Lyla Lindsey
Australia, a country in Oceania, has a population of around 27 million people, making it the 55th largest country in the world. The population has grown from 3.8 million in 1901 to 25.7 million in 2021, with an annual growth rate of 1.7% in 2023. The population density is low compared to other countries, with an average of 3.6 persons per square kilometre, and the median age is 38.3 years. Australia's population is diverse, with a significant proportion of Indigenous Australians and a large number of immigrants from various countries, contributing to a broad spectrum of cultures.
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Population growth
Australia's population has grown significantly since British colonisation in 1788, when it was estimated to be between 300,000 and 2,400,000 Indigenous Australians. By 1901, the population had grown to 3.8 million, and by 2021, it had reached 25.7 million. The population growth rate has been declining since the 1970s, but Australia's population is projected to continue growing. The country's population in 2022 was estimated to be 26 million, and it is projected to reach between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071.
Several factors have contributed to Australia's population growth over the years. One of the most significant factors has been immigration. Since World War II, nearly 6 million immigrants have come to Australia, accounting for a substantial portion of the population. In recent years, the most common immigration sources have been the United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, India, and Vietnam. Immigration has not only contributed to population growth but has also transformed the cultural landscape of the country, shifting it from a predominantly Anglo-Celtic orientation towards a broader spectrum of cultures.
Another factor influencing population growth is fertility rates. While fertility rates have been declining in Australia, with the total fertility rate in 2023 at 1.50 births per woman, the fertility rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have remained above replacement levels. In 2023, their fertility rate was 2.17 births per woman. Additionally, life expectancy in Australia has increased significantly over the years, contributing to population growth. In the early 1900s, life expectancy at birth was approximately 17 years lower than it is today.
The population growth in Australia has resulted in an increase in urbanisation. In 1911, 58% of the population lived in urban areas, compared to 90% in 2021. This has made Australia one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with 86.51% of the population living in urban areas as of 2025. The median age in Australia is also increasing, projected to rise from 38.5 years in 2022 to between 43.8 and 47.6 years by 2071.
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Population density
Australia's population density is low compared to other countries. As of June 2024, the population density was 3.5 people per square kilometre. This makes Australia the third least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia. The population density varies across the country, with higher densities in urban areas. For example, in June 2024, the highest density was recorded in Kingston and Braddon, in the Australian Capital Territory, with 5,200 people per square kilometre. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, and Adelaide also have high-density areas.
The low population density of Australia is due to several factors. Firstly, the country has a large land area of 7,682,300 square kilometres, which is mostly semi-arid or desert. This geography makes much of the interior of the country uninhabitable. Secondly, urbanisation has played a role, with 86.51% of the population living in urban areas as of 2025. This makes Australia one of the most urbanised countries in the world. The population is concentrated mainly in a handful of urban areas, particularly on the Eastern, South Eastern, and Southern seaboards.
The population density of Australia has been changing over time. In 2022, the population density was reported as 3.4 people per square kilometre. In 2021, the urban population was recorded as 90% of the total population, up from 58% in 1911. The crude birth rate has also been declining, falling from 14.9 births per 1,000 population in 1901 to 6.4 births per 1,000 population in 2006. The fertility rate has decreased from 3.1 births per woman in 1921 to 1.5 in 2022, and 1.7 in 2021.
The population of Australia is expected to continue growing. The number of households is projected to increase from 10 million in 2021 to between 13.3 and 13.9 million in 2046. The population in 2022 was around 26 million and 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 it is projected to decline to between 0.2% and 0.9%. The population growth is driven by overseas migration and natural increase, with the capitals growing by 427,800 people (2.4%) in 2023-24 due to these factors.
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Indigenous population
The Indigenous population of Australia is made up of Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. Estimates of the Indigenous population before European settlement range from 300,000 to one million, with some archaeological finds indicating a maximum population of around 750,000. At the time of British colonisation in 1788, the Indigenous population was estimated to be between 300,000 and 2,400,000.
In recent decades, the Indigenous population of Australia has been increasing. In 2001, Indigenous Australians made up 2.4% of the total population, and by 2021, this had increased to 3.8%. As of 30 June 2021, there were an estimated 984,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, representing 3.8% of the total Australian population. This was an increase of 23% from the 30 June 2016 estimate of 798,400. The 2021 Census counted 25,422,788 people in Australia (excluding overseas visitors), meaning that Indigenous Australians made up around 3.8% of the total population.
The Indigenous population of Australia has a younger age structure than the non-Indigenous population, with larger proportions of young people and smaller proportions of older people. The median age of the Indigenous population is 24.0 years, compared to 38.5 years for the non-Indigenous population. One-third (33.1%) of Indigenous Australians are under 15 years of age, compared to 17.9% of non-Indigenous people in the same age group. People aged 65 and over comprise 5.4% of the Indigenous population, compared to 17.2% of the non-Indigenous population. The Indigenous population also has a higher birth rate and a lower life expectancy than the non-Indigenous population.
