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Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, with a total area of 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania. As of 2024, Australia's population was 27,400,013 people, with a median age of 38.3 years. The population density in Australia is 4 per Km² (9 people per sq. mi), making it the third least densely populated country in the world. Australia's population is concentrated on the coastal fringes, with 86.51% of the population living in urban areas. The country's most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, both with a population of more than five million.
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Population density
Australia is the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, covering a total area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 square miles). It is the sixth-largest country and the largest in Oceania.
The population density of Australia is low compared to other countries. As of June 2022, the population density was 3.4 people per square kilometre (8.8 per square mile). This makes Australia the third least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia. The population density figure varies across sources, with some giving it as 3.5 people per square kilometre and others as 4 people per square kilometre (9 people per square mile).
The total population of Australia is around 26 million people. Australia's population is concentrated on the coastal fringes, with about 95% of the population living within 100 kilometres of the coast. This is much higher than the world average of 39%. Australia's most populous cities are Sydney and Melbourne, each with a population of more than five million. Australia also contains five cities (including their suburbs) that consist of over one million people.
The median age in Australia is around 38 to 39 years. As of 2020, 29.8% of Australia's population was born overseas, and 76% had European ancestry. The percentage of Australians with European backgrounds has been declining since the 1960s and 1970s, around when the White Australia policy was abolished.
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Urbanisation
Australia is a highly urbanised country, with a significant majority of its population living in urban areas. The country's population density is low compared to the global average, with around 3.4 to 4 people per square kilometre. This makes Australia the third least densely populated country worldwide. Despite this, the country is characterised by a high degree of urban concentration, with 86.51% to 89% of its population residing in urban areas. This equates to around 90% of Australians occupying just 0.22% of the country's land area.
The capital cities of Sydney and Melbourne are the two largest urban centres in Australia, each home to more than five million people. Combined, these two cities account for 40% of the country's population. The vast majority of Australians live close to coastlines, with 87% residing within 50 kilometres of the coast. This is significantly higher than the global average, where only 39% of the world's population lives within 100 kilometres of a coastline.
The high level of urbanisation in Australia is partly due to its geography, as much of the country's interior is semi-arid or desert. The country's urban centres are concentrated on the coastal fringes, particularly along the eastern seaboard. The Murray-Darling river system, which drains inland New South Wales and southern Queensland towards the sea in South Australia, is an example of a coastal river system that supports urban populations.
Australia has a diverse culture and one of the highest foreign-born populations in the world. As of 2020, 29.8% of the population was born overseas, and 76% had European ancestry. English is the de facto national language, with 72% of the population speaking only English at home as of the 2021 census. However, the country also has a notable proportion of the population speaking Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Cantonese at home.
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Life expectancy
Australia has consistently ranked highly in terms of life expectancy. In 2021-2023, life expectancy at birth was 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females, a decrease of 0.1 years for males and 0.2 years for females from the previous year. In 2015-2017, the average life expectancy was 83.2 years, one of the highest in the world. To put this into perspective, in 1993, life expectancy at birth was 75.0 years for males and 80.9 years for females.
The high life expectancy in Australia is notable, especially when compared to other high-income English-speaking countries. According to a study by Penn State University, Australians have led the English-speaking world in life expectancy for the last three decades. The study compared life expectancy in the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand between 1990 and 2019. It found that Australian women lived nearly four more years, and men lived five more years, than their American counterparts.
The study attributed Australia's high life expectancy to several factors. Firstly, Australia has implemented policies in recent decades that have positively impacted health and safety, including gun law reforms, which have resulted in very low levels of gun deaths and homicides. Secondly, Australia has lower levels of drug and alcohol use than comparable countries, and better management of chronic diseases, which points to positive lifestyle factors, health behaviours, and healthcare performance.
Additionally, Australia has a highly developed economy and one of the highest per capita incomes globally. It ranks highly for quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties, and political rights. These factors likely contribute to the country's high life expectancy.
The life expectancy in Australia varies slightly depending on the region. In 2021-2023, the Australian Capital Territory had the highest life expectancy for males (81.7 years) and tied with Western Australia for the highest life expectancy for females (85.7 years). The Northern Territory had the lowest life expectancy for both males (76.4 years) and females (80.4 years).
