Lexi Webster
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with a highly urbanised population of almost 28 million people. The country is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with a median age of 38.3 years in 2025, and more than half of the population aged 35 or older. Australia has one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world, with 31% of its residents born overseas as of 2023, and a large number of international students, who make up one of the country's largest exports. The population is expected to continue growing, albeit at a slower rate, with net overseas migration projected to decline.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population | 26 million (2022) |
| Population projection for 2071 | 34.3 million to 45.9 million |
| Population growth rate | 1.4% |
| Median age | 38.5 years (2022) |
| Average age | 39 years (2021) |
| Life expectancy | 83.2 years (2015-2017); 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females (2021-2023) |
| Fertility rate | 1.5 births per woman (2023) |
| Population born overseas | 31% (2023) |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population | 984,000 (2021) |
| Religious affiliation | No official religion; largest group is "no religion" |
| Student population | 812,000 international students (2019) |
| Population density | 3.4/km2 (2022); 4/km2 (2025) |
| Urban population | 86.5% (2025) |
| Capital | Canberra |
| Most populous cities | Sydney and Melbourne (over 5 million each) |
| GDP | N/A |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Population growth and composition
Australia's population has grown from 3.8 million in 1901 to 25.7 million in 2021, with an estimated population of 26 million in 2022. The population is projected to reach between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071. The current ten-year average annual growth rate is 1.4%, which is expected to decline to between 0.2% and 0.9%. The population growth rate has been similar to that of New Zealand and Canada, with all three countries experiencing sharp declines during the COVID-19 pandemic due to international travel restrictions. However, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada reopened their borders in 2021-22, recording their highest population growth rates in decades.
The median age in Australia is 38.3 years as of 2025, with a median age of 37 years for males and 39 years for females in 2021. The median age for capital cities is 37.0 years, while the rest of Australia has a median age of 41.9 years. The average age of the population was 39 years in 2021. The population is ageing, with the median age projected to increase to between 43.8 and 47.6 years by 2071. This is due to a decreasing fertility rate, which has fallen from 3.1 births per woman in 1921 to 1.7 in 2021, and below the replacement-level fertility of 2.1. For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women, the total fertility rate was 2.17 births per woman. People aged 30-39 now represent the largest age group in Australia.
Australia is highly urbanised, with 89% of its population living in urban areas, making it one of the world's most urbanised countries. In 2025, 86.5% of the population was urban, with 23,335,357 people living in urban areas. The majority of the population lives near coastlines, with five cities (including their suburbs) having populations larger than one million people. Sydney and Melbourne are the most populous cities, both with over five million people. The capitals grew by 427,800 people (2.4%) in 2023-24, with Melbourne experiencing the largest increase of 142,600 people and Perth having the highest growth rate of 3.1%.
Australia has one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world, with 31.5% of its residents born overseas as of 2023. This proportion has increased by 8 percentage points over the past 30 years. The countries of birth with the largest populations in Australia are England, India, China, and New Zealand. Those born in India have recorded the largest increase since 2014. In 2021, almost half (48%) of Australians had at least one parent born overseas. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) population was 984,000 in 2021, representing 3.8% of the total population.
Nordstrom Rack: Shipping Options for Australians
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Fertility rates
Australia's fertility rate has been declining over the years. The total fertility rate for all Australian women was 1.5 births per woman, while the fertility rate for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women was 2.17 births per woman, according to the most recent data from 2023. This is a significant decrease from 1921, when the fertility rate was 3.1 births per woman.
The total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the replacement-level fertility, which is the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without requiring international immigration. A value below 2.1 will lead to a decline in the native population. Australia's fertility rate of 1.5 is, therefore, contributing to an aging population.
The median age in Australia has been increasing and was 38.3 years in 2025, up from 38.5 years in 2022. The median age in capital cities is lower than in the rest of Australia, with Darwin having the lowest median age of 34.6 years, while Adelaide is the oldest at 39.2 years. The median age of the overall population is projected to increase further to between 43.8 and 47.6 years by 2071.
