Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Australia
Australia: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Population growth in Australia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in Australia is 2.1%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 15.4% on the previous year and up 37.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Australia peaked at 3.4% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2021.
Australia ranks 52nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Australia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.0% | — |
| 1971 | 3.4% | +71.6% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | -45.6% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -16.8% |
| 1974 | 2.5% | +65.6% |
| 1975 | 1.2% | -51.4% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | -18.6% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | +12.4% |
| 1978 | 1.2% | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 1.1% | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 1.2% | +12.8% |
| 1981 | 1.6% | +28.1% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +11.0% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | -21.1% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | -12.3% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | +11.0% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | +8.6% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | +7.6% |
| 1989 | 1.7% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -12.6% |
| 1991 | 1.3% | -13.9% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | -12.2% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | -20.5% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | +15.6% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 1.1% | -10.9% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | +12.2% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -11.4% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | +13.9% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | +35.2% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | +9.8% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | -24.5% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | -10.7% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | +25.6% |
| 2013 | 1.7% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | -13.3% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -16.5% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | -88.6% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | +803.3% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | +90.5% |
| 2024 | 2.1% | -15.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 4.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%, 3.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +803.3% | 0.1% | 1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.7% | 1.0% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 0.1% | 2.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 49 Iraq 2.1% compare
- 50 Sierra Leone 2.1% compare
- 51 Nigeria 2.1% compare
- 53 Sao Tome and Principe 2.0% compare
- 54 Singapore 2.0% compare
- 55 Uzbekistan 2.0% compare
More population data for Australia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5755 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2553 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 32,193 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8589 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.2773 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.503 (2100)
- Population density 5.61 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.09 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Australia?
- Population growth in Australia was 2.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1971.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2021.
- How does Australia rank for population growth?
- Australia ranks 52nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release