Australian Population Growing Fast

Last year has seen Australia’s population grow at its fastest pace since 1989.

The country’s population reached 21.4 million in 30 June 2008, an increase of 1.7% or 359,000 people in one year.

Immigration (arrivals minus departures) contributed 213,500 people (or 59% of growth) and natural increase (births minus deaths) contributed 145,500 (41%) to the rise in numbers, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Surprisingly, New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, experienced lower growth than any other state except Tasmania.

Western Australia continues to record the fastest population growth (2.7%), followed by Queensland and the Northern Territory (2.3%), Victoria (1.8%), the Australian Capital Territory (1.3%), South Australia and New South Wales (1.1%) and Tasmania (1.0%) for the year ended June 2008.

Population Increases in Australia’s States 2008:

State	Population (millions)	Population Increase (thousands)
Queensland	4.2794	98.0
Victoria	5.2976	92.7
New South Wales	6.9672	79.2
Western Australia	2.1632	57.1
South Australia	1.6018	17.6
Northern Territory	0.2199	5.0
Tasmania	0.4982	4.8
Australian Capital Territory	0.3442	4.5

Queensland and Western Australia Favourites With Australians

Queensland and Western Australia received the most people from net interstate migration, gaining 23,100 and 3,800 people respectively from the other states and territories. The states that lost the most people to net interstate migration include New South Wales (down 21,900), South Australia (down 4,400) and Victoria (down 2,500).

Australia’s total fertility rate has increased to 1.93 births per woman, the highest rate since 1981.

International Comparison

Australia’s population growth rate (1.7%) was higher than that of the world (1.2%). Australia’s growth rate was lower than some developing countries including Papua New Guinea (2.2%), the Philippines (2.0%) and Malaysia (1.8%). It was higher than India (1.6%), Indonesia and Singapore (both 1.2%), New Zealand and Viet Nam (both 1.0%), Unites States of America (0.9%), Canada (0.8%), China and France (both 0.6%), Hong Kong (0.5%), Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom (both 0.3%), Greece and Sweden (both 0.2%). Unlike Australia, Italy experienced no change. Further, Japan experienced a decrease in its population (0.1%).