How Many People Live in Australia?

Australia has a population of approximately 27.8 million people on a continent of 7.69 million km², giving it one of the lowest population densities on Earth (about 3.4 people per km²). But that number is misleading: about 86% of Australians live in cities along the coast, primarily in the southeast. The interior ("the Outback") is one of the least inhabited regions on the planet.

Australia grows fast for a developed country, about 1.5% per year, driven overwhelmingly by immigration. The fertility rate has fallen to 1.48, well below replacement. Without immigration, Australia's population would plateau and eventually decline. The government runs a points-based skilled migration system that attracts about 190,000 permanent migrants per year, with India, China, the UK, and the Philippines as top source countries.

The Sydney vs Melbourne rivalry extends to demographics: Melbourne has been growing faster and is projected to overtake Sydney as the largest city by 2030. Both cities face severe housing affordability crises, with median house prices exceeding $1 million AUD. The average Australian under 35 now rents rather than owns, a reversal of the "Great Australian Dream" of homeownership.

📊 Key Demographics

🏙️ What Are Australias Largest Cities?

The empty middle

Australia's population map looks like a picture frame: people live around the edges and almost nobody lives in the middle. The state of Western Australia (2.6 million km², larger than Western Europe) has only 2.8 million people, mostly in Perth. The Northern Territory (1.35 million km²) has 250,000 people. Alice Springs, the most famous Outback town, has 25,000 people and is closer to Jakarta (3,300 km) than to Sydney (2,700 km). Australia has more kangaroos (50 million) than people.

🦘 Australia Has 3x More Kangaroos Than People

Australias kangaroo population is estimated at roughly 50 million, compared to 27 million humans. The country also has more sheep (70+ million) than people. Australias unique wildlife exists because the continent separated from other landmasses about 45 million years ago, allowing marsupials to evolve in isolation. About 80% of Australias plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are found nowhere else on Earth.