Latest release

National, state and territory population

Statistics about the population and components of change (births, deaths, migration) for Australia and its states and territories

Reference period

December 2019

Released

18/06/2020

Key statistics

Australia’s population was 25,522,169 people at 31 December 2019.
The quarterly growth was 70,200 people (0.3%).
The annual growth was 349,800 people (1.4%).
39.8% of annual growth was due to natural increase, and 60.2% was due to net overseas migration.

National

Annual population change

In the year ending 31 December 2019, Australia's population grew by 349,800 people (1.4%).

Annual population growth rate(a)(b)
	Annual population change (%)
Dec-99	1.1
Mar-00	1.2
Jun-00	1.2
Sep-00	1.2
Dec-00	1.2
Mar-01	1.3
Jun-01	1.3
Sep-01	1.3
Dec-01	1.3
Mar-02	1.2
Jun-02	1.1
Sep-02	1.1
Dec-02	1.1
Mar-03	1.2
Jun-03	1.2
Sep-03	1.2
Dec-03	1.1
Mar-04	1.1
Jun-04	1.1
Sep-04	1.1
Dec-04	1.1
Mar-05	1.2
Jun-05	1.2
Sep-05	1.3
Dec-05	1.3
Mar-06	1.4
Jun-06	1.4
Sep-06	1.5
Dec-06	1.6
Mar-07	1.7
Jun-07	1.8
Sep-07	1.9
Dec-07	1.9
Mar-08	2.0
Jun-08	2.0
Sep-08	2.1
Dec-08	2.2
Mar-09	2.1
Jun-09	2.1
Sep-09	2.0
Dec-09	1.8
Mar-10	1.7
Jun-10	1.6
Sep-10	1.5
Dec-10	1.4
Mar-11	1.4
Jun-11	1.4
Sep-11	1.5
Dec-11	1.6
Mar-12	1.7
Jun-12	1.8
Sep-12	1.8
Dec-12	1.8
Mar-13	1.8
Jun-13	1.7
Sep-13	1.7
Dec-13	1.6
Mar-14	1.6
Jun-14	1.5
Sep-14	1.5
Dec-14	1.5
Mar-15	1.5
Jun-15	1.5
Sep-15	1.5
Dec-15	1.5
Mar-16	1.5
Jun-16	1.6
Sep-16	1.7
Dec-16	1.7
Mar-17	1.7
Jun-17	1.7
Sep-17	1.7
Dec-17	1.6
Mar-18	1.6
Jun-18	1.6
Sep-18	1.6
Dec-18	1.6
Mar-19	1.6
Jun-19	1.5
Sep-19	1.4
Dec-19	1.4

["","Annual population change"]

[["Dec-99","Mar-00","Jun-00","Sep-00","Dec-00","Mar-01","Jun-01","Sep-01","Dec-01","Mar-02","Jun-02","Sep-02","Dec-02","Mar-03","Jun-03","Sep-03","Dec-03","Mar-04","Jun-04","Sep-04","Dec-04","Mar-05","Jun-05","Sep-05","Dec-05","Mar-06","Jun-06","Sep-06","Dec-06","Mar-07","Jun-07","Sep-07","Dec-07","Mar-08","Jun-08","Sep-08","Dec-08","Mar-09","Jun-09","Sep-09","Dec-09","Mar-10","Jun-10","Sep-10","Dec-10","Mar-11","Jun-11","Sep-11","Dec-11","Mar-12","Jun-12","Sep-12","Dec-12","Mar-13","Jun-13","Sep-13","Dec-13","Mar-14","Jun-14","Sep-14","Dec-14","Mar-15","Jun-15","Sep-15","Dec-15","Mar-16","Jun-16","Sep-16","Dec-16","Mar-17","Jun-17","Sep-17","Dec-17","Mar-18","Jun-18","Sep-18","Dec-18","Mar-19","Jun-19","Sep-19","Dec-19"],[[1.1399999999999999],[1.1499999999999999],[1.1499999999999999],[1.1599999999999999],[1.1699999999999999],[1.26],[1.29],[1.27],[1.28],[1.1899999999999999],[1.1399999999999999],[1.1399999999999999],[1.1299999999999999],[1.1499999999999999],[1.1599999999999999],[1.1499999999999999],[1.1299999999999999],[1.1100000000000001],[1.0700000000000001],[1.0900000000000001],[1.1000000000000001],[1.1699999999999999],[1.22],[1.28],[1.3200000000000001],[1.3500000000000001],[1.3600000000000001],[1.47],[1.5600000000000001],[1.6899999999999999],[1.8400000000000001],[1.8600000000000001],[1.8799999999999999],[1.96],[2.02],[2.1099999999999999],[2.1899999999999999],[2.1400000000000001],[2.0800000000000001],[1.98],[1.8200000000000001],[1.6799999999999999],[1.5700000000000001],[1.45],[1.3999999999999999],[1.3899999999999999],[1.3999999999999999],[1.49],[1.5800000000000001],[1.6699999999999999],[1.76],[1.79],[1.8],[1.78],[1.74],[1.6899999999999999],[1.6100000000000001],[1.5800000000000001],[1.5],[1.48],[1.47],[1.45],[1.45],[1.45],[1.46],[1.51],[1.5700000000000001],[1.6499999999999999],[1.6899999999999999],[1.72],[1.7],[1.6499999999999999],[1.5700000000000001],[1.55],[1.55],[1.5800000000000001],[1.6100000000000001],[1.5600000000000001],[1.5],[1.4299999999999999],[1.3899999999999999]]]

