SOCIETY

The current population of Australia is 26,974,025 

Australia's population is equivalent to 0.33% of the total world population.

Australia ranks number 55 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.

The population density in Australia is 4 people per Km² (9 people per mi²).

86.51% of the population is urban 

The median age in Australia is 38.3 years.

The life expectancy is 84.2 years.

In Australia, the population is slightly skewed towards females. The 2021 Census showed that females made up 50.7% of the population, while males accounted for 49.3%

Australia is one of the world’s most multicultural nations. As of 2023, about 8.17 million people living in Australia were born overseas, making up roughly 30% of the population. This gives Australia the highest proportion of immigrants among countries with over 10 million people. Since World War I, Australia’s population has quadrupled, largely due to waves of immigration.

Most immigrants come through skilled migration programs, though family reunification and humanitarian categories are also included. The population is diverse, with the top countries of birth for foreign-born residents being:

England – 961,570

India – 845,800

China (Mainland) – 655,760

New Zealand – 598,090

Philippines – 361,860

Vietnam – 298,960

South Africa – 214,790

Nepal – 179,050

Malaysia – 180,470

Italy – 158,990

Sri Lanka – 158,290

Pakistan, Hong Kong, South Korea, USA, Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, and Germany each had over 100,000 residents.

While 76% of Australians had European ancestry as of 2016, this proportion has steadily declined since the 1970s after the abolition of the White Australia policy. Australia’s demographic makeup is now increasingly shaped by Asian, Middle Eastern, and African communities.

Australia’s immigration story is a key part of its identity, creating a society with rich cultural diversity and global connections.