Population growth in Australia
Australia: Population growth was 2.1% in 2024. βΌ Falling
Population growth in Australia, 1970β2024
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 51st of 212 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
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
- 48 Iraq 2.1% compare
- 49 Sierra Leone 2.1% compare
- 50 Nigeria 2.1% compare
- 52 Sao Tome and Principe 2.0% compare
- 53 Singapore 2.0% compare
- 54 Uzbekistan 2.0% compare
More population data for Australia
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.503 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.09 million (2100)
- Population density 5.61 (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.503 (2100)
- Fertility and wanted fertility 1.48 (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 29,511 (2024)
- Fertility vs unmet contraception 1.48 (2024)
- Fertility vs contraception 1.48 (2024)
- Natural population growth 0.4553 (2023)
- Fertility rate with projections 1.64 (2023)
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 51st out of 212 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 Β· JSON β 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release