Population of Australia 1860 to 2010.
The population of Australia has been growing at one of the fastest rates, when compared to most other countries, and at June 2010 has reached a population of about 22,364,000.
The change in Australia’s population in 2009, was an increase of 432,600 people, with the majority being from overseas migration.
- 154,900 Natural Increase (Births minus Deaths)
- 277,700 Net overseas migration
Current population estimates can be seen at the Australian Population Clock
These are the Australian Population figures, found at Australian Bureau of Statistics for the years from 1860, together with a calculation of the annual changes. Percentage changes are a guide, as some population numbers are not always from the end of the year.
| Year | Population | Change |
| 1860 | 1,121,447 | |
| 1861 | 1,156,868 | 3.2% |
| 1862 | 1,187,534 | 2.7% |
| 1863 | 1,233,106 | 3.8% |
| 1864 | 1,292,239 | 4.8% |
| 1865 | 1,357,614 | 5.1% |
| 1866 | 1,417,001 | 4.4% |
| 1867 | 1,463,902 | 3.3% |
| 1868 | 1,511,702 | 3.3% |
| 1869 | 1,565,856 | 3.6% |
| 1870 | 1,619,958 | 3.5% |
| 1871 | 1,674,323 | 3.4% |
| 1872 | 1,721,868 | 2.8% |
| 1873 | 1,768,685 | 2.7% |
| 1874 | 1,821,958 | 3.0% |
| 1875 | 1,873,808 | 2.8% |
| 1876 | 1,928,452 | 2.9% |
| 1877 | 1,994,907 | 3.4% |
| 1878 | 2,061,648 | 3.3% |
| 1879 | 2,127,256 | 3.2% |
| 1880 | 2,196,937 | 3.3% |
| 1881 | 2,269,135 | 3.3% |
| 1882 | 2,347,410 | 3.4% |
| 1883 | 2,446,910 | 4.2% |
| 1884 | 2,555,731 | 4.4% |
| 1885 | 2,650,123 | 3.7% |
| 1886 | 2,741,286 | 3.4% |
| 1887 | 2,834,708 | 3.4% |
| 1888 | 2,931,521 | 3.4% |
| 1889 | 3,022,077 | 3.1% |
| 1890 | 3,106,917 | 2.8% |
| 1891 | 3,196,172 | 2.9% |
| 1892 | 3,273,371 | 2.4% |
| 1893 | 3,333,825 | 1.8% |
| 1894 | 3,394,328 | 1.8% |
| 1895 | 3,459,192 | 1.9% |
| 1896 | 3,522,362 | 1.8% |
| 1897 | 3,585,442 | 1.8% |
| 1898 | 3,641,251 | 1.6% |
| 1899 | 3,690,353 | 1.3% |
| 1900 | 3,740,665 | 1.4% |
| 1901 | 3,790,710 | 1.3% |
| 1902 | 3,847,998 | 1.5% |
| 1903 | 3,893,329 | 1.2% |
| 1904 | 3,942,730 | 1.3% |
| 1905 | 4,001,117 | 1.5% |
| 1906 | 4,060,324 | 1.5% |
| 1907 | 4,123,729 | 1.6% |
| 1908 | 4,194,410 | 1.7% |
| 1909 | 4,274,617 | 1.9% |
| 1910 | 4,370,185 | 2.2% |
| 1911 | 4,492,186 | 2.8% |
| 1912 | 4,654,147 | 3.6% |
| 1913 | 4,821,310 | 3.6% |
| 1914 | 4,945,930 | 2.6% |
| 1915 | 4,984,582 | 0.8% |
| 1916 | 4,947,273 | -0.7% |
| 1917 | 4,947,117 | 0.0% |
| 1918 | 5,029,136 | 1.7% |
| 1919 | 5,196,316 | 3.3% |
| 1920 | 5,359,142 | 3.1% |
| 1921 | 5,458,489 | 1.9% |
| 1922 | 5,571,411 | 2.1% |
| 1923 | 5,694,097 | 2.2% |
| 1924 | 5,814,127 | 2.1% |
| 1925 | 5,940,977 | 2.2% |
| 1926 | 6,059,423 | 2.0% |
| 1927 | 6,184,584 | 2.1% |
| 1928 | 6,303,766 | 1.9% |
| 1929 | 6,394,701 | 1.4% |
| 1930 | 6,466,019 | 1.1% |
| 1931 | 6,526,572 | 0.9% |
| 1932 | 6,577,911 | 0.8% |
| 1933 | 6,629,982 | 0.8% |
| 1934 | 6,679,353 | 0.7% |
| 1935 | 6,727,613 | 0.7% |
| 1936 | 6,780,803 | 0.8% |
| 1937 | 6,837,590 | 0.8% |
| 1938 | 6,900,341 | 0.9% |
| 1939 | 6,968,726 | 1.0% |
| 1940 | 7,040,661 | 1.0% |
| 1941 | 7,109,982 | 1.0% |
| 1942 | 7,176,639 | 0.9% |
| 1943 | 7,234,651 | 0.8% |
| 1944 | 7,308,706 | 1.0% |
