,248,600
| 226,359
| 108,059
| 118,300
| 15.9
| 7.6
| 8.3
| 4.1
| 1.95
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1979
| 14,521,700
| 223,370
| 108,315
| 115,055
| 15.5
| 7.5
| 8.0
| 11.2
| 1.91
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1980
| 14,695,400
| 223,664
| 106,654
| 117,010
| 15.3
| 7.3
| 8.0
| 4.0
| 1.89
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1981
| 14,923,300
| 230,920
| 109,429
| 121,491
| 15.6
| 7.4
| 8.2
| 7.4
| 1.94
|
|-
| scope="row" | 1982
| 15,178,400
| 237,076
| 110,990
| 116,086
| 15.7
| 7.4
| 8.3
| 9.4
| 1.93
| 128,100
|-
| scope="row" | 1983
| 15,393,500
| 241,764
| 112,918
| 128,846
| 15.8
| 7.4
| 8.4
| 5.8
| 1.92
| 73,300
|-
| scope="row" | 1984
| 15,579,400
| 240,544
| 110,887
| 129,657
| 15.5
| 7.2
| 8.3
| 3.8
| 1.84
| 49,100
|-
| scope="row" | 1985
| 15,788,300
| 241,814
| 114,197
| 127,617
| 15.4
| 7.3
| 8.1
| 5.3
| 1.92
| 73,800
|-
| scope="row" | 1986
| 16,018,400
| 239,115
| 116,069
| 123,046
| 15.0
| 7.3
| 7.7
| 6.9
| 1.87
| 100,500
|-
| scope="row" | 1987
| 16,263,900
| 242,977
| 116,139
| 126,838
| 15.0
| 7.2
| 7.8
| 7.5
| 1.85
| 125,800
|-
| scope="row" | 1988
| 16,532,200
| 246,200
| 120,463
| 125,737
| 15.0
| 7.3
| 7.7
| 8.9
| 1.83
| 149,400
|-
| scope="row" | 1989
| 16,814,400
| 250,155
| 118,767
| 131,388
| 15.1
| 7.1
| 8.0
| 9.3
| 1.84
| 157,500
|-
| scope="row" | 1990
| 17,065,100
| 257,521
| 125,112
| 132,409
| 15.3
| 7.4
| 7.9
| 7.2
| 1.90
| 124,700
|-
| scope="row" | 1991
| 17,284,000
| 261,158
| 119,572
| 141,586
| 15.2
| 7.0
| 8.2
| 4.6
| 1.85
| 86,500
|-
| scope="row" | 1992
| 17,494,700
| 259,200
| 120,836
| 138,800
| 14.9
| 6.9
| 8.0
| 4.3
| 1.89
| 68,600
|-
| scope="row" | 1993
| 17,667,100
| 259,959
| 121,338
| 138,621
| 14.8
| 6.9
| 7.9
| 2.9
| 1.86
| 30,100
|-
| scope="row" | 1994
| 17,854,700
| 258,314
| 123,496
| 134,818
| 14.5
| 7.0
| 7.5
| 3.1
| 1.84
| 46,600
|-
| scope="row" | 1995
| 18,071,800
| 258,210
| 126,232
| 131,978
| 14.4
| 7.0
| 7.4
| 4.9
| 1.82
| 80,200
|-
| scope="row" | 1996
| 18,310,700
| 250,438
| 126,400
| 124,038
| 13.8
| 6.9
| 6.9
| 6.4
| 1.80
| 104,000
|-
| scope="row" | 1997
| 18,517,600
| 253,660
| 127,298
| 126,362
| 13.7
| 6.9
| 6.8
| 4.5
| 1.78
| 87,200
|-
| scope="row" | 1998
| 18,711,300
| 249,105
| 129,255
| 119,850
| 13.4
| 6.9
| 6.5
| 4.1
| 1.75
| 79,100
|-
| scope="row" | 1999
| 18,925,900
| 249,965
| 128,278
| 121,487
| 13.3
| 6.8
| 6.5
| 5.0
| 1.75
| 96,500
|-
| scope="row" | 2000
| 19,153,400
| 249,310
| 128,392
| 120,918
| 13.1
| 6.7
| 6.4
| 5.7
| 1.75
| 107,200
|-
| scope="row" | 2001
| 19,413,200
| 247,500
| 128,913
| 118,587
| 12.8
| 6.7
| 6.1
| 7.5
| 1.73<!-- Do not add colouring to this entry without including a key that explains what the colour means. Without a key the colouring serves no purpose. -->
| 135,700
|-
| scope="row" | 2002
| 19,654,900
| 247,400
| 130,300
| 117,200
| 12.9
| 6.9
| 6.0
| 6.5
| 1.77
| 110,600
|-
| scope="row" | 2003
| 19,902,700
| 247,400
| 132,239
| 115,200
| 12.5
| 6.7
| 5.8
| 6.8
| 1.75
| 116,500
|-
| scope="row" | 2004
| 20,139,800
| 252,100
| 133,231
| 115,851
| 12.4
| 6.7
| 5.7
| 6.2
| 1.76
| 100,000
|-
| scope="row" | 2005
| 20,409,100
| 255,800
