Lexi Webster
Australia is a country in Oceania, known for its unique plant and animal life, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Outback. It is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries in the world, with a land area of 7,682,300 square kilometres. As of 2022, Australia's population was around 26 million people, with a median age of 38.5 years and a life expectancy of 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females. The population is projected to reach between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071. Australia is highly urbanised, with 86.51% of its population living in urban areas, particularly along the coastlines. Sydney and Melbourne are the country's most significant economic and cultural centres, while Canberra is the capital.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population | 27 million (2025) / 26 million (2022) |
| Global Rank | 55 |
| Population Density | 4 per Km² (9 per square mile) |
| Total Land Area | 7,682,300 Km² (2,966,151 square miles) |
| Urban Population | 86.51% (23,335,357 people in 2025) |
| Median Age | 38.3 years |
| Life Expectancy (2021-2023) | 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females |
| Indigenous Population | Between 315,000 and 1,100,000 (historical estimates) |
| Fertility Rate (Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander women) | 2.17 births per woman |
| Ancestry | 25.4% Australian, 25.9% English, 7.5% Irish, 6.4% Scottish, 3.3% Italian (as per 2011 census) |
| Religion | 30.1% non-religious, 22.6% Catholic, 13.3% Anglican Christian, 3.7% Uniting Church, 2.6% general Christian, 2.6% Islam, 2.4% Buddhist, 2.3% Presbyterian, 2.1% Eastern Orthodox, 1.9% Hinduism, 1.5% Baptist, 1.1% Pentecostal, 0.7% Lutheran, 0.5% Sikh, 0.5% other Protestant, 0.4% Judaism, 0.4% Jehovah's Witnesses, 0.3% Seventh Day Adventists, 0.3% Latter-Day Saints, 0.2% Oriental Orthodox |
| Economy | Advanced, with strong mining and service sectors |
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What You'll Learn
Population density
Australia's population density is low compared to other countries. As of June 2022, the population density of Australia was reported as 3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi). This makes Australia the third least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia. The country's average population density is 3.6 persons per square kilometre of total land area, though one source gives the figure of 4 per Km² (9 people per sq mi).
The population of Australia is estimated to be 27,923,100 as of 11 July 2025. It is the 54th or 55th most populous country in the world and the most populous Oceanian 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. 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 numerous waves of immigration during the period since.
The population density of Australia has been steadily increasing over the past few years. Australia's population density for 2021 was 3.34, a 0.14% increase from 2020. The population density for 2020 was 3.33, a 1.24% increase from 2019. The population density for 2019 was 3.29, a 1.49% increase from 2018.
Most of Australia's population lives close to coastlines, with 86.51% of the population living in urban areas in 2025. Australia contains five cities (including their suburbs) that consist of over one million people. The country is one of the most urbanised in the world, with 89% of its population living in a handful of urban areas.
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Indigenous population
Australia's Indigenous population is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As of 30 June 2021, there were 983,700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This represents 3.8% of the total Australian population. The Indigenous population has a younger age structure than the non-Indigenous population, with a median age of 24 years. One-third (33.1%) of Indigenous Australians were under 15 years of age, compared to 17.9% of non-Indigenous people in the same age group.
The Indigenous population is concentrated in specific regions of Australia. Almost two-thirds of Indigenous people live in Australia's eastern states, particularly New South Wales and Queensland, which together account for 74.5% of the Indigenous population. The Northern Territory has a significant Indigenous population as well, with 61,115 people, representing 26.3% of the territory's total population. The Australian Capital Territory, on the other hand, has the smallest proportion of Indigenous people, at 1.0%.
While it is often assumed that most Indigenous Australians live in remote desert regions, this is not the case. Only a minority, around one in five, reside in remote areas. Indigenous Australians are more likely to live in remote and very remote regions compared to non-Indigenous people, and their outcomes tend to worsen with increasing remoteness. However, Indigenous disadvantage is not limited to remote communities.
