Lyla Lindsey
Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with over two-thirds (69%) of its population living in major cities. However, around 7 million people (28%) live in rural and remote areas, facing unique challenges due to their geographic isolation. This includes poorer health outcomes, with higher hospitalisation and injury rates, and reduced access to healthcare services. Remote areas have a higher proportion of Indigenous Australians, who experience greater deprivation and a more pronounced gap in income and employment rates compared to non-Indigenous Australians. These disparities are particularly evident in very remote locations, where Indigenous people comprise a significant percentage of the population. While families in remote regions differ in certain ways from those in cities, remoteness also impacts the daily lives of children, influencing their time spent outdoors and participation in extracurricular activities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total population of Australia | N/A |
| Percentage of Australians living in rural and remote areas | 28% (7 million people) |
| Percentage of Australians living in major cities | 69% |
| Percentage of Australians living in inner regional areas | 20% |
| Percentage of Australians living in outer regional areas | 9% |
| Percentage of Australians living in remote or very remote areas | 2.3% (1.5% remote and 0.8% very remote) |
| Number of Indigenous Australians | 864,200 (2020 estimate) |
| Number of Indigenous Australians living in remote and very remote areas | 153,700 (2020 estimate) |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians living in remote locations | 18.2% (2016 census) |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians living in very remote locations | 47.2% (2016 census) |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians in the population of major cities | 1% |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians in the population of inner regional areas | 3% |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians in the population of outer regional areas | 6% |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians in the population of remote areas | 15% |
| Percentage of Indigenous Australians in the population of very remote areas | 49% |
| Most common religion in very remote areas | Christianity (36.7%) |
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What You'll Learn
- Remote areas are home to 28% of Australians, with 75% of landmass considered very remote
- Remote Australians face poorer health outcomes, with higher hospitalisation and injury rates
- Indigenous Australians are more likely to live in remote areas, with 49% in very remote areas
- Remote areas have lower cancer screening participation rates and higher incidence rates
- Remote Australians are younger, with major cities home to the highest proportion of older Australians
Remote areas are home to 28% of Australians, with 75% of landmass considered very remote
Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with over two-thirds (69%) of its population living in major cities. However, remote areas are still home to a significant portion of Australians. As of June 2022, around 7 million people, or 28% of the population, live in rural and remote areas. These areas encompass diverse locations and communities and include both regional areas outside major cities and very remote locations. Notably, 75% of Australia's landmass is considered very remote.
The Indigenous population has a much greater concentration in more remote areas. While Indigenous people make up only 2.4% of Australia's total population, they comprise 15% of the population in remote areas and 49% in very remote areas. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), an estimated 153,700 Indigenous Australians lived in remote and very remote areas in 2020, with almost double the number in very remote areas compared to remote areas (95,222 vs. 53,507).
Remote and very remote areas pose unique challenges for their residents due to their geographic location. People in these areas often face poorer health outcomes and have higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths, and injuries. They also have poorer access to and utilisation of primary healthcare services compared to those in major cities. Additionally, educational aspirations and access to services are generally more limited in outer regional areas.
The demographics of remote and very remote areas differ from those of major cities. Residents of remote areas tend to be younger than those in major cities, and Indigenous people are more likely to live in one-parent families in these regions. The old-age dependency ratio is higher in inner regional areas, reflecting a trend for many Australians to leave major cities upon retirement. Families living in remote or very remote areas, often referred to as the "bush," may differ significantly from those in cities in terms of family structure and dynamics.
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Remote Australians face poorer health outcomes, with higher hospitalisation and injury rates
Around 7 million people—or 28% of the Australian population—live in rural and remote areas. These Australians face unique challenges due to their geographic location and often have poorer health outcomes than people living in metropolitan areas.
Data show that people living in rural and remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisations, mortality, and injury and also have poorer access to, and use of, primary health care services than people living in major cities. This is due to multiple factors, including lifestyle differences and a level of disadvantage related to education and employment opportunities, as well as access to health services.
For example, data show that people living in rural and remote areas are more likely to engage in risky behaviours, such as smoking and consuming alcohol at levels that put them at increased risk of alcohol-related diseases or injuries. They also have higher rates of occupational and physical risk, for example, from farming or mining work and transport-related accidents.
The burden of disease increases with remoteness for conditions such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, lung conditions, and suicide and self-inflicted injuries. People living in rural and remote areas are also more likely to die at a younger age than their counterparts in major cities.
Equitable access to primary health care services in rural and remote communities can contribute to reducing rates of preventable diseases and avoidable hospitalisations. This includes ensuring that all Australians have access to core PHC services, regardless of where they live.