| 131,354
| 124,580
| 12.6
| 6.5
| 6.1
| 7.3
| 1.79
| 123,800
|-
| scope="row" | 2006
| 20,697,900
| 263,500
| 134,000
| 129,500
| 12.8
| 6.5
| 6.3
| 7.9
| 1.82
| 146,700
|-
| scope="row" | 2007
| 21,015,900
| 277,700
| 136,000
| 141,700
| 13.2
| 6.4
| 6.8
| 8.6
| 1.87
| 232,700
|-
| scope="row" | 2008
| 21,384,400
| 289,500
| 140,800
| 148,700
| 14.4
| 6.8
| 7.6
| 10.6
| 2.02
| 277,400
|-
| scope="row" | 2009
| 21,778,800
| 297,100
| 143,700
| 153,400
| 13.9
| 6.6
| 7.3
| 11.4
| 1.97
| 299,800
|-
| scope="row" | 2010
| 22,031,900
| 304,200
| 141,500
| 162,600
| 13.4
| 6.4
| 7.0
| 4.2
| 1.95
| 172,038
|-
| scope="row" | 2011
| 22,340,000
| 301,200
| 145,400
| 155,800
| 13.5
| 6.6
| 6.9
| 7.0
| 1.92
| 205,679
|-
| scope="row" | 2012
| 22,733,500
| 306,000
| 147,200
| 158,800
| 13.6
| 6.5
| 7.1
| 10.6
| 1.93
| 241,151
|-
| scope="row" | 2013
| 23,128,100
| 311,100
| 149,200
| 161,900
| 13.3
| 6.4
| 6.9
| 10.4
| 1.88
| 235,797
|-
| scope="row" | 2014
| 23,475,700
| 307,000
| 150,000
| 157,000
| 12.8
| 6.5
| 6.3
| 8.3
| 1.80
| 179,000
|-
| scope="row" | 2015
| 23,816,000
| 307,700
| 155,900
| 151,800
| 12.8
| 6.7
| 6.1
| 8.1
| 1.80
| 181,000
|-
| scope="row" | 2016<ref>{{cite web|title=Population|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/Population|website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=13 December 2017}}</ref>
| 24,385,600
| 311,800
| 157,400
| 154,400
| 12.9
| 6.5
| 6.4
| 10.2
| 1.79
| 243,800
|-
| scope="row" | 2017
| 24,770,700<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3101.0|title=3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2017 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=16 September 2021 }}</ref>
| 308,500
| 160,300
| 148,200
| 12.7
| 6.6
| 6.1
| 9.7
| 1.74
| 241,700
|-
| scope="row" | 2018
| 25,180,200<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3101.0 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2018|date=December 2018}}</ref>
|  style="text-align:right; color:blue;"| 314,900<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3302.0 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=3302.0 - Deaths, 2018|date=December 2018}}</ref>
| 158,500
| 156,400
| 12.7
| 6.4
| 6.3
| 10.2
| 1.75
| 248,400
|-
| scope="row" | 2019
| 25,522,169
| 305,800
| 166,700
| 139,100
| 12.1
| 6.6
| 5.5
| 8.1
| 1.67
| 210,700
|-
| scope="row" | 2020
| 25,694,400
|294,400
|161,400
|133,000
| 11.5
|style="color: blue"|6.3
|5.2
| 1.5
| 1.59
| 3,300
|-
| scope="row" | 2021
| style="text-align:right; | 25,422,788(C)
| 309,996
| 171,469
| 138,527
| 12.1
| 6.7
| 5.4
| -2.6
| 1.70
|  style="text-align:right; color:red"|-3,600
|-
| scope="row" | 2022
| style="text-align:right; | 26,268,359
| 300,684
| style="text-align:right; color:red"| 190,745
| 109,800
| 11.6
| 7.3
| 4.3
| 15.2
| 1.63
| 387,000
|-
| scope="row" | 2023
| 26,966,789
| 286,998
| 183,131
| 103,867
| 10.8
| 6.9
| 3.9
| 21.1
| 1.50
| style="text-align:right; color:blue"| 547,300
|-
|2024
|style="color:blue"|27,400,013
|292,418
|187,268
|105,150
| style="color: red"|10.7
|6.9
|style="color: red"|3.8
|12.1
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| 1.48
|340,800
|-
|}
{{notelist-ua}}

