
South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of 984,321 square kilometres, it is the fourth-largest state in Australia by area. South Australia is home to 1.8 million people, making it the fifth-largest state in terms of population. The capital, Adelaide, is the main urban centre, with roughly 1.3 million inhabitants, while the second-largest city, Mount Gambier, has fewer than 30,000 residents. The population of South Australia is expected to continue growing, with the state's multicultural diversity reflected in its ancestries, countries of birth, religions, and languages spoken.
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South Australia's population is 1.8 million
South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of 984,321 square kilometres, it is the fourth-largest state in Australia. South Australia's population is 1.8 million, making it the fifth-largest state by population. More than 77% of South Australians live in the capital, Adelaide, or its environs. Adelaide is home to roughly 1.3 million people. The next-largest city, Mount Gambier, has a population of fewer than 30,000 people. Other notable cities in South Australia include Victor Harbor-Goolwa and Whyalla, which are both home to over 20,000 people.
South Australia's population is expected to grow in the coming years. The state has a multicultural population, with almost 430,000 people born overseas, coming from over 214 countries. The population speaks 248 languages and practices 128 religions. The top 10 ancestries in South Australia are English, Scottish, Irish, German, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Dutch, and Vietnamese. The most common languages spoken, other than English, are Mandarin, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Filipino/Tagalog, Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, and Nepali.
The average number of people living in each household in South Australia in 2021 was 2.4, a decrease from 3.3 people in 1971. The majority of households in South Australia in 2021 were family households, at 68.0%, a slight decrease from 68.4% in 2016. The most common type of family in the state was couples with no children, at 41.0%, followed by one-parent families at 16.6%.
South Australia's largest employment sector is healthcare and social assistance, making up 14.8% of the state's total employment. Other major employment sectors include retail (10.7%), education and training (8.6%), manufacturing (8%), and construction (7.6%). As of 2016, South Australia had an unemployment rate of 7.5%, with 746,105 people employed out of a total workforce of 806,593.
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77% of people live in Adelaide
South Australia, a state in the southern central part of Australia, has a population of 1.8 million people. It is the fifth-largest state in Australia by population. Interestingly, more than 77% of South Australians live in the capital, Adelaide, or its surrounding areas. This makes Adelaide the most populous city in South Australia, with roughly 1.3 million residents.
Adelaide's population growth can be attributed to its immigration policies, which encourage people to move to the city. The mining industry also plays a significant role in attracting people to the region. The city has a diverse population, with a substantial foreign-born community of around 30%. Large Italian and Greek communities are present in the eastern and western suburbs, while Vietnamese populations are concentrated in the northwest and northern suburbs.
Adelaide has a total land area of 3,257 square kilometres. The City of Adelaide, with a population of around 23,000, covers an area of 15.57 square kilometres. The metropolitan area of Adelaide, where the majority of its population resides, offers a range of cultural and educational opportunities.
The city is known as the "City of Churches" and features over 760 hectares of Park Lands. It is also a university town, with five university campuses within the city square mile and nearly 30,000 students from around the world. Adelaide's population is expected to continue growing, with projections estimating a population of 1.581 million by June 2025.
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Mount Gambier is the second-largest centre
South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It has a total population of 1.8 million people, with more than 77% of its population living in the capital, Adelaide, and its surrounding areas. Mount Gambier is the second-largest centre in South Australia, with a population of around 25,000 to 30,000 people. It is located on the slopes of a maar volcano, also called Mount Gambier, in the south-east of the state, about 450 kilometres from Adelaide and 17 kilometres from the Victorian border. The city is well-known for its unique geographical features, including its volcanic and limestone characteristics, parks, gardens, caves, and sinkholes.
Mount Gambier's urban area extends along the northern slopes and plain of the volcano, which is part of the Newer Volcanics Province complex. One of the craters contains a lake of high-quality artesian drinking water, which changes colour with the seasons, from steel grey in winter to cobalt blue in summer, earning it the name Blue Lake. The city's primary attraction lies in exploring these lakes and sinkholes, as well as admiring the significant historic buildings. Mount Gambier is also home to the Riddoch Art Gallery, South Australia's major regional art gallery, and the University of South Australia's James Morrison Academy.