| 1945 | 7,389,406 | 1.1% |
| 1946 | 7,467,474 | 1.1% |
| 1947 | 7,578,776 | 1.5% |
| 1948 | 7,709,559 | 1.7% |
| 1949 | 7,908,890 | 2.6% |
| 1950 | 8,177,294 | 3.4% |
| 1951 | 8,420,391 | 3.0% |
| 1952 | 8,636,657 | 2.6% |
| 1953 | 8,817,603 | 2.1% |
| 1954 | 8,989,127 | 1.9% |
| 1955 | 9,201,182 | 2.4% |
| 1956 | 9,425,303 | 2.4% |
| 1957 | 9,638,109 | 2.3% |
| 1958 | 9,844,716 | 2.1% |
| 1959 | 10,055,266 | 2.1% |
| 1960 | 10,274,574 | 2.2% |
| 1961 | 10,502,842 | 2.2% |
| 1962 | 10,743,728 | 2.3% |
| 1963 | 10,951,158 | 1.9% |
| 1964 | 11,168,429 | 2.0% |
| 1965 | 11,390,202 | 2.0% |
| 1966 | 11,602,217 | 1.9% |
| 1967 | 11,806,324 | 1.8% |
| 1968 | 12,021,446 | 1.8% |
| 1969 | 12,274,118 | 2.1% |
| 1970 | 12,530,517 | 2.1% |
| 1971 | 12,782,425 | 2.0% |
| 1972 | 13,303,956 | 4.1% |
| 1973 | 13,506,657 | 1.5% |
| 1974 | 13,721,502 | 1.6% |
| 1975 | 13,895,398 | 1.3% |
| 1976 | 14,035,654 | 1.0% |
| 1977 | 14,193,787 | 1.1% |
| 1978 | 14,361,546 | 1.2% |
| 1979 | 14,516,510 | 1.1% |
| 1980 | 14,697,715 | 1.2% |
| 1981 | 14,929,089 | 1.6% |
| 1982 | 15,179,618 | 1.7% |
| 1983 | 15,391,694 | 1.4% |
| 1984 | 15,579,993 | 1.2% |
| 1985 | 15,788,329 | 1.3% |
| 1986 | 16,018,516 | 1.5% |
| 1987 | 16,266,065 | 1.5% |
| 1988 | 16,540,306 | 1.7% |
| 1989 | 16,816,413 | 1.7% |
| 1990 | 17,061,985 | 1.5% |
| 1991 | 17,287,173 | 1.3% |
| 1992 | 17,495,374 | 1.2% |
| 1993 | 17,674,787 | 1.0% |
| 1994 | 17,861,770 | 1.1% |
| 1995 | 18,169,000 | 1.72% |
| 1996 | 18,311,000 | 0.78% |
| 1997 | 18,524,000 | 1.16% |
| 1998 | 18,730,000 | 1.11% |
| 1999 | 19,000,000 | 1.44% |
| 2000 | 19,157,000 | 0.83% |
| 2001 | 19,600,000 | 2.31% |
| 2002 | ||
| 2003 | 20,011,882 | |
| 2004 | 20,252,132 | 1.2% |
| 2005 | 20,544,064 | 1.4% |
| 2006 | 20,848,760 | 1.5% |
| 2007 | 21,180,632 | 1.6% |
| 2008 | 21,431,781 | 1.2% |
| 2009 | 21,875,000 | 2.1% |
| 2010 | 22,364,000 | 2.2% |
However, another set of figures, from the ABS, showing the Percentage Estimated Residential Population Change over Previous Year for Australia, shows these changes, as at December each year:
- 1.56% Dec-1982
- 1.27% Dec-1983
- 1.25% Dec-1984
- 1.42% Dec-1985
- 1.50% Dec-1986
- 1.59% Dec-1987
- 1.78% Dec-1988
- 1.50% Dec-1989
- 1.38% Dec-1990
- 1.27% Dec-1991
- 1.12% Dec-1992
- 1.02% Dec-1993
- 1.08% Dec-1994
- 1.36% Dec-1995
- 1.23% Dec-1996
- 1.02% Dec-1997
- 1.10% Dec-1998
- 1.19% Dec-1999
- 1.23% Dec-2000
- 1.36% Dec-2001
- 1.21% Dec-2002
- 1.22% Dec-2003
- 1.20% Dec-2004
- 1.44% Dec-2005
- 1.60% Dec-2006
- 1.87% Dec-2007
- 2.16% Dec-2008
- 1.99% Dec-2009
Source: ABS: 3101.0 – Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2009
and http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/briefing10.pdf
A comparison to some other countries population growths:
Australia with its 2% population growth = 447,280 new people each year.
China with its 0.5% population growth = 6,698,500 new people each year.
India with its 1.3% population growth = 15,732,000 new people each year, that’s 43,100 per day.
Australia’s population increase in one year is matched by India in 10 days, and China in 24 days. The USA would take 52 days to increase by that same 447,000, at its current 1% growth rate.