=== Current vital statistics ===
{| class="wikitable"  style="text-align:center;"
|+
|-
! Period
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural increase
|-
| '''January—September 2024'''
| 222,100
| 143,700
| +78,300
|-
| '''January—September 2025'''
| 231,400
| 141,900
| +89,600
|-
| '''Difference'''
| {{increase}} +9,300 (+4.2%)
| {{decreasepositive}} -1,800 (-1.3%)
| {{increase}} +11,300
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | '''Source:'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population|title=National, state and territory population |date=19 March 2026 |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>
|}

=== Total fertility rates by state or territory ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ 2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2024 |title=Births, Australia, 2023 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release#states-and-territories |access-date= |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref>
!State/Territory
!TFR
|-
|{{flag|Northern Territory}}||1.63
|-
|{{flag|Victoria}}||1.52
|-
|{{flag|Queensland}}||1.51
|-
|{{flag|Tasmania}}||1.49
|-
|'''{{flag|Australia}}'''||'''1.48'''
|-
|{{flag|New South Wales}}||1.46
|-
|{{flag|South Australia}}||1.46
|-
|{{flag|Western Australia}}||1.43
|-
|{{flag|Australian Capital Territory}}||1.27
|}

=== Births by country of birth of the mother ===
<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-16 |title=Births, Australia, 2023 {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
!Country of birth mother
!Numbers
|-
|Total
|286,998
|-
|Total overseas-born
|100,011
|-
|'''Oceania and Antartica'''
|196,654
|-
|{{flag|Australia}} (includes External Territories)
|186,811
|-
|{{flag|New Zealand}}
|7,420
|-
|{{flag|Papua New Guinea}}
|288
|-
|{{flag|Fiji}}
|736
|-
|{{flag|Samoa}}
|701
|-
|Other
|698
|-
|'''North-West Europe'''
|10,486
|-
|{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|6,986
|-
|{{flag|Ireland}}
|1,153
|-
|{{flag|Austria}}
|55
|-
|{{flag|France}}
|563
|-
|{{flag|Germany}}
|835
|-
|{{flag|Netherlands}}
|295
|-
|{{flag|Switzerland}}
|102
|-
|{{flag|Denmark}}
|64
|-
|Other
|433
|-
|'''Southern and Eastern Europe'''
|3,846
|-
|{{flag|Italy}}
|478
|-
|{{flag|Malta}}
|30
|-
|{{flag|Portugal}}
|84
|-
|{{flag|Spain}}
|179
|-
|{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
|341
|-
|{{flag|Croatia}}
|215
|-
|{{flag|Cyprus}}
|35
|-
|{{flag|North Macedonia}}
|234
|-
|{{flag|Greece}}
|183
|-
|{{flag|Romania}}
|149
|-
|{{flag|Serbia}}
|210
|-
|{{flag|Czechia}}
|95
|-
|{{flag|Hungary}}
|76
|-
|{{flag|Poland}}
|301
|-
|{{flag|Russian Federation}}
|495
|-
|{{flag|Ukraine}}
|248
|-
|Other
|493
|-
|'''North Africa and the Middle East'''
|7,555
|-
|{{flag|Egypt}}
|423
|-
|{{flag|Iran}}
|1,134
|-
|{{flag|Iraq}}
|1,785
|-
|{{flag|Israel}}
|105
|-
|{{flag|Lebanon}}
|1,078
|-
|{{flag|Syria}}
|490
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}
|299
|-
|Other
|2,241
|-
|'''South-East Asia'''
|14,979
|-
|{{flag|Myanmar}}
|802
|-
|{{flag|Cambodia}}
|495
|-
|{{flag|Laos}}
|79
|-
|{{flag|Thailand}}
|1,368
|-
|{{flag|Vietnam}}
|3,064
|-
|{{flag|Indonesia}}
|1,361
|-
|{{flag|Malaysia}}
|1,902
|-
|{{flag|Philippines}}
|5,158
|-
|{{flag|Singapore}}
|632
|-
|Other
|118
|-
|'''North-East Asia'''
|10,919
|-
|{{flag|China}}
|6,791
|-
|{{flag|Hong Kong}}
|1,066
|-
|{{flag|Taiwan}}
|763
|-
|{{flag|Japan}}
|838
|-
|{{flag|South Korea}}
|1,185
|-
|Other
|276
|-
|'''Southern and Central Asia'''
|29,771
|-
|{{flag|Bangladesh}}
|1,363
|-
|{{flag|India}}
|16,593
|-
|{{flag|Nepal}}
|4,159
|-
|{{flag|Pakistan}}
|3,276
|-
|{{flag|Sri Lanka}}
|1,876
|-
|{{flag|Afghanistan}}
|2,014
|-
|Other
|490
|-
|'''Americas'''
|5,459
|-
|{{flag|Canada}}
|901
|-
|{{flag|United States}}
|1,536
|-
|{{flag|Argentina}}
|199
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}}
|1,194
|-
|{{flag|Chile}}
|285
|-
|{{flag|Uruguay}}
|22
|-
|'''Central America'''
|239
|-
|'''Caribbean'''
|57
|-
|Other
|1,026
|-
|'''Sub-Saharan Africa'''
|7,153
|-
|{{flag|Kenya}}
|489
|-
|{{flag|Mauritius}}
|293
|-
|{{flag|South Africa}}
|2,451
|-
|{{flag|Zimbabwe}}
|642
|-
|Other
|3,278
|}

=== Life expectancy ===
[[File:Life expectancy in Australia.svg|thumb|300px|[[Life expectancy]] in Australia since 1885]]
{{See also|List of Australian states by life expectancy}}

At the time of [[Federation of Australia|Australian Federation]] in 1901, the rate of [[Population growth|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 in Australia|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 [[total fertility rate|fertility rate]] rose to 1.81, one of the highest rates in the [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|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.<ref name=ABS2008YBpopsize>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/bb8db737e2af84b8ca2571780015701e/72097B9A70C71596CA2573D20010FD0A?opendocument|title=Population Size and Growth|work=1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2008|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=7 February 2008|access-date=3 January 2009}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+1921–1949
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1920s}}
!
!1921
!1922
!1923
!1924
!1925
!1926
!1927
!1928
!1929
|-
|
|61.0
|62.9
|61.7
|62.5
|63.2
|62.9
|62.8
|62.9
|63.1
|- style="border-top:2px solid gray"
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1930s}}
!1930
!1931
!1932
!1933
!1934
!1935
!1936
!1937
!1938
!1939
|-
|64.9
|65.3
|65.6
|65.4
|64.8
|65.1
|65.2
|65.8
|65.8
|65.8
|- style="border-top:2px solid gray"
! rowspan=2 {{vert header|1940s}}
!1940
!1941
!1942
!1943
!1944
!1945
!1946
!1947
!1948
!1949
|-
|66.2
|66.1
|65.9
|66.4
|68.0
|68.5
|68.0
|68.6
|68.5
|69.1
|}
Source: ''Our World in Data''<ref name="ourworldindata.org1">{{Cite web|url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/life-expectancy?year=1810|title=Life expectancy|website=Our World in Data|access-date=28 August 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Life expectancy by WBG -Australia -diff.png|thumb|300px|Life expectancy in Australia since 1960 by gender]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+1950–2015
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
|-
|1950–1955
|69.4
|1985–1990
|76.2
|-
|1955–1960
|70.4
|1990–1995
|77.7
|-
|1960–1965
|70.9
|1995–2000
|78.8
|-
|1965–1970
|70.8
|2000–2005
|80.3
|-
|1970–1975
|71.8
|2005–2010
|81.5
|-
|1975–1980
|73.6
|2010–2015
|82.3
|-
|1980–1985
|75.1
|
|
|}
Source: ''UN World Population Prospects''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/|title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations|year=2019|publisher=United Nations, Population Division|access-date=10 July 2019}}</ref>

