Tasmania, Australia: Population Insights

what is the population of tasmania australia

Tasmania is an island state of Australia, located 240 kilometres south of the mainland. It is the smallest and least populous state in Australia, with a population of 573,479 as of June 2023. The population has been growing at a slow pace, with a growth rate ranging from 0.13% to 1.08% in the last 13 years. The state's population density is 7.24 people per square kilometre, ranking it as the fourth most populated state in the country. The capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area. The population of Hobart was recorded to be 226,653 in the 2021 census. Tasmania has a majority Australian-born population, with an increasing proportion of overseas-born residents over time. The state's population is predominantly English-speaking, with a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds.

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Population density and growth rate

Tasmania is the smallest and least populous state in Australia, with a population of 557,571 as of the 2021 Australian census. The population estimate for Tasmania as of June 30, 2024, is 575,496, with a growth rate of 0.31% since the previous year. Tasmania's population growth rate has been fairly low over the last 13 years, ranging from 0.13% to 1.08%, adding approximately 666 to 5,500 people annually. The state's population recorded negative growth in 2012, and its growth rate is lower than the Australian average.

Tasmania's population density is 7.24 people per square kilometre, ranking it as the fourth most populated state in Australia. The state's population is quite evenly distributed, with the lowest proportion of residents living in its capital city, Hobart, which makes Tasmania the most decentralised state in Australia. Hobart is the largest city in Tasmania, with a population of 226,653 as of the 2021 census, and around 40% of the state's population living in the Greater Hobart area. The second-largest locality in Tasmania is the City of Launceston, with a population of 70,055 as per the 2021 census.

Historically, Tasmania was inhabited by Aboriginal peoples, with evidence indicating their presence on the island about 42,000 years ago. At the time of British colonisation in 1803, the indigenous population was estimated to be between 3,000 and 10,000, divided into nine major nations or ethnic groups. The Aboriginal population declined drastically within three decades due to violent conflict, known as the Black War, and the spread of infectious diseases.

In recent times, Tasmania has seen an increase in the proportion of people born overseas. In 1971, 10.2% of the population was born outside of Australia, rising to 12.0% in 2016, and further increasing to 15.3% in 2021. The top five countries of birth for people in Tasmania in 2021 were England, New Zealand, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Germany. The main religions in Tasmania in 2021 were Christianity (38.4%), followed by no religious affiliation (28.6%), and Anglican (26.0%).

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Demographic breakdown

Tasmania is the smallest state in Australia by population, with 573,479 residents as of June 2023. The population has been growing at a low rate, with an increase of 0.31% between 2023 and 2024. The state's population density is 7.24 people per square kilometre, ranking it as the fourth most populated state in Australia. The capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area.

Tasmania has a fairly balanced gender ratio, with 49% of the population being male and 51% female. The majority of people in Tasmania are Australian-born, although the proportion of people born overseas has increased over time, rising from 10.2% in 1971 to 15.3% in 2021. The top countries of birth for people in Tasmania (aside from Australia and England) are New Zealand, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Germany. The most common languages spoken in Tasmania, other than English, are Mandarin, German, Italian, Greek, and Dutch.

In terms of family structure, Tasmania has a high proportion of couples with no children, accounting for 44.5% of families in 2021. One-parent families made up 17.3% of all families, while 29% of households were lone households. The majority of people in Tasmania live in separate houses, with a slight increase in the proportion of people living in semi-detached housing over the years. Homeownership is common, with 70.1% of households owning their homes.

The main occupations of people in Tasmania include professionals, technicians, trades workers, clerical and administrative workers, managers, labourers, community and personal service workers, sales workers, and machinery operators. The top industries in terms of employment are healthcare, social assistance, retail trade, public administration, education, manufacturing, construction, and accommodation and food services.

Historically, Tasmania was inhabited by Aboriginal peoples, with an estimated population of 3,000 to 10,000 before British colonisation in 1803. The Aboriginal population declined drastically due to violent conflict and the spread of infectious diseases during the British colonisation. In the 2011 census, more than 19,000 Tasmanians identified as Aboriginal.

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Language and religion

Tasmania, an island state of Australia, had a population of 573,479 as of June 2023. The state capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area.

Language

The Tasmanian languages were the languages indigenous to the island of Tasmania, used by Aboriginal Tasmanians. The languages were last used for daily communication in the 1830s, with the last native speaker, Fanny Cochrane Smith, dying in 1905.

There were anywhere from five to sixteen languages in Tasmania, related to one another in perhaps four language families. The Aboriginal dialects made it difficult for members of one family to understand another. However, by 1834, it was reported that the different tongues had "all seem to have merged into one".

In the 1970s, an attempt was made to reconstruct the Tasmanian languages from existing records, but this proved difficult due to the scarcity of data. Despite this, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre created a constructed language called palawa kani in the 1990s, based on reconstructed vocabulary from the various languages once spoken by the Aboriginal people of Tasmania. The Tasmanian government has accepted several palawa kani names for places in the state, and it has been used in television, film, and on signs in protected areas.