Australia's population growth has been influenced by immigration, with a large wave of non-European immigration, mostly from Asia, following the abolition of the White Australia policy in 1973. In 2023, 31% of people in Australia were born overseas, and almost half (48%) of Australians have at least one parent born overseas. The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted population growth, with international travel restrictions and a decline in net overseas migration. Despite this, Australia's population growth rate has been similar to that of New Zealand and Canada, and the population is projected to reach between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071.
Exploring Darwin to Bali: The Distance Travellers
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$42.48 $89.95
$5.95 $9.99
Life expectancy
The median age in Australia is 38.3 years as of 2025, with a median age of 37 years for males and 39 years for females. Australia's population is projected to increase from 26 million in 2022 to between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071, and the median age is expected to rise to between 43.8 and 47.6 years.
FedEx Shipping: Australia-Wide Service?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Religious demographics
Australia is a secular country with a high degree of religious freedom and a diverse migrant population. It has over 120 faiths, but has traditionally been a majority Christian country. However, this dominant Christian identity appears to be shifting. In the 2021 census, just under half of all Australians identified with a Christian faith, which was around 8% less than the share of Christians just five years earlier.
Christianity was introduced to Australia by the first British settlers in the late 18th century. The Church of England (also known as the Anglican Church) held a religious monopoly over the country. Eventually, other Christian denominations emerged, particularly the Catholic Church, which became the largest single religious group. The Catholic Church benefited from post-war multicultural immigration, among other factors. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and other congregations associated with non-British cultures have also expanded.
The 2021 census revealed increasing diversity in the religions Australians identified, reflecting continuing changes in social attitudes and belief systems. Almost 10 million Australians reported having no religion, an increase of almost 2 million people from the previous census. This is a growing trend, as is the increase in the number of followers of most other large world religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. Hinduism is one of the fastest-growing religions in Australia, with a 12% growth rate per year since 2011. The number of Muslims across all age groups in Australia has also risen significantly since the previous national census.
The increase in Islamic and Hindu affiliations can largely be attributed to recent migration. Almost 126,000 people who arrived in Australia between 2016 and 2021 affiliated with Islam, with Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh as their main countries of birth. Similarly, of the migrants who arrived in Australia between 2016 and 2021, there were 210,500 who were affiliated with Hinduism, with 91.9% born in India and Nepal.
Cody Simpson's Olympic Dreams: Did He Make the Australian Team?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$14.66 $35
Urbanisation
Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world. As of 2025, 86.5% of the population of Australia is urban, which equates to around 23,335,357 people. This is a notable increase from 2021, when the urban population was 90% of the total population, and in 1911, when it was 58%. In fact, since the 1960s, Australia's urbanisation rate has consistently been above 80%.
The high rates of urbanisation in Australia are due to a number of factors, including the country's semi-arid and desert geography, which means that much of the interior of the country is uninhabitable. In addition, 87% of the population lives within 50 kilometres of the coast, and Australia's five largest cities, including their suburbs, consist of over one million people. As a result, the population density in Australia is very low, at 4 people per square kilometre, or 9 people per square mile, making it the third least densely populated country in the world.
The two largest cities in Australia are Sydney and Melbourne, which, as of 2016, were home to 40% of the population. The capitals grew by 427,800 people (2.4%) in 2023-24, with Melbourne seeing the largest increase of 142,600 people, and Perth experiencing the highest growth rate of 3.1%. The median age in capital cities is 37 years, lower than the rest of Australia, which has a median age of 38.3 years.
The high rates of urbanisation in Australia are also influenced by immigration. As of 2020, 29.8% of Australia's population was born overseas, and in 2023, the proportion of the population born outside Australia was 31.5%. The largest increases in overseas-born populations have been from India, followed by England, China and New Zealand.
Standard Car Parking Spaces in Australia: How Big?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Australia's population was 26 million in 2022 and is projected to reach between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071.
Australia is the third least densely populated country in the world, with a population density of 3.4/km2 in 2022, increasing to 4/km2 in 2025.
The median age in Australia was 38.5 years in 2022, increasing to 38.3 years in 2025.
The life expectancy in Australia was 83.2 years between 2015 and 2017. It decreased to 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females in 2021-2023.