==Indigenous population==
[[File:Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0054 Indigenous Persons Total Persons.svg|thumb|right|Indigenous Australians as a percentage of the population as of the {{CensusAU|2011}}]]
{{Main|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.<ref name="University of Wollongong">{{cite web|url=http://media.uow.edu.au/news/2004/0917a/index.html|title=When did Australia's earliest inhabitants arrive?|publisher=[[University of Wollongong]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621020107/http://media.uow.edu.au/news/2004/0917a/index.html|archive-date=21 June 2009|date=17 September 2004|access-date=3 January 2009}}</ref>

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 [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] in 1770 while standing on [[Possession Island (Queensland)|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,<ref name=ABS2008YBindigenous>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/bb8db737e2af84b8ca2571780015701e/68AE74ED632E17A6CA2573D200110075?opendocument|title=Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population|work=1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2008|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=7 February 2008|access-date=3 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=Alan N. |date=22 June 2013 |title=A new population curve for prehistoric Australia |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B |volume=280 |issue=1761 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2013.0486 |pmid=23615287 |pmc=3652441 |bibcode=2013PBioS.28030486W }}</ref> divided into many tribes speaking many different languages. In the {{CensusAU|2011}}, 495,757 respondents declared they were [[Indigenous Australians|Aboriginal]], 31,407 declared they were [[Torres Strait Islander]], and a further 21,206 declared they were both [[Indigenous Australians|Aboriginal]] and [[Torres Strait Islanders]].<ref name="ABS2011">{{Census 2011 AUS|id=0|name=Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (Indigenous) Profile|access-date=9 October 2013}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Northern Territory, Census All persons QuickStats   |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/7 |access-date=Jan 12, 2024 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics }}</ref>

There were 24,737 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander births registered in 2023, an increase of 349 babies from 2022. This represents 8.6% of all births registered in 2023. The total fertility rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women was 2.17 births per woman.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Births, Australia, 2023   |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/2023 |access-date=Jan 26, 2025 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics |date=16 October 2024 }}</ref>

Of the 24,388 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander births registered in 2022 only 23% were births for which both parents were identified as being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin on the birth certificate. 45% were births where only the mother was of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin (including births where paternity was not acknowledged or the father's Indigenous status was not stated), and 32% were births where only the father was of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin (including births where the mother's Indigenous status was not stated).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/estimates-and-projections-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-australians/2011-2031 |access-date=Jan 26, 2025 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics }}</ref>

==Ancestry==
{{main|Australians}}

[[File:European Australians from 1947 to 1966.gif|thumb|upright=1.2|European Australians from 1947 to 1966 when racial data was collected in the country]]
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,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Weule |first1=Genelle |author2=Felicity James |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-07-20/aboriginal-shelter-pushes-human-history-back-to-65,000-years/8719314 |title=Indigenous rock shelter in Top End pushes Australia's human history back to 65,000 years |journal=Nature |volume=547 |issue=7663 |pages=306–310 |doi=10.1038/nature22968 |pmid=28726833 |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=20 July 2017 |access-date=27 September 2017|hdl=2440/107043 |s2cid=205257212 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> most probably from the islands of [[Indonesia]] and [[New Guinea]].<ref name="University of Wollongong"/>

Captain [[James Cook]] claimed the east coast for [[Kingdom of Great Britain|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,<ref name="ABS2008YBindigenous"/> 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 [[Anglo-Celtic Australians|British Isles]] (principally [[English Australians|England]], [[Irish Australians|Ireland]] and [[Scottish Australians|Scotland]]), although there was significant immigration from [[Chinese Australians|China]] and [[German Australians|Germany]] during the 19th century. In the decades immediately following the Second World War, Australia received a [[Post-war immigration to Australia|large wave of immigration]] from across [[European Australians|Europe]], with many more immigrants arriving from [[Southern Europe|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]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/06evolution.htm|title=The Evolution of Australia's Multicultural Policy|access-date=18 September 2007|year=2005|publisher=Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219130703/http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/06evolution.htm|archive-date=19 February 2006}}</ref> and there has been a [[Immigration to Australia|large and continuing wave]] of immigration from across the world, with [[Asian Australians|Asia]] being the largest source of immigrants in the 21st century.<ref name="homeaffairs.gov.au">{{cite web|url=https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/report-migration-program-2018-19.pdf|title=2018-19 Migration Program Report|website=Department of Home Affairs|date=30 June 2019}}</ref>

