Australia’s population has officially surpassed 27 million, with overseas migration contributing to the majority of growth, according to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). In a statement released on Thursday, the ABS reported the population reached 27.1 million by March 2024, representing a 2.3 per cent increase over the previous year.
Beidar Cho, head of demography at the ABS, highlighted that net overseas migration was the primary driver of the increase, accounting for 83 per cent of the population growth. “Our population grew by 615,300 people over the year, with births and deaths, known as natural increase, making up the remaining 17 per cent,” Ms Cho said.
Net overseas migration contributed 509,800 people to Australia’s population in the year to March 2024, a slight decrease from the peak of 559,900 in September 2023. The natural increase was 105,500, with 289,700 births and 184,200 deaths recorded during the period.
Western Australia led the states with the fastest growth, seeing a 3.1 per cent rise in population, while Tasmania experienced the slowest growth at 0.4 per cent. Victoria’s population grew by 2.7 per cent, followed by Queensland at 2.5 per cent. New South Wales grew by 2 per cent, South Australia by 1.5 per cent, and the ACT by 1.8 per cent, while the Northern Territory increased by 0.8 per cent.
Australia’s population growth aligns with projections from the Centre for Population, which expects the population to exceed 28 million by 2026-27, and 30 million by 2031. The country’s population has effectively doubled since the mid-1970s.
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