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Aboriginal population
Australia is a large country with a total land area of about 7.7 million square kilometres. As of 2023, the country's population is approximately 26 million people. Among them, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is significant and integral to the country's cultural fabric and history.
The Aboriginal population of Australia, comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, is an integral part of the country's cultural landscape and has a deep connection to the land stretching back millennia. As of 2021, there are approximately 850,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, accounting for around 3.3% of the total population. This population is diverse and spread across the vast Australian continent, with varying concentrations and distributions.
Historically, Aboriginal people have inhabited Australia for over 65,000 years, forming a rich cultural heritage and a deep understanding of the land. They were the sole inhabitants of the continent until the late 18th century when British colonisation began. Despite enduring a tumultuous history marked by dispossession, marginalisation, and injustices, Aboriginal people have persevered, and their population has shown resilience and growth.
The Aboriginal population is not evenly distributed across Australia. They tend to be concentrated in certain regions, particularly in rural and remote areas. The Northern Territory has the highest proportion of Aboriginal people, constituting around 30% of its total population. Other states with significant Aboriginal populations include Queensland, Western Australia, and New South Wales. However, it is important to note that urban centres like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane also have substantial Aboriginal communities due to historical and contemporary migration patterns.
Aboriginal communities exhibit cultural diversity, with distinct languages, customs, and connections to the land. This diversity is reflected in the variety of Aboriginal languages spoken across Australia, with over 250 distinct languages originally spoken at the time of European settlement. Unfortunately, many of these languages are now endangered or dormant, with only about 13 traditional Indigenous languages still being acquired by children today.
Despite challenges and a history of disadvantage, the Aboriginal population is making significant strides. They are increasingly represented in various sectors, including politics, sports, the arts, and community leadership. Efforts are also being made to promote and preserve Indigenous languages, cultural practices, and connections to Country (a term that signifies a deep spiritual, cultural, and historical connection to traditional lands and waters). These endeavours are vital for reconciliation and ensuring that Aboriginal voices, stories, and perspectives are heard and valued in contemporary Australia.
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Language
Australia has a highly diverse population with more than 300 ancestries identified among its 25 million people. The country's linguistic diversity reflects this, with Australians speaking an estimated 300+ languages. English is the de facto national language and is used as the only language in the home by 72% of the population. However, this figure has decreased in recent years, with a growing number of immigrants from Asia-Pacific regions entering the country.
Prior to British colonisation, Aboriginal Australians spoke around 250 distinct languages, with one of the oldest living cultures in the world. Today, there are around 120-170 surviving Indigenous languages and dialects, with many endangered. The 2021 census found that 167 Indigenous languages were spoken at home by 76,978 Indigenous Australians. The most widely spoken Indigenous languages include Kriol and Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), each with an estimated 20,000-30,000 speakers.
The proportion of Australians speaking a language other than English increased after the Second World War due to the immigration of refugees and displaced persons from Europe. In the 21st century, there was another sharp increase in immigration, particularly from Asia. In 2021, 5.8 million people (22.8% of the population) reported using a language other than English at home. The top ten languages spoken in Australia aside from English are Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Punjabi, Greek, Italian, Hindi, Spanish, and Nepali.
The ethnolinguistic composition of Australia's population has undergone substantial changes in recent decades. Languages spoken by longer-established immigrant groups, such as Italian and Greek, have decreased in the last 20 years, while the number of Arabic speakers has steadily increased, making it the second biggest community language in Australia. The number of Mandarin speakers has also grown rapidly, with 685,274 people reporting speaking Mandarin at home in 2021, accounting for 2.7% of the total population.
The Australian sign language, Auslan, was used at home by 16,242 people at the time of the 2021 census. Australia's curriculum also includes a variety of languages as key learning areas up to Year 10, such as Arabic, Auslan, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has a total area of 7,688,287 sq km (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Oceania.
Australia's population was 27.4 million people at the end of 2024. In June 2022, the population density was reported as 3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi), making it the third least densely populated country globally.
Australia has one of the world's highest foreign-born populations, with 29.8% of residents born overseas as of 2020. The majority of Australians speak English at home, and the country ranks highly for quality of life, health, education, civil liberties, and political rights.
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