Religion

In 2021, 50.0% of people in Tasmania reported having no religious affiliation, a substantial increase from 38.2% in 2016 and just 5.1% in 1971. Christianity is the largest religious affiliation in the state, with 38.4% identifying as Christian in 2021, down from 49.7% in 2016 and 88.7% in 1971. Non-Christian religions accounted for 4.5% of the population in 2021, with Hinduism (1.7%), Buddhism (1.0%), and Islam (0.9%) being the most common.

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Hobart's population

The population of Tasmania, an island state of Australia, is approximately 541,300 as of 2023. Tasmania is known for its natural beauty and unique wildlife, and it attracts many tourists and new residents each year. The state has a relatively small population compared to other Australian states and territories, but it offers a high quality of life with its clean air, pristine environment, and tight-knit communities.

Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, is the most populous city on the island, with a population of approximately 232,600 people as of the last census in 2021. Founded in 1804, Hobart is Australia's second-oldest capital city after Sydney, and it has a rich cultural and historical heritage. The city has experienced steady population growth over the years, and this trend is expected to continue, with projections estimating Hobart's population will exceed 250,000 by 2030.

The Greater Hobart area includes the local government areas of Brighton, Clarence, Derwent Valley, Glenorchy, Hobart, Kingborough, and Sorell. Each of these areas offers something unique, from the historic streetscapes of the Hobart CBD to the rural charm of the Derwent Valley and the coastal lifestyles of Clarence and Sorell. This diversity ensures that Hobart can cater to a range of lifestyles and preferences, contributing to its appeal as a place to live.

Hobart has a strong and growing economy, underpinned by a diverse range of industries including tourism, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and wine production. The city also has a growing reputation as a center for the arts, with events such as the internationally renowned Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and its annual MONA FOMA festival, Dark Mofo, and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. These cultural attractions, coupled with the city's natural beauty, contribute to its desirability as a place to live and work.

In conclusion, Hobart, Tasmania's capital, is a vibrant and growing city with a population of just over 230,000 people. With its diverse economy, rich cultural offerings, and natural attractions, Hobart is an appealing place to live and visit, contributing to its steady population growth and bright future prospects.

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Historical population

Tasmania is an island state of Australia, located 240 kilometres south of the mainland. It is Australia's smallest and least populous state, with 573,479 residents as of June 2023. The state capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area.

The main island of Tasmania was first inhabited by Aboriginal peoples, who today generally identify as Palawa or Pakana. Evidence indicates the presence of Aboriginal people in Tasmania about 42,000 years ago. By the time of European contact, the Aboriginal people in Tasmania had nine major nations or ethnic groups.

At the time of the British occupation and colonisation in 1803, the indigenous population was estimated at between 3,000 and 10,000. Within three decades, this number declined drastically due to violent conflict, known as the Black War, and the spread of infectious diseases. The Black War peaked between 1825 and 1831, resulting in the declaration of martial law for over three years and causing the deaths of nearly 1,100 Aboriginal people and settlers.

In 1826, Governor Sir George Arthur issued a government notice declaring that colonists were free to kill Aboriginal people when they attacked settlers or their property. In the following eight months, more than 200 Aboriginal people were killed in the Settled Districts, with the death toll rising to possibly 350 in the subsequent eight months. In April 1828, Arthur issued a Proclamation of Demarcation, forbidding Aboriginal people from entering settled districts without a government-issued passport.

By 1833, the combination of the Black War, internecine conflict, and the spread of infectious diseases had reduced the Aboriginal population to about 300. Almost all of the Indigenous population was relocated to Flinders Island by George Augustus Robinson. Until the 1970s, most people thought that the last surviving Tasmanian Aboriginal person was Truganini, who died in 1876. However, this "'extinction'" was a myth, as documented by historian Lyndall Ryan in 1991.

The colony's first official census in 1842 recorded a population of 57,471. By 1853, approximately 80,000 convicts had been sent to Tasmania, with the colony's population reaching 86,400 by 1859. In 1855, the present Constitution of Tasmania was enacted, and the following year the colony formally changed its name from Van Diemen's Land to Tasmania.

Frequently asked questions

As of June 2023, Tasmania has a population of 573,479, making it the smallest and least populous state in Australia.

The population density of Tasmania is 7.24 people per square kilometre, ranking it as the fourth most populated state in Australia.

The population growth rate of Tasmania is fairly low, ranging from 0.13% to 1.08% over the last 13 years. In 2021, the population of Tasmania grew by 0.31% compared to the previous year.

The largest city in Tasmania is Hobart, with a population of around 226,653 as of the 2021 census.

As of 2021, 49% of Tasmanians are male and 51% are female. The top five ancestries are Australian, English, Irish, Scottish, and German. The majority of people in Tasmania are born in Australia, with 15.3% born overseas in 2021.

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