The [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] no longer collects data on [[race (human categorization)|race]], but does ask each Australian resident to nominate up to two [[ancestry|ancestries]] each [[Census in Australia|census]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/detailed-methodology-information/information-papers/understanding-and-using-ancestry-data | title=Understanding and using Ancestry data &#124; Australian Bureau of Statistics | date=28 June 2022 }}</ref> These ancestry responses are classified into broad standardised ancestry groups.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/australian-standard-classification-cultural-and-ethnic-groups-ascceg/latest-release | title=Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG), 2019 &#124; Australian Bureau of Statistics | date=18 December 2019 }}</ref> In the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated individual ancestries as a proportion of the total population were:<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2021/AUS/download/GCP_AUS.xlsx|title=2021 Census Community Profiles: Australia}}</ref> <!-- Only ancestries with >1% are listed. -->
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
* [[English Australian|English]] (33%)
* [[Australian ancestry|Australian]] (29.9%)
* [[Irish Australian|Irish]] (9.5%)
* [[Scottish Australian|Scottish]] (8.6%)
* [[Chinese Australian|Chinese]] (5.5%)
* [[Italian Australian|Italian]] (4.4%)
* [[German Australian|German]] (4%)
* [[Indian Australian|Indian]] (3.1%)
* [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] (2.9%){{refn|group="N"|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.}}
* [[Greek Australian|Greek]] (1.7%)
* [[Filipino Australian|Filipino]] (1.6%)
* [[Dutch Australian|Dutch]] (1.5%)
* [[Vietnamese Australian|Vietnamese]] (1.3%)
* [[Lebanese Australian|Lebanese]] (1%)
* [[Polish Australian|Polish]] (0.9%)
* [[Maltese Australian|Maltese]] (0.8%)
* [[Maori Australian|Maori]] (0.6%)
* [[Croatian Australian|Croatian]] (0.6%)
* [[South African Australian|South African]] (0.4%)
* [[Macedonian Australian|Macedonian]] (0.3%)
}}

At the 2021 census, 3.2% of the Australian population identified as being [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous]] — [[Aboriginal Australians]] and [[Torres Strait Islanders]].{{refn|group="N"|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.}}<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/AUS|title=2021 Australia, Census All persons QuickStats |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Births, Australia |date=12 August 2021 |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release |access-date=3 January 2022}}</ref>

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,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2018 |title=Leading for Change A blueprint for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership revisited |url=https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/Leading%20for%20Change_Blueprint2018_FINAL_Web.pdf |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=humanrights.gov.au |archive-date=12 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312215040/https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/Leading%20for%20Change_Blueprint2018_FINAL_Web.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Groutsis |first1=Dimitria |last2=Martin |first2=Lee |last3=Lattouf |first3=Antoinette |last4=Soutphommasane |first4=Tim |last5=Lumby |first5=Catharine |last6=Young |first6=Nareen |last7=Crawford |first7=Joanne |last8=Robertson |first8=Adam |date=2022 |title=Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? |url=https://www.mediadiversityaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Who-Gets-to-Tell-Australian-Stories_2.0_FINAL_pdf.pdf |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=mediadiversityaustralia.org}}</ref>

Immigration minister [[Andrew Giles]] had pledged to incorporate a question on ethnicity into the [[2026 Australian census]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-16/federal-government-to-measure-ethnicity-data-multiculturalism/101158038 | title='If you're not counted, you don't know that you exist': Federal government to collect data on Australians' ethnicity | newspaper=ABC News | date=16 June 2022 }}</ref> However in 2024 the ABS decided against collecting data on ethnicity in favor of ancestry. As recent studies indicate that the public does not have a consistent understanding of ethnic identity, or the difference between ethnic identity and ancestry. The ABS determined that due to these complexities, collecting both ethnic identity and ancestry on the same form is not feasible for the 2026 Census.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-25/abs-census-ethnicity-ancestry-australia-population-data/103638672 | title=The ABS has changed its mind about ethnicity in the next census. Here's what the experts say | newspaper=ABC News | date=24 April 2024 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Estimated ethnic origin of the Australian population in selected years<ref>{{Cite web |title=Demographic change and the development of a multicultural society in Australia |url=https://ro.uow.edu.au/articles/report/Demographic_change_and_the_development_of_a_multicultural_society_in_Australia/27775434 |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=ro.uow.edu.au}}</ref>
! rowspan="2" |Ethnic origin
!1947
!1987
|-
!%
!%
|-
|
|
|
|-
!Europe
!97.2%
!92.9%
|-
|Britain, Ireland and New Zealand
|89.8%
|74.5%
|-
|Northern Europe
|5.6%
|7.4%
|-
|Eastern Europe
|0.4%
|3.9%
|-
|Southern Europe
|7.4%
|7.1%
|-
!Asia
!1.9%
!5.4%
|-
|Western Asia
|1.5%
|2.1%
|-
|South Asia
|0.1%
|0.6%
|-
|South East Asia
|0%
|1.2%
|-
|East Asia
|0.2%
|1.4%
|-
!Africa
!0%
!0.1%
|-
!Latin America
!0.1%
!0.3%
|-
!Pacific Islanders
!0.1%
!0.3%
|-
!Aboriginal and TSI
!0.8%
!1%
|}

===Immigration and country of birth===
{{Main|Immigration to Australia|Foreign-born population of Australia}}

[[File:Australian and foreign born population pyramid in 2021.svg|thumb|Australian and foreign born population pyramid in 2021|249x249px]]
In 2019, 30% of the Australian resident population, or 7,529,570 people, were born overseas.<ref name="Country of Birth">{{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&34120do005_201819.xls&3412.0&Data%20Cubes&B95CDCBDF3B53509CA25855700002DC2&0&2018-19&28.04.2020&Latest|title=Table 5.1 Estimated resident population, by country of birth(a), Australia, as at 30 June, 1996 to 2019(b)(c)|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=4 May 2020}}</ref>

Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012006?OpenDocument |title=3105.0.65.001—Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2006 |access-date=18 September 2007 |date=23 May 2006 |format=[[Microsoft Excel|XLS]] |publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |quote=Australian population: (1919) 5,080,912; (2006) 20,209,993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070908212308/http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs%40.nsf/DetailsPage/3105.0.65.0012006?OpenDocument |archive-date= 8 September 2007 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> much of this increase from [[Immigration to Australia|immigration]]. Australia has the world's [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories by immigrant population|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.<ref name="Country of Birth"/><ref>United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, (2015). 'International Migration' in International migrant stock 2015. Accessed from [https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimatesmaps.shtml?1t1 International migrant stock 2015: maps] on 24 May 2017</ref> [[Asian Australians|Asia]] is the largest source of immigrants in the 21st century.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/report-migration-program-2018-19.pdf |title=2018–19 Migration Program Report|website=Australian Government Department of Home Affairs|date=30 June 2019}}</ref> Net overseas migration reached a record level of 536,000 in 2022–23.<ref>{{cite news |title=Unfair reality facing thousands of young Australians |url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/interest-rates/unfair-reality-facing-thousands-of-young-australians/news-story/87c50e3bf9edefbdccd7b34966bd3dbf |work=News.com.au |date=1 January 2025}}</ref> Overall migration was 739,000 in 2022-23.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chung |first1=Frank |title=Australia adds 446,000 net overseas migrants in 2023–24 |url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/australia-adds-446000-net-overseas-migrants-in-202324/news-story/78467999ae09bd21b58ab1721ccfd7e8 |work=News.com.au |date=13 December 2024}}</ref> Net permanent and long-term arrivals in 2023 were 447,790, the highest on record.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sarwal |first1=Amit |title=One million long-term arrivals entered Australia in 2023, is that sustainable? |url=https://www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/one-million-long-term-arrivals-entered-australia-in-2023-is-that-sustainable/ |work=The Australia Today |date=18 February 2024}}</ref> Most immigrants are skilled,<ref name="immig">{{cite web |url=http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/20planning.htm |title=Fact Sheet 20 – Migration Program Planning Levels |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=11 August 2009 |publisher=Department of Immigration and Citizenship |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507054151/http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/20planning.htm |archive-date=7 May 2010 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> but the immigration quota includes categories for family members and [[refugee]]s.<ref name="immig"/>

The following table shows Australia's population by country of birth as estimated by the [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] in 2025. It shows only countries or regions or birth with a population of over 100,000 residing in Australia.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:right"
|-
! scope="col" colspan="2" | Source: [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] (2025)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/migration-australia/2019-20/34120DO005_201920.xls|title=Table 5.1 Estimated resident population, by country of birth(a), Australia, as at 30 June, 1996 to 2025(b)(c)|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=30 April 2025}}</ref>
|-
! scope="col" | Place of birth
! scope="col" | Estimated resident population{{efn-ua|Only countries with 100,000 or more are listed here.}}
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| ''Total [[Australia|Australian-born]]''
| ''18,779,950''
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| ''Total [[immigration to Australia|foreign-born]]''
| ''8,833,710''
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|India}} [[Indian Australians|India]]
| 971,020
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|England}} [[English Australians|England]]{{efn-ua|name=uk|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.}}
| 970,950
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|China}} [[Chinese Australians|China]]{{efn-ua|name=cn|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.}}
| 731,540
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[New Zealand Australians|New Zealand]]
| 637,680
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Philippines}} [[Filipino Australians|Philippines]]
| 412,530
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Vietnam}} [[Vietnamese Australians|Vietnam]]
| 326,630
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|South Africa}} [[South African Australians|South Africa]]
| 229,950
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Nepal}} [[Nepalese Australians|Nepal]]
| 213,580
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Sri Lanka}} [[Sri Lankan Australians|Sri Lanka]]
| 184,800
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Malaysia}} [[Malaysian Australians|Malaysia]]
| 184,320
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Italian Australians|Italy]]
| 152,560
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Pakistani Australians|Pakistan]]
| 143,920
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Indonesian Australians|Indonesia]]
| 128,140
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Hong Kong}} [[Hong Kong Australians|Hong Kong]]{{efn-ua|name=cn}}
| 128,040
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Scottish Australians|Scotland]]
| 125,690
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|United States}} [[American Australians|United States]]
| 122,030
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Korean Australians|South Korea]]
| 121,660
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Thailand}} [[Thai Australians|Thailand]]
| 115,250
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Iraq}} [[Iraqi Australians|Iraq]]
| 111,880
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Irish Australians|Ireland]]
| 105,620
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|Germany}} [[German Australians|Germany]]
| 101,400
|}
{{notelist-ua}}

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.

===Quarterly migration data, 2013-present===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! 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
|-
| Dec-2023 || 740.90 || -205.91 || 534.99
|-
| Mar-2024 || 714.16 || -211.19 || 502.97
|-
| Jun-2024 || 666.81 || -221.17 || 445.64
|-
| Sep-2024 || 615.33 || -250.51 || 364.82
|-
| Dec-2024 || 593.54 || -263.61 || 329.94
|-
| Mar-2025 || 578.71 || -267.44 || 311.27
|-
| Jun-2025 || 568.37 || -262.80 || 305.57
|}