The Indigenous population has a unique cultural heritage that is integral to their identity. Cultural factors such as connection to community, land, and spirituality play a crucial role in the social and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. Language is also an important aspect of their culture, with almost one in ten Indigenous people speaking an Indigenous language at home, and over 150 different Indigenous languages being spoken across the country.
The Indigenous population has experienced significant changes over time. The earliest accepted timeline for the first arrivals of Indigenous Australians to the continent dates back at least 40,000 years. When Captain James Cook claimed the east coast for Great Britain in 1770, the indigenous population was estimated to be between 315,000 and 1,100,000, consisting of numerous tribes speaking diverse languages. Since then, the proportion of Indigenous people in Australia has fluctuated, increasing from 2.4% in 2001 to 3.8% in the 2021 Census.
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Population growth
Australia's population in 2022 is around 26 million. It is projected to reach between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071. The current ten-year average annual growth rate is 1.4%, but this is expected to decline to between 0.2% and 0.9%. The median age of the population is 38.5 years, but this is projected to increase to between 43.8 and 47.6 years. The population is expected to exceed 30 million by 2029.
The fertility rate, or the total fertility rate (TFR), is another factor influencing population growth. The TFR is expressed as the number of children per woman. In recent years, Australia has experienced a decline in fertility rates, falling below the replacement rate of 2.1. This has contributed to an aging population, with an increasing median age.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Northern Territory recorded the highest net undercount of population (-6.0%), while the Australian Capital Territory recorded a net overcount (0.6%). Males were more likely to be missed in the census (1.3% net undercount) compared to females (0.2%). The net undercount for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was 17.4%. Capital cities experienced a net loss of 11,800 people due to internal migration, the largest quarterly net loss on record.
The population density in Australia is low compared to other countries, ranging from 3.4 to 4 people per square kilometre. This is due to the country's large land area of 7,682,300 square kilometres and the concentration of the population in urban areas, particularly on the eastern, southeastern, and southern seaboards.
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Fertility rate
Australia's fertility rate is at a record low of 1.5 babies per woman as of 2023, according to Australian National University demographer Liz Allen. This figure represents a slow decline from 1.86 in 1993. The fertility rate for women aged 40 to 44 years has almost doubled over the past 30 years, while the fertility rate for women aged 15 to 19 has fallen by more than two-thirds. Women aged 30 to 34 years have the highest age-specific fertility rate, with 105.2 babies per 1,000 women.
The total fertility rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women was 2.17 births per woman in 2023, an increase of 349 babies from 2022. This represents 8.6% of all births registered in 2023.
The low fertility rate has severe consequences for Australia's economic future, as fewer new babies hamper economic growth, which then leads people to have even fewer babies. Experts say younger Australians are increasingly concerned about their economic security and climate change, which influences their family planning decisions.
Australia has bounced back from low fertility rates before, and demographers say the nation can do it again. However, Dr Allen believes that the country is reaching the point of no return, and that achieving a stable population will be challenging.
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Life expectancy
Australia's population in 2022 was 26 million, with projections of reaching between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071. The median age is 38.3 years, with a life expectancy at birth of 84.06 years in 2024. This represents a 1.22% increase from 2023, when life expectancy was 83.05 years. In 2021-2023, life expectancy at birth was 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females, a slight decrease from the previous year. The gap between male and female life expectancy has narrowed over time, from 5.9 years in 1993 to 4.0 years in 2021.
The crude death rate in Australia has decreased significantly since 1901, falling from 12.2 deaths per 1,000 population to 6.4 deaths per 1,000 population in 2006. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted mortality patterns, with a notable increase in deaths between 2021 and 2022, nearly half of which were due to COVID-19. Despite this, the death rate in 2022 was still lower than pre-pandemic levels.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2025, Australia's population is around 27 million, making it the 55th largest country in the world.
Australia's population density is 4 per Km² (9 people per square mile). 86.51% of the population is urban.
The median age in Australia is 38.3 years.