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Indigenous Australians are more likely to live in remote areas, with 49% in very remote areas
Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with over two-thirds (69%) of its population living in major cities. However, around 7 million people, or 28% of the population, live in rural and remote areas.
Indigenous Australians are disproportionately represented in these rural and remote areas, with 49% living in very remote areas. This is despite Indigenous people making up only 2.4% of Australia's total population. In major cities, Indigenous people comprise just 1% of the population, while in inner regional areas, they make up 3%, 6% in outer regional areas, and 15% in remote areas.
The higher concentration of Indigenous people in remote and very remote areas has significant implications for access to services and educational opportunities. These areas often have limited access to services, and children in major cities have higher participation rates in extracurricular activities. Additionally, Indigenous people in remote areas face unique health challenges. For example, they are more likely to have diabetes, with a rate of 21% compared to 9.4% in non-remote areas.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has reported on the health and welfare of Indigenous Australians, noting that in 2010-11, average per-person health expenditure for Indigenous people was higher than for non-Indigenous people in each remoteness area. The ratio was highest in remote and very remote areas, with $2.22 spent for Indigenous Australians for every dollar spent for non-Indigenous Australians.
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Remote areas have lower cancer screening participation rates and higher incidence rates
Around 7 million people, or 28% of the Australian population, live in rural and remote areas. These Australians face unique challenges due to their geographic location and often exhibit poorer health outcomes than people living in metropolitan areas. For instance, people in rural and remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths, and injuries, as well as poorer access to and use of primary healthcare services.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report on rural and remote health highlights that the incidence rate of all cancers combined was highest in inner and outer regional areas, slightly lower in major cities and remote areas, and lowest in very remote areas. However, the lower incidence rate in very remote areas may be influenced by factors such as lower population screening participation rates, later detection of cancer, and lower life expectancy.
The challenges faced by those in remote areas contribute to lower cancer screening participation rates. Socioeconomic disadvantages, lower educational attainment, and higher unemployment rates are more prevalent in remote areas, which can limit healthcare-seeking behaviours and health literacy. Additionally, modifiable cancer risk factors like obesity and cigarette smoking are more common in remote areas, further increasing the need for screening.
To address these disparities, multilevel approaches are necessary. Improving access to healthcare services, promoting health literacy, and encouraging early detection through cancer screening initiatives tailored to remote communities can help reduce the cancer burden in these areas.
While the above information focuses on cancer screening and incidence rates, it is worth noting that the Indigenous population of Australia has a much greater concentration in remote areas, with 15% in remote areas and 49% in very remote areas. This demographic distribution has significant implications for government policies and programs, as Indigenous people in remote areas face unique challenges and have diverse healthcare needs.
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Remote Australians are younger, with major cities home to the highest proportion of older Australians
Australia's population is ageing, and the proportion of the population aged 65 and over is increasing. However, this trend is not evenly distributed across the country, with a higher proportion of older people living in inner and outer regional areas compared to major cities.
According to statistics, in 2022, 15.5% of people in major cities were aged 65 years or older, compared to 22.1% in inner regional areas, 14.7% in remote areas, and 10.3% in very remote areas. This data reflects the fact that younger people are more likely to live in and migrate to major cities for education, job opportunities, and access to social activities. The higher old-age dependency ratios in inner regional areas are partly due to retired people moving away from major cities. In contrast, remote and very remote areas attract younger people for employment opportunities, such as those in the mining industry.
The Indigenous population of Australia, which makes up 2.4% of the total population, has a much different geographic distribution. While Indigenous people comprise only 1% of the population in major cities, this increases to 15% in remote areas and 49% in very remote areas. The lower old-age dependency ratios in very remote regions reflect the higher proportion of Indigenous people, who are more likely to live in multi-family households.
Overall, around 7 million people, or 28% of the Australian population, live in rural and remote areas. These Australians face unique challenges due to their geographic location, including poorer health outcomes and limited access to services. The availability of aged care services, for example, differs by remoteness, with most services located in major cities to cater to the higher proportion of older Australians living in these areas.
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Frequently asked questions
Around 7 million people, or 28% of the population, live in rural and remote areas in Australia.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) projected that by 2020, 17.8% of Indigenous people, or 153,700 people, lived in remote or very remote locations.
Almost double the number of Indigenous people live in very remote areas compared to remote areas (53,507 remote vs 95,222 very remote). This equates to 47.2% of people living in very remote locations being Indigenous.
The proportion of the total First Nations population increases with remoteness, from 1.9% in Major cities to 32% in Remote and Very remote areas.
People living in remote areas in Australia face unique challenges due to their geographic location. They often have poorer health outcomes, higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths and injury, and poorer access to primary healthcare services. They also tend to have more limited access to services and educational opportunities.
