Home | Category: People (Language, Customs, Marriage, Families)
PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA
Name of the People: noun: Australian(s); adjective: Australian. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Ethnic Groups: English 33 percent, Australian 29.9 percent, Irish 9.5 percent, Scottish 8.6 percent, Chinese 5.5 percent, Italian 4.4 percent, German 4 percent, Indian 3.1 percent, Australian Aboriginal 2.9 percent, Greek 1.7 percent, unspecified 4.7 percent. (2021 estimate). note: data represent self-identified ancestry, with the option of reporting two ancestries.
Languages: English 72 percent, Mandarin 2.7 percent, Arabic 1.4 percent, Vietnamese 1.3 percent, Cantonese 1.2 percent, other 15.7 percent, unspecified 5.7 percent (2021 estimate). note: data represent language spoken at home.
Religions: Roman Catholic 20 percent, Protestant 18.1 percent (Anglican 9.8 percent, Uniting Church 2.6 percent, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6 percent, Baptist 1.4 percent, Pentecostal 1 percent, other Protestant 1.7 percent), other Christian 3.5 percent, Muslim 3.2 percent, Hindu 2.7 percent, Buddhist 2.4 percent, Orthodox 2.3 percent (Eastern Orthodox 2.1 percent, Oriental Orthodox 0.2 percent), other 2.1 percent, none 38.4 percent, unspecified 7.3 percent (2021 estimate).
Population of Australia
Population: 26,461,166 (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 54. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population Growth: 1.19 percent (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 74; Birth rate: 12.23 births/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 148; Death rate: 6.76 deaths per 1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 126; Net migration rate: 6.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 14.
Population Distribution: population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or "outback", has a very sparse population.
Demography of Australia
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 18.43 percent (male 2,515,636/female 2,359,859); 15-64 years: 64.89 percent (male 8,602,204/female 8,568,004); 65 years and over: 16.69 percent (2023 estimate) (male 2,034,383/female 2,381,080). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Dependency Ratios: total dependency ratio: 53.7; youth dependency ratio: 28.2; elderly dependency ratio: 25.5; potential support ratio: 3.9 (2020 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Median Age: total: 37.5 years; male: 36.5 years; female: 38.5 years (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 70. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Urbanization: urban population: 86.6 percent of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 1.27 percent annual rate of change (2020-25 estimate). note: data include Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island; Major Urban Areas (population): 5.235 million Melbourne, 5.121 million Sydney, 2.505 million Brisbane, 2.118 million Perth, 1.367 million Adelaide, 472,000 CANBERRA (capital) (2023)
Fertility, Birth Control and Sex
Total Fertility Rate: 1.73 children born per woman (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 159; Gross reproduction rate: 0.84 (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Contraceptive Use: 66.9 percent (2015/16). note: percent of women aged 18-44. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Married Women (ages 15-49): 55.9 percent (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Mother’s Mean Age at First Birth: .28.7 years (2019 estimate)
Sex Ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female; 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female; total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Health
Obesity (prevalence rate among adults): 29 percent (2016); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 27. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Infant Mortality Rate: total: 2.96 deaths per 1,000 live births; male: 3.2 deaths per 1,000 live births; female: 2.71 deaths per 1,000 live births (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 213. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Maternal Mortality Ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 176. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 83.28 years; male: 81.14 years; female: 85.54 years (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: population 14. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita: total: 9.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); beer: 3.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); wine: 3.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); spirits: 1.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); other alcohols: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 27. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Percentage of Population That Uses Tobacco: total: 13.6 percent (2020 estimate); male: 15.6 percent (2020 estimate); female: 11.5 percent (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 114. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023