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Australia's population has grown significantly over the last six decades, increasing by 159.4% from 10.28 million in 1960 to 26.65 million in 2023. This growth is partly attributed to the post-World War II baby boom and the subsequent immigration of young people who started families in Australia. The highest annual population growth rate during this period was recorded in 1971 at 3.44%, while 2021 saw the lowest increase at just 0.14%.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1960 |
| Population | 10,576,540 |
| Population Density | 0.61 people per square km |
| Life Expectancy | 70.2 years (68.4 years for males and 72.1 years for females) |
| Birth Rate | 21.7 births per 1,000 people |
| Death Rate | 10.8 deaths per 1,000 people |
| Infant Mortality Rate | 22.4 deaths per 1,000 live births |
| Average Age | 30.1 years |
| Urban Population | 62.2% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics |
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What You'll Learn
Population density and urbanisation
In 1960, Australia's population was approximately 10 million, with a fertility rate that would peak in 1961 at 3.5 births per woman, resulting in a baby boom between 1946 and 1961. This was driven by a large increase in births to mothers under 30.
Despite its high urbanisation rate, Australia has a low population density due to its vast land area. In 1911, 57.5% of Australians lived in urban areas, and this number had risen to 90.3% by 2021. The urbanisation rate has been consistently above 80% since the 1960s, reaching its highest ever rate of 86.62% in 2023. This makes Australia one of the most urbanised countries globally.
The high urbanisation rate is partly due to the country's high immigration rates since the 20th century, with immigrants often settling in coastal, urban areas. The population has also aged significantly since Federation, with the median age increasing from 22.5 in 1901 to 38.4 in 2021. The greatest increase has been in the 60-64 age group, while the 5-9 years age group has seen the most significant decline as a proportion of the total population.
Sydney has the largest Greater Capital City Statistical Area population, although Melbourne's Significant Urban Area population overtook Sydney's in 2018.
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Population growth and immigration
Australia's population has grown significantly since 1960, when it stood at around 10.28 million people. By 2021, the population had reached 25.7 million, and in 2022, it was estimated to be 26,014,399, representing a 1.28% increase from 2021. This growth is the result of a combination of factors, including birth rates, mortality rates, and migration patterns.
In the early years of British colonisation, the population of Australia was comprised primarily of Indigenous Australians, estimated to number between 300,000 and 2,400,000. With colonisation, however, came waves of immigration, particularly from Europe, that sharply changed the demographic makeup of the country. The percentage of Australians with European backgrounds peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, coinciding with the abolition of the White Australia policy, and has been on a decline since.
Immigration has played a significant role in Australia's population growth, with the population growth from migration exceeding the natural increase in most years since 2006. In recent years, Australia has witnessed a growing trend of urbanisation, with 89% of its population living in urban areas, making it one of the most urbanised countries globally. This urbanisation trend is increasing at a rate of 2.6% annually. Sydney and Melbourne are the two most populous cities, with Melbourne recently overtaking Sydney in terms of Significant Urban Area population.
The fertility rate in Australia has also influenced population growth. The highest fertility rate was recorded in 1961 at 3.5 births per woman, contributing to the baby boom that lasted from 1946 to 1961. Since then, fertility rates have generally declined, with rates for mothers under 30 decreasing since the 1970s and rates for mothers over 30 levelling off after a substantial increase between 1979 and 2008. The total fertility rate in Australia is currently below the replacement rate of 2.1, indicating an ageing population.
Australia's population is ageing, with the median age increasing from 22.5 in 1901 to 38.4 in 2021. The greatest increase in the population age groups has been in the 60-64 age bracket, while the 5-9 years age group has seen the most significant decline as a proportion of the total population. The population growth rate has also slowed since the 1960s, with the highest annual increase of 3.44% recorded in 1971, while more recent years have seen smaller increases, such as the 0.14% growth in 2021.
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Fertility rates and demographics
In 1960, the population of Australia was approximately 10.3 million people, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This was during a period of significant population growth for the country, which had experienced an increase in its population every year since 1901, with the exception of World War I. The population in 1960 was 57.5% urban, compared to 90.3% urbanisation in 2021, reflecting a shift towards urban living in Australia over the past six decades.
Fertility rates in Australia have historically been high, with women of childbearing age in 1800 having approximately 6.5 children on average over their lifetime. This number gradually decreased to just below five in the early 1850s, before increasing again to 5.7 children per woman in the 1860s due to an influx of migrants during the Australian gold rushes. From 1860 until 1935, the fertility rate dropped to 2.2 children per woman, though there was a small baby boom after World War I.
