In June 2024 Australia’s population reached 27,204,809 million. With an average population density of 3.6 persons per square kilometre of total land area, Australia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.
More than 85 per cent of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the coast but, it is a different story inland as Australia is a land of extremes, with vast deserts, salty rivers, and cyclone-prone regions. More than two-thirds of the country receives less than 500 mm annual rain. This arid, uninhabitable part of Australia lies in the middle of the continent (the Outback), away from the coasts.
Net overseas migration was 446,000 in 2023-24, down from 536,000 a year earlier and migrant arrivals decreased 10% to 667,000 from 739,000 arrivals a year earlier
Population by state and territory
- New South Wales – 8484.4 million (Sydney 5.231.1 million)
- Victoria - 6981.4 million (Melbourne 4.917.7 million)
- Queensland – 5586.3 million (Brisbane 2.582.0 million)
- Western Australia - 2965.2 million (Perth 2.192.2 million)
- South Australia - 1878.0 million (Adelaide 1.387.2 million)
- Tasmania - 575.4 thousand (Hobart 247.0 thousand)
- Australian Capital Territory - 474.1 thousand (Canberra 367.7 thousand)
- Northern Territory - 255.1 thousand (Darwin 147.2 thousand)