Geographically, 62% of the Indigenous population live outside of Australia's major cities, with 12% living in areas classified as very remote. The proportion of the total population who are Indigenous increases with remoteness, from 1.8% to 2.2% in major cities to 30% to 32% in remote and very remote areas. The Indigenous Regions (IREGs) with the largest Indigenous populations are the Central and North Coast of New South Wales (116,100 people), followed by Cape York and Torres Strait (10,900 people).
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Immigration
Australia has one of the highest immigration rates in the world, with immigrants accounting for 30% of the population, the highest proportion among major Western nations. In 2020, 29.1% of the Australian resident population, or 7,502,000 people, were born overseas. This figure rose to 8.6 million in 2024, when the proportion of Australia's population born outside Australia was 31.5%. Australia has experienced successive waves of immigration over the past few centuries, with each wave characterised by a different predominant country or region of origin.
Between 1788 and the mid-20th century, the vast majority of immigrants came from Britain and Ireland, with significant immigration from China and Germany during the 19th century. The Gold Rush beginning in 1851 led to an enormous expansion in population, including large numbers of British and Irish settlers, followed by smaller numbers of Germans, other Europeans, and Chinese. The latter group faced increasing restrictions and discrimination, making it difficult for many to remain in the country.
After World War II, Australia launched a massive immigration program, believing that having narrowly avoided a Japanese invasion, the country must "populate or perish". Hundreds of thousands of displaced Europeans migrated to Australia, including over 1,000,000 British subjects under the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, known colloquially as Ten Pound Poms. The scheme initially targeted citizens of all Commonwealth countries and was gradually extended to other countries.
In the decades immediately following World War II, Australia received a large wave of immigration from across Europe, with many more immigrants arriving from 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, and there has been a large and continuing wave of immigration from across the world, with Asia being the largest source of immigrants in the 21st century.
Australia has a range of visa categories for immigration, including skilled occupation visas, student visas, and visas for asylum seekers. Skilled occupation visas are most commonly granted to highly skilled workers, who are assessed against a points-based system, and are often sponsored by individual states or Australian businesses. The Australian government actively encourages foreign students to study in Australia, offering a number of categories of student visas, most of which require a confirmed offer from an educational institution.
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Religion
Australia is a secular country with a diverse migrant population and over 120 faiths. While it is a secular state, Australia does not have a constitutional separation of church and state. The country has a high degree of religious freedom and diversity. Religious institutions continue to play a large role in Australian society, with many primary and secondary schools, hospitals, aged-care facilities, and charity organizations owned and funded by religious organizations.
Christianity is the largest religion in Australia, with a total of 43.9% of the Australian population identifying with a Christian denomination in the 2021 census. The religion was introduced by British settlers at the time of colonization in 1788. The Christian footprint in Australian society and culture remains broad, particularly in areas of social welfare and education provision, and in the marking of festivals such as Easter and Christmas. The Catholic Church (20%) and Anglican Church (9.8%) were the two largest Christian denominations identified in 2021.
Islam is the largest non-Christian religion, with followers comprising 3.2% of the total population. Followers of Hinduism, the second-largest non-Christian religion, make up about 2.7% of the total population. About 2.4% of Australians follow Buddhism, and less than 1% of the total population follow Sikhism and Judaism, respectively.
There has been a steady decline in the proportion of Australians who reported an affiliation with Christianity over the past 50 years. The same period has seen a consistent rise in other religions and no religion, particularly in the last 20 years. The fastest-growing religious affiliation in Australia is 'no religion', with 38.9% of the population nominating this category in the 2021 census. This constitutes multiple subcategories such as atheism, agnosticism, and other spiritual beliefs. The younger age groups of people in Australia are more likely to have no religious affiliation or hold other spiritual or secular beliefs.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been affiliated with various religions. However, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the concept of 'spirituality' refers to a more holistic view of life – in particular, one's link with the land, sea, and air. In the 2021 census, only 0.03% of Australians identified as practicing an 'Australian Aboriginal traditional religion', with approximately 1.4% of people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander also identifying their religion as 'Australian Aboriginal traditional religion'.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2025, Australia's population is estimated to be between 26 million and 27 million.
Australia's population density is 3.6 persons per square kilometre of total land area, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.
The median age in Australia is 37 or 38.3 years, depending on the source.
The urban population of Australia is 86.51%, or around 23 million people.
The life expectancy in Australia is around 83 years, one of the highest in the world.
