The population of Australia is estimated to be 27,994,737 as of 26 June 2026. It is the 54th 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 2031.
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. Also due to immigration, the European component's share of the population rose sharply in the late 18th and 19th centuries, but is now declining as a percentage.
Australia has an average population density of persons per square kilometre of total land area, which makes it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. This is generally attributed to the semi-arid and desert geography of much of the interior of the country. Another factor is urbanisation—with 89% of its population living in a handful of urban areas, Australia is one of the world's most urbanised countries. The life expectancy of Australia in 2015–2017 was 83.2 years, among the highest in the world.
Population
Population estimates in the table below do not include the Aboriginal population before 1961. Estimates of Aboriginal population before European settlement range from 300,000 to one million, with archaeological finds indicating a sustainable maximum population of around 750,000. Where available, actual population figures from census years are included.
Population growth rates Australia is continuing to grow, with the annual growth rate being 423,400 people or 1.6% in March 2025. The quarterly growth rate in 2025 was 0.5% or 144,238 people. As of 31 March 2025, all Australian states and territories reported positive population growth. Tasmania had the slowest population growth rate of 0.2% as of March 2025.Western Australia had the fastest population growth rate of 2.3% as of March 2025. As of 31 March 2025, Australia had a positive natural increase of 107,400 people. This is an increase of 2,000 people or 1.9% since 31 March 2024.Natural increase is the number of births minus the number of deaths in an area. The state of Victoria had the highest natural increase of 33,730 people in the year ending on 31 March 2025. Tasmania had the lowest natural increase of 179 people in the year ending on 31 March 2025.
Population by age
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Ages19011911192119311941195119611971198119912001200720160–14 years35.131.631.828.524.227.230.328.725.021.920.519.418.615–24 years19.420.116.918.117.514.114.317.417.416.013.714.012.825–44 years29.428.830.029.330.029.427.727.428.428.630.029.227.945–64 years12.014.817.018.020.920.419.920.019.219.323.125.025.165 years and over4.04.34.56.17.48.18.58.39.811.312.613.215.8Total (%)10099.6100100100100100100100100100100100
Median age
Median age of the Australian population through history. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Years 19011911192119511961197119811991200120152017Median age of the total population 22.524.025.830.329.327.729.632.435.737.438.7Median age of males 23.6 24.626.129.928.727.029.031.734.937.9Median age of females 21.523.4 25.530.830.228.330.233.036.439.5
Structure of the population
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 11 546 638 11 855 248 23 401 892 100 0–4 752 142 712 638 1 464 779 6.26 5–9 771 055 731 592 1 502 646 6.42 10–14 717 629 679 553 1 397 183 5.97 15–19 727 677 693 915 1 421 595 6.07 20–24 795 423 771 369 1 566 793 6.70 25–29 824 084 840 525 1 664 602 7.11 30–34 839 821 864 026 1 703 847 7.28 35–39 773 132 788 548 1 561 679 6.67 40–44 777 702 805 551 1 583 257 6.77 45–49 773 170 808 282 1 581 455 6.76 50–54 748 954 774 601 1 523 551 6.51 55–59 709 115 745 214 1 454 332 6.21 60–64 632 357 667 048 1 299 397 5.55 65–69 581 230 607 766 1 188 999 5.08 70–74 431 325 456 390 887 716 3.79 75–79 307 441 345 217 652 657 2.79 80–84 204 026 256 529 460 549 1.97 85–89 123 502 185 463 308 960 1.32 90–94 46 828 93 570 140 398 0.60 95–99 9 244 24 672 33 920 0.14 100+ 777 2 788 3 569 0.02Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 2 240 826 2 123 783 4 364 609 18.65 15–64 7 601 439 7 759 070 15 360 509 65.64 65+ 1 704 373 1 972 395 3 676 768 15.71
Population density
, the population density of Australia was reported as . This makes Australia the 3rd least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia.
Population by states and territories
Migration The major contributor to the positive population growth in Australia was the positive net overseas migration. Net overseas migration is the number of overseas arrivals minus the number of overseas departures. New South Wales had the highest net overseas migration of 96,761 people for the year ending on 31 March 2025. Tasmania had the lowest net overseas migration of 3,182 people for the year ending on 31 March 2025.
Another aspect of population change within Australian states and territories is the net interstate migration. Net interstate migration is the interstate arrivals minus the interstate departures, so this only affects population changes between states and territories in Australia. Queensland had the greatest net interstate migration of 24,015 people as of 31 March 2025. New South Wales had the lowest net interstate migration of −26,560 people as of 31 March 2025. New South Wales recorded a negative net interstate migration, meaning more people left than entered.
State/territory Population(June 2023 estimate) Land area Population density% of total national
population % ofpopulationliving in capital Notes km² mi² per km² per mi² 8,339,300 32% 63% 6,812,500 26% 71% 5,459,400 20% 46% 2,878,600 9% 73.4% 1,851,700 8% 73.5% 572,800 2% 41% 466,800 2% 100% 252,500 1% 54%
Cities
Australia contains five cities (including their suburbs) that consist of over one million people. Most of Australia's population live close to coastlines.
Total fertility rate
The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.
The following figures show the total fertility rates since the first years of British colonisation.
+Total fertility rate in Australia rowspan=2 18501851185218531854185518561857185818594.945.01 4.075.034.865.325.195.635.715.75 rowspan=2 1860 1861186218631864186518661867186818695.715.675.85.595.755.645.335.415.435.19 rowspan=2 1870 1871187218731874187518761877187818795.195.094.975.014.934.814.814.694.744.8 rowspan=2 1880 1881188218831884188518861887188818894.734.734.624.664.774.784.744.774.764.65 rowspan=2 18901891189218931894189518961897189818994.694.624.524.44.134.073.813.783.643.66
Vital statistics Source:
Notable events in Australian demographics:
1852–1861 – Gold rush 1946–1964 – Post-World War II baby boom