==Language==
{{Main|Languages of Australia}}

[[File:Rate in which the English language is spoken at home in Australia - 2016.png|thumb|341x341px|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.<ref name=language>{{cite web|url=http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/multicultural/confer/04/speech18b.htm |title=Pluralist Nations: Pluralist Language Policies? |work=1995 Global Cultural Diversity Conference Proceedings, Sydney |publisher=[[Department of Immigration and Citizenship]] |access-date=11 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220020910/http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/multicultural/confer/04/speech18b.htm |archive-date=20 December 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy|quote=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.}}</ref> [[Australian English]] is a major variety of the language, with a distinctive accent and lexicon,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nma.gov.au/libraries/attachments/exhibitions/vocabulary_of_australian_english/files/5471/Vocabulary%20of%20Australian%20English.pdf |title=The Vocabulary Of Australian English |last=Moore |first=Bruce |publisher=National Museum of Australia |access-date=5 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=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 |archive-date=20 March 2011 |df=dmy}}</ref> and differs slightly from other varieties of English in grammar and spelling.<ref name="Fourth Edition 2005">"The Macquarie Dictionary", Fourth Edition. The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd, 2005.</ref> [[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 language|Arabic]] (1.4%), [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] (1.3%), and [[Cantonese]] (1.2%).<ref name="auto1"/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2011/08/a-mission-to-save-indigenous-languages/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224075354/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2011/08/a-mission-to-save-indigenous-languages/|archive-date=24 December 2013|title=A mission to save indigenous languages|date=19 August 2011 |publisher=Australian Geographic|access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref><ref name=nilsr/> About 110 others are spoken exclusively by older people.<ref name=nilsr>{{cite web|url=http://arts.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/nils-report-2005.pdf |title=National Indigenous Languages Survey Report 2005 |publisher=Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts |access-date=5 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709141342/http://www.arts.gov.au/indigenous/national_indigenous_languages_survey_report_2005 |archive-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4713.0 |title=4713.0 – Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006 |work=Australian Bureau of Statistics |date=4 May 2010 |location=Canberra |access-date=7 December 2010}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia's 2021 Census is the most accessible yet for deaf and vision-impaired people |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australias-2021-census-is-the-most-accessible-yet-for-deaf-and-vision-impaired-people/ge6x05wwd |access-date=1 October 2024 |website=SBS News |date=2 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auslan">{{Cite web |last1= Australia|first1= Deafness Forum|date=29 June 2022 |title=16,000 people use Auslan: Census 2021 |url=https://www.deafnessforum.org.au/census-2021-16000-people-use-auslan/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |website=Deafness Forum Australia |language=}}</ref> According to the census, it is the main language of about 16,000 deaf people.<ref name="auslan"/>

==Religion==
{{Main|Religion in Australia}}

{{Pie chart|thumb=right|caption=Religion in Australia as declared in the 2021 census<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2021/AUS/download/GCP_AUS.xlsx|format=XLSX|title=Australian Bureau of Statistics : 2021 Census of Population and Housing : General Community Profile|website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=2 July 2022}}</ref>
| label1 = [[Christianity]]
| value1 = 43.9
| color1 = DarkBlue
| label2 = [[Irreligion in Australia|No religion]]
| value2  = 38.9
| color2  = Beige
| label3  = [[Islam in Australia|Islam]]
| value3  = 3.2
| color3 = Green
| label4  = [[Hinduism in Australia|Hinduism]]
| value4 = 2.7
| color4 = DarkOrange
| label5 = [[Buddhism in Australia|Buddhism]]
| value5 = 2.4
| color5  = Gold
| label6 = [[Sikhism in Australia|Sikhism]]
| value6 = 0.8
| color6 = Red
| label7 = Other religions
| value7 = 0.9
| color7  = Brown
| label8  = Not stated or unclear
| value8  = 7.2
| color8  = LightGrey
}}

At the 2021 Census, 38.9% of the population identified as having [[Irreligion in Australia|"no religion"]],<ref name=":02"/> up from 15.5% in 2001.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2001/0 | title=2001 Australia, Census All persons QuickStats &#124; Australian Bureau of Statistics }}</ref> The largest religion is [[Christianity]] (43.9% of the population).<ref name=":02"/> The largest Christian denominations are the [[Catholic Church in Australia|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%).<ref name=":02"/>

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

{{blockquote|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.<ref name="pettersson">{{cite book|last1=Pettersson|first1=Thorleif|last2=Esmer|first2=Yilmaz R.|title=Changing Values, Persisting Cultures: Case Studies in Value Change|date=2008|publisher=Brill|page=21|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SdhvC4RUDe0C&q=australia+historically+protestant&pg=PA21|isbn=978-9004162341}}</ref><ref name="auspolifacts">{{cite book|title=Australian Political Facts|date=1990|publisher=Longman Cheshire|page=122|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ro-6AAAAIAAJ&q=australia+historically+protestant|isbn=9780582712584}}</ref> Catholics first outnumbered Anglicans in the 1986 census.<ref>Australian Bureau of Statistics, "[https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/10072ec3ffc4f7b4ca2570ec00787c40!OpenDocument Special Feature: Trends in religious affiliation]", 4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 1994</ref> 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.<ref name="ReligionInAustralia">{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Religion%20Data%20Summary~70|title=Religion in Australia, 2016|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=28 June 2017|access-date=31 January 2018}}</ref> In all censuses since 1991, the percentage of Christians has been steadily decreasing, while the percentage of non-religious has been increasing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 June 2022 |title=Churches are increasingly empty as more Australians spurn religion |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-28/census-2021-data-shows-a-changed-australia/101177152 |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>