The 1946 to 1961 baby boom resulted from a large increase in births to mothers under 30, with the fertility rate reaching 3.4 in the 1960s. This was the highest fertility rate in Australia's history, with the previous high being 3.0 in 1946. The average age of first-time mothers during this period was 23.6 years old, much lower than the average age of 30.5 years old for first-time mothers in 2020.
Since the 1960s, fertility rates in Australia have generally declined. By 1980, the fertility rate had dropped to two children per woman, and it has remained just below this number in recent years. This decrease in fertility rates is attributed to various factors, including increased access to education and employment opportunities for women, as well as changes in societal norms and values. Despite the overall decline, there have been fluctuations, such as a slight increase in fertility rates for mothers over 30 between 1979 and 2008.
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Life expectancy and mortality rates
In 1960, the population of Australia was approximately 10,576,500.
Life expectancy in Australia has improved significantly over the last century. Between 1960 and 2022, life expectancy at birth rose from approximately 71 to 83 years. This increase is attributed to various factors, including advancements in road safety policies, mechanical and manufacturing improvements, and advancements in education, medicine, and science, which have collectively reduced perinatal mortality rates.
In the context of the aforementioned period, the early 1960s marked a critical juncture in the recognition of health hazards associated with tobacco use. While the initial focus was on lung cancer and chronic lung disease, the detrimental effects of tobacco on circulation were also established by 1960. Despite the early research not definitively proving causation, the American Heart Association reported in 1958 that heavy smoking was associated with a significant increase in mortality from heart attacks.
The impact of cardiovascular diseases on mortality rates in Australia is notable. Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was a leading cause of death in 1968, accounting for nearly one-third of all fatalities, with half of those deaths occurring in people under 70. However, after 1968, the death rate from IHD started to decline due to interventions and improved understanding of risk factors. As a result of these interventions, life expectancy increased by more than 10 years when comparing the periods of 1965-67 and 2015-17.
It is important to acknowledge that life expectancy varies between different population groups in Australia. For instance, the life expectancy of First Nations people is lower than that of non-Indigenous Australians. In addition, life expectancy is influenced by factors such as infant and child death rates, the ageing population, and access to high-quality healthcare.
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Indigenous population and colonisation
The colonisation of Australia by Europeans began in 1788, when the First Fleet of British ships arrived at Botany Bay to establish a penal colony. This marked the beginning of a sharp decline in the Indigenous population, who had lived in the Australian continent for an estimated 50,000 to 65,000 years prior. At the time of colonisation, the Indigenous population of Australia is estimated to have ranged from 300,000 to one million people, spread across the mainland and many islands, including Tasmania, and the Torres Strait Islands. They spoke around 250 different languages, with larger language groups consisting of up to 100 related dialects.
The colonisation of Australia had a devastating impact on the Indigenous population. Introduced diseases, such as smallpox, as well as violent conflict and dispossession of their traditional lands, led to a significant decline in their numbers. By 1855, venereal diseases had reduced Aboriginal fertility rates in south-eastern Australia by an estimated 40%, and by 1890, up to 50% of the Aboriginal population in some regions of Queensland were affected. The relative isolation of the Indigenous population for thousands of years meant they had little resistance to these new diseases.
Additionally, cultural misunderstandings, assumptions of superiority by the British, and reprisals for previous actions such as the kidnapping of Aboriginal people, led to further conflict and collective punishments by both colonists and Indigenous groups. The colonisation also disrupted Indigenous cultures and led to the removal of children from their families under assimilationist policies, with between 10 and 33% of Aboriginal children being removed between 1910 and 1970.
It wasn't until the 1960s that Indigenous Australians began to regain some of their rights. They won the right to vote in federal and state elections, and some regained parts of their traditional lands. The 1960s also saw a growing collaboration between Aboriginal activists and white Australian activists, and by the late 1960s, Indigenous Australians began to serve in parliaments. By 1961, the Aboriginal population had risen to 106,000, with increasing urbanisation and a growing presence in capital cities.
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Frequently asked questions
The population of Australia in 1960 was 10.28 million people.
From 1960 to 2023, the population of Australia grew by 159.4%, from 10.28 million to 26.65 million people. This was a slower rate of growth than the global average over the same period.
The median age of the Australian population in 1960 is not known, but it was 22.5 in 1901 and 38.4 in 2021.
In 1911, 57.5% of Australians lived in urban areas, and in 2021, this figure was 90.3%. The urban population in 1960 is not known, but it likely fell somewhere between these two figures.
Estimates of the Indigenous population before 1961 are not included in census data. Estimates of the Indigenous population before European settlement range from 300,000 to one million, with a maximum sustainable population of around 750,000. Today, Indigenous Australians make up less than 2% of the population.
