3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Mar 2009 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/09/2009   
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MAIN FEATURES


POPULATION AND GROWTH

The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 31 March 2009 was 21,779,000 persons, an increase of 439,100 since 31 March 2008 and 135,100 persons since 31 December 2008. The increase for the year ended 31 March 2009 is the largest recorded for a 12 month period since the quarterly ERP time series began in 1981 (see paragraphs 4 to 6 of the Explanatory Notes for more detail on ERP).

The annual population growth rate for the year ended 31 March 2009, at 2.06% was the fastest annual growth rate for a year ended 31 March since quarterly ERP data started in June 1981.


COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE

The growth of Australia's population has two components: natural increase (the number of births minus the number of deaths) and net overseas migration.


Natural Increase

Natural increase for the 12 months ended 31 March 2009 was 160,800 persons, an increase of 15.2% (or 21,200 persons) on the natural increase for the year ended 31 March 2008 (139,700 persons).

BIRTHS

The preliminary estimate for births during the year ended 31 March 2009 (304,500) was 8.2% higher than the figure for the year ended 31 March 2008 (281,500).

DEATHS

The preliminary estimate for deaths during the year ended 31 March 2009 (143,700) was the highest ever recorded for a year ending 31 March.


Net Overseas Migration

For the year ended 31 March 2009, Australia's preliminary net overseas migration (NOM) estimate was 278,200 persons. This was the difference between 502,800 overseas arrivals that were added to the population (NOM arrivals) and 224,600 overseas departures that were subtracted from the population (NOM departures). The contribution made to population growth by NOM (63.4%) was higher than that of natural increase (36.6%).


STATES AND TERRITORIES: POPULATION AND GROWTH

The estimated resident populations for the states and territories at 31 March 2009 were as follows: New South Wales 7,076,000, Victoria 5,403,000, Queensland 4,380,000, South Australia 1,618,000, Western Australia 2,224,000, Tasmania 501,800, the Northern Territory 223,100 and the Australian Capital Territory 349,900.

All states and territories recorded positive population growth over the 12 months ended 31 March 2009. Western Australia recorded the fastest growth rate (3.1%), followed by Queensland (2.6%), the Northern Territory (2.2%), Victoria (2.1%), the Australian Capital Territory (1.8%), New South Wales (1.6%), South Australia (1.2%) and Tasmania (1.0%).


COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE

At the state and territory level, population growth has three components: natural increase, net overseas migration and net interstate migration.

Although all states and territories experienced positive population growth in the year ended 31 March 2009, the proportion that each of these components contributed to population growth varied between the states and territories.

Population Components as a proportion of total growth(a) - Year ended 31 March 2009
Graph: Population Components as a proportion of total growth(a)—Year ended 31 March 2009



Natural Increase

As illustrated in the graph above, natural increase was the major component of population growth in the Northern Territory at 57.9% (2,800 persons) and Tasmania at 48.6% (2,400 persons) for the year ended 31 March 2009.

BIRTHS

The number of births registered for the 12 months ended 31 March 2009 increased in comparison with the previous year, in most states and territories. New South Wales recorded the largest percentage increase of 17.3%, followed by Queensland (14.5%).

DEATHS

The number of deaths registered for the 12 months ended 31 March 2009 increased in comparison with the previous year, in most states and territories. The Australian Capital Territory recorded the largest percentage increase of 5.9%, followed by South Australia (4.0%).


Net Overseas Migration

The contribution of NOM, as illustrated in the above graph, was the major component of population growth in South Australia at 88.9% (16,500 persons) for the year ended 31 March 2009, followed by New South Wales at 73.3% (82,500 persons). This was followed by Victoria at 68.8% (77,000 persons), Western Australia at 64.3% (43,400 persons), the Australian Capital Territory at 53.9% (3,300 persons) and Queensland at 46.7% (52,600). Tasmania and the Northern Territory also experienced positive net overseas migration.


Net Interstate Migration

For the year ended 31 March 2009, Queensland experienced the highest positive net interstate migration with a gain of 20,000 persons. Other states and territories that experienced positive net interstate migration were Western Australia (5,900 persons), the Northern Territory (830 persons) and Tasmania (800). Negative net interstate migration was experienced by New South Wales (-21,900 persons), South Australia (-5,000 persons), the Australian Capital Territory (-310 persons) and Victoria (-300 persons).

Interstate migration, Arrivals, Departures and Net - States and territories - Year ended 31 March 2009
Graph: Interstate migration, Arrivals, Departures and Net—States and territories—Year ended 31 March 2009