The city has a rich history, with the Buandik/Boandik people being the original Aboriginal inhabitants of the area. The area was called 'ereng balam' or 'egree belum' by the Buandik people, which likely meant the home of the eagle hawk. The first European to sight Mount Gambier was Lieutenant James Grant in 1800, who named it Gambier's Mountain after Admiral Lord James Gambier. In 1854, a town was formally established by Hastings Cunningham, who called it Gambierton. The District Council of Mount Gambier held its first meeting in 1863, and the city of Mount Gambier was officially declared in 1954.
Today, Mount Gambier is an important tourism centre and the most significant settlement in the Limestone Coast region. It hosts the annual Generations in Jazz Festival, which attracts nearly 7,000 secondary school musicians. The city also has a major regional hospital, the Mount Gambier Hospital, and a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic offering bulk-billed services. Mount Gambier is characterised by its attractive, historic buildings and unique natural attractions, making it a notable centre in South Australia.
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Christianity is the main religion
South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of 984,321 square kilometres, it is the fourth-largest Australian state or territory by area. South Australia has a population of 1.8 million people, making it the fifth-largest state or territory in Australia by population. More than 77% of South Australians live in the capital, Adelaide, or its environs. Adelaide is home to roughly 1.3 million people, while the state's next-largest city, Mount Gambier, has a population of fewer than 30,000.
Christianity has historically been a significant religion in South Australia and Australia more broadly. The Christian festivals of Easter and Christmas are public holidays in Australia. The Aboriginal peoples of Australia also traditionally followed a set of beliefs known as The Dreaming. Some of the earliest evidence for religious practices among humans has been found in the archaeological record of their spiritual sites. Notable Aboriginal Christians have included Pastor David Unaipon, the first Aboriginal author; Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls, an athlete, activist, and former Governor of South Australia; and former Senator Aden Ridgeway, the first Chairman of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry.
In addition to Western (Roman) Catholic adherents, other Christian denominations in Australia include Anglican, Uniting Church, Eastern Orthodox, Presbyterian, Reformed, Baptist, and Pentecostal. In the 2021 Census, 30% of Australians reported that they were either Anglican or Catholic.
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Household sizes are shrinking
Household sizes in South Australia are shrinking. In 2021, the average number of people living in each household in the state was 2.4, down from 3.3 people in 1971. This decrease in household size is accompanied by a slight decline in the proportion of family households, which made up 68% of households in 2021, compared to 68.4% in 2016.
The most common type of family structure in South Australia is couples without children, accounting for 41% of families in 2021. This is followed by one-parent families, which made up 16.6% of family households in the same year. Notably, the majority of people in South Australia, or 77.6%, use only English at home. This figure has decreased slightly from 78.2% in 2016.
While the average household size has decreased, the overall number of occupied private dwellings in South Australia has increased. In 2021, there were 723,000 occupied private dwellings, up from 674,000 in 2016 and 342,000 in 1971. The majority of people in South Australia continue to live in separate houses, with 78% residing in this type of dwelling in 2021. However, the proportion of people living in flats or apartments has also increased over time, rising from 6.6% in 2016 to 6.8% in 2021.
In terms of home ownership, 68.4% of households in South Australia were homeowners in 2021, a slight increase from 67.5% in 2016. Of these homeowners, 32.8% owned their homes outright, while 35.6% owned their homes with a mortgage. The remaining 27.6% of households rented their dwellings.
South Australia's population is highly centralised, with more than 77% of residents living in the capital, Adelaide, or its surrounding areas. Adelaide is home to approximately 1.3 million people out of the state's total population of around 1.8 million. Mount Gambier, the state's second-largest city, has a population of fewer than 30,000 people.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2024, South Australia has a population of 1.8 million people.
The capital city of South Australia, Adelaide, is home to roughly 1.3 million people.
According to a 2021 statistic, about 18% of South Australians, or about 324,000 people, speak a language other than English at home.
As per a 2021 statistic, the average number of people living in each household in South Australia is 2.4.







