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 1.3 million, or about 4.6% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Church Pulse Check 2021 to 2024 |url=https://shop.ncls.org.au/products/church-pulse-check-2021-to-2024 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=NCLS Research |language=en}}</ref> Christian charitable organisations, hospitals and schools play a prominent role in welfare and education services. The [[:Category:Catholic schools in Australia|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).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/education/schools/latest-release#students | title=Schools, 2022 &#124; Australian Bureau of Statistics | date=15 February 2023 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Religious affiliation in Australia
|-
! rowspan="2" | Religion !! colspan="2" | 2006 !! colspan="2" | 2011 !! colspan="2" | 2016 !! colspan="2" | 2021
|-
! ('000) !! (%) !! ('000) !! (%) !! ('000) !! (%) !! ('000) !! (%)
|-
| Christian || align="right" | 12,685 || align="right" | 63.9 || align="right" | 13,149.3 || align="right" | 61.1 || align="right" | 12,201.6 || align="right" | 52.1 || align="right" | 11,148.8 || align="right" | 43.9
|-
| No religion || align="right" | 3,706.8 || align="right" | 18.7 || align="right" | 4,804.6 || align="right" | 22.3 || align="right" | 7,040.7 || align="right" | 30.1 || align="right" | 9,887.0 || align="right" | 38.9
|-
| Islam || align="right" | 340.4 || align="right" | 1.7 || align="right" | 476.3 || align="right" | 2.2 || align="right" | 604.2 || align="right" | 2.6 || align="right" | 813.4 || align="right" | 3.2
|-
| Buddhism || align="right" | 418.8 || align="right" | 2.1 || align="right" | 529.0 || align="right" | 2.5 || align="right" | 563.7 || align="right" | 2.4 || align="right" | 615.8 || align="right" | 2.4
|-
| Hinduism || align="right" | - || align="right" | - || align="right" | 275.5 || align="right" | 1.3 || align="right" | 440.3 || align="right" | 1.9 || align="right" | 684.0 || align="right" | 2.7
|-
| Sikhism || align="right" | - || align="right" | - || align="right" | 72.3 || align="right" | 0.3 || align="right" | 125.9 || align="right" | 0.5 || align="right" | 210.4 || align="right" | 0.8
|-
| Other || align="right" | 133.8 || align="right" | 0.5 || align="right" | 193.2 || align="right" | 0.9 || align="right" | 186.7 || align="right" | 0.8 || align="right" | 215.0 || align="right" | 0.8
|-
| Not stated || align="right" | 224.0 || align="right" | 11.2 || align="right" | 235.8 || align="right" | 1.1 || align="right" | 237.8 || align="right" | 1.0 || align="right" | 237.4 || align="right" | 1.0
|-
| Total population ('000) || align="right" | 21,507.7 || align="right" | - || align="right" | 21,507.7 || align="right" | - || align="right" | 23,401.9 || align="right" | - || align="right" | 25,422.8 || align="right" | -
|}

==Economics==
{{see also|Median household income in Australia and New Zealand}}
[[File:Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 0115 Median total household income weekly.svg|thumb|Median weekly total household income by Statistical Local Area in the 2011 census]]
In trend terms, in April 2025, the Australian labour force consisted of 14,622,100 people, representing a seasonal employment rate of 64.4%; on the same time, unemployment and [[underemployment]] rates remained at 4.1% and 6.0% respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release#unemployment|title=Labour Force, Australia, April 2025|website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref> At the 2021 census, the national median weekly [[personal income]] across Australia was $789, and the median weekly [[Disposable household and per capita income|household income]] was $1,770. More than half of people had employee wages and salary as their main source of income (56.4% or more than 10.5 million people). Government benefits and allowances were the main source of income for 23.4% or 4.4 million people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/new-census-insights-income-australia-using-administrative-data#main-source-of-income|title=New Census insights on income in Australia using administrative data|website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=5 February 2023 |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Ageing of Australia]]
* [[Health care in Australia]]
* [[History of public health in Australia]]
* [[Homelessness in Australia]]
* [[White Australia Policy]]
* [[List of cities in Australia]]
* [[Demographics of Sydney]]
* [[Demographics of Melbourne]]
* [[Demographics of Brisbane]]
* [[Demographics of Canberra]]
* [[European Australians]]
* [[Asian Australians]]
* [[Aboriginal Australians]]
* [[Religion in Australia]]
}}

==Notes==
{{notelist-ua}}
{{reflist|group=N}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
; General references
{{refbegin}}
* {{CIA World Factbook|year=2006}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* Jupp, James. ''The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, its People and their Origins'' (2002)
* O'Farrell, Patrick. ''The Irish in Australia: 1798 to the Present Day'' (3rd ed. Cork University Press, 2001)
* Wells, Andrew, and Theresa Martinez, eds. ''Australia's Diverse Peoples: A Reference Sourcebook'' (ABC-CLIO, 2004)

==External links==
{{commons category|Demographics of Australia}}
* [http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/24E36F628AD35006CA25773700169C5C?opendocument Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) ''Year Book Australia, 2009–10'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160206133316/http://arrow.monash.edu.au/vital/access/services/Download/monash%3A63895/DOC Australian population: ethnic origins (DOC)]
* [https://archive.today/20150404121423/http://itbulk.org/population/population-by-country/ Build Australian population graph 1960 – 2013 (World Bank data)]
* [https://archive.today/20150220095949/http://itbulk.org/population/population-projection-by-country/ Build Australian population projection graph till 2100 (United Nation data)]
* [https://archive.today/20150404121433/http://itbulk.org/population/life-expectancy-by-country/ Build Australian life expectancy at birth graph 1950 – 2013 (United Nation data)]
* [https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument Australia's population clock]

{{Oceania topic|Demographics of}}
{{Australia topics}}
{{Ancestry of Australians}}
{{ethnicity}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of Australia}}
[[Category:Demographics of Australia| ]]