Australia’s population is due to reach 25 million shortly after 11pm (AEST) tonight according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population clock.
ABS Director of Demography, Anthony Grubb, said: “From our average age, to how long people live and where we live, Australia’s population has experienced major changes.
25 million - how did we get here?
“Australia’s population has increased more than sixfold since 1901 when it was 3.8 million.
“By 1918 it had grown to 5 million, it had doubled to 10 million by 1959 and reached 20 million in October 2004. It has been just over 2.5 years since we reached 24 million in January 2016.”
The overall total population increase is estimated to be one person every 1 minute and 23 seconds. Within this there is estimated to be:
- one birth every 1 minute and 42 seconds;
- one death every 3 minutes and 16 seconds;
- one person arriving to live in Australia every 1 minute and 1 second; and
- one Australian resident leaving to live overseas every 1 minute and 51 seconds.
It is not possible to identify who the 25 millionth person will be. It could be a newborn baby, a new migrant to Australia, or an Australian citizen returning home after living overseas.
Where do we live?
In 1901, 36 per cent of Australians lived in capital cities and 64 per cent in other urban and rural areas in Australia. In 2017, this has reversed with 67 per cent of us living in capital cities and 33 per cent in other urban and rural areas.
Percentage of state/territory population living in capital cities in 1901 and 2017
 |
1901 | 2017 |
| New South Wales | 36.1 | 65.3 |
| Victoria | 41.5 | 76.7 |
| Queensland | 23.8 | 48.9 |
| South Australia | 44.6 | 77.4 |
| Western Australia | 36.5 | 79.2 |
| Tasmania | 20.6 | 43.6 |
| Northern Territory | n/a | 59.6 |
| Australian Capital Territory | n/a | 100.0 |
| Australia | 36.3 | 67.3 |
What does 25 million look like?
The structure of Australia’s population has changed significantly since the turn of the 20th century.
The median age in 2017 was 37, compared with 22.5 years in 1901. Australians are also living longer, with almost 4,000 centenarians in 2017.
Percentage of population under 20/85 and over in 1901 and 2017
|
1901 (30 June) | 2017 (31 December) |
|
|
|
| 0-19 (%) | 45.1 | 24.8 |
| 85 (%) | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| Life expectancy at birth (c) | ||
|
1901 -1910 | 2014-16 |
| Males | 55.2 | 80.4 |
| Females | 58.8 | 84.6 |
Currently women make up the majority of the population, with 98 males per 100 females. In contrast in 1901, there were 110 males to 100 females.
How does Australia’s population compare with other countries?
The world’s population is approximately 7.6 billion. Populations among some of Australia’s nearest neighbours include Indonesia’s 264 million and New Zealand 4.8 million. Meanwhile, 66 million people live in the UK, 36.7 million in Canada and 328 million live in the US.
When will Australia reach 26 million?
Over the past three years, Australia’s population has grown by around 400,000 people per year. If this trend continues, the country’s population would be expected to reach 26 million in about three years’ time.