3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Mar 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/09/2011   
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MEDIA RELEASE
29 September 2011
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
120/2011

Australia's population growth rate slows to 1.4%

Australia's annual population growth rate slowed to 1.4% for the year ending March 2011, according to preliminary figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This is equal to the average annual population growth rate for the past 30 years and is down from a peak growth rate of 2.2% in the year ending March 2009.

Australia's population reached 22,546,300 people at the end of March 2011, growing by 312,400 people over the year. This is down from the previous year where the population grew by 374,600 people, and is the lowest growth since the year ending March 2006 when an increase of 299,269 people was recorded.

Net overseas migration accounted for 54% of the growth for the year ending March 2011, with the remaining 46% due to natural increase (births minus deaths). Net overseas migration continued to decline to the end of March 2011. The preliminary net overseas migration estimate for the year ending March 2011 (167,100 people) was 24% lower than that for March 2010 (220,000 people).

Natural increase for the year ending March 2011 declined by 9,400 people when compared to the previous year. This is due to a 4% increase in the number of registered deaths (146,600 deaths) and a 1% decrease in the number of registered births (291,800 births).

Western Australia continued to record the fastest population growth rate at 2.2%, while the Northern Territory recorded the slowest growth rate (0.4%).


Population at end Mar qtr 2011
Change over previous year
Change over previous year
PRELIMINARY DATA
'000
'000
%

New South Wales
7 287.6
82.1
1.1
Victoria
5 605.6
81.6
1.5
Queensland
4 561.7
73.2
1.6
South Australia
1 654.2
13.9
0.8
Western Australia
2 331.5
51.0
2.2
Tasmania
510.2
3.2
0.6
Northern Territory
229.2
0.9
0.4
Australian Capital Territory
363.8
6.4
1.8
Australia(a)
22 546.3
312.4
1.4

(a) Includes Other Territories.

Further information is available in Australian Demographic Statistics, March Quarter 2011 (cat. no. 3101.0).

For population estimates at the regional level, please see Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2009–10 (cat. no. 3218.0) and Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2010 (cat. no. 3235.0). Available for free download from www.abs.gov.au