Annual growth calculated at the end of each quarter.
All data to 30 June 2016 is final, September 2016 to June 2018 is revised and estimates for September 2018 onwards are preliminary and are subject to revision.

Australia's population growth is comprised of natural increase (births minus deaths) and net overseas migration (migration arrivals minus migration departures).

Components of quarterly population change

In the December 2019 quarter, natural increase:

was 34,300 people
increased by 2,000 people since the previous quarter

In the December 2019 quarter, net overseas migration:

was 35,900 people
decreased by 26,200 people since the previous quarter

Components of quarterly population change
	Total growth	Natural increase	Net overseas migration
Dec-15	80,310	37,909	39,273
Mar-16	118,844	42,678	73,013
Jun-16	87,482	39,007	43,566
Sep-16	108,946	35,289	73,657
Dec-16	89,831	36,238	53,593
Mar-17	128,671	39,902	88,769
Jun-17	83,505	36,173	47,332
Sep-17	100,022	30,290	69,732
Dec-17	71,468	35,640	35,828
Mar-18	125,281	40,176	85,105
Jun-18	84,057	36,498	47,559
Sep-18	110,034	36,206	73,828
Dec-18	79,614	33,886	45,728
Mar-19	114,601	31,947	82,654
Jun-19	70,616	40,675	29,941
Sep-19	94,382	32,258	62,124
Dec-19	70,234	34,291	35,943

["","Total growth","Natural increase","Net overseas migration"]

[["Dec-15","Mar-16","Jun-16","Sep-16","Dec-16","Mar-17","Jun-17","Sep-17","Dec-17","Mar-18","Jun-18","Sep-18","Dec-18","Mar-19","Jun-19","Sep-19","Dec-19"],[[80310],[118844],[87482],[108946],[89831],[128671],[83505],[100022],[71468],[125281],[84057],[110034],[79614],[114601],[70616],[94382],[70234]],[[37909],[42678],[39007],[35289],[36238],[39902],[36173],[30290],[35640],[40176],[36498],[36206],[33886],[31947],[40675],[32258],[34291]],[[39273],[73013],[43566],[73657],[53593],[88769],[47332],[69732],[35828],[85105],[47559],[73828],[45728],[82654],[29941],[62124],[35943]]]

Components of annual population change

In the year ending 31 December 2019, natural increase:

was 139,200 people
decreased by 7,600 people (5.2%) since the previous year
contributed 39.8% to Australia's annual population growth

In the year ending 31 December 2019, net overseas migration:

was 210,700 people
decreased by 41,600 people (16.5%) since the previous year
contributed 60.2% to Australia's annual population growth

Components of annual population change(a)
	Total growth	Natural increase	Net overseas migration
Dec-99	213590	122915	104210
Mar-00	216186	122809	106552
Jun-00	216538	122077	107275
Sep-00	218360	121035	109456
Dec-00	221826	121831	111441
Mar-01	238470	120435	128796
Jun-01	245899	120306	135673
Sep-01	243067	121430	131490
Dec-01	245425	118978	136076
Mar-02	228169	119918	117651
Jun-02	220509	119120	110556
Sep-02	219764	115874	112733
Dec-02	218980	117024	110475
Mar-03	223278	115779	115694
Jun-03	225527	116899	116498
Sep-03	224558	118327	113833
Dec-03	221714	118944	110104
Mar-04	217477	120541	104002
Jun-04	211985	118817	99966
Sep-04	216248	119865	103135
Dec-04	218848	119133	106425
Mar-05	232448	121098	118020
Jun-05	244122	126994	123763
Sep-05	255050	130362	130819
Dec-05	265540	134156	137009
Mar-06	271579	133543	143153
Jun-06	274122	131973	146753
Sep-06	297555	136595	166253
Dec-06	316004	139793	182196
Mar-07	344685	146327	205033
Jun-07	376656	151225	232796
Sep-07	381878	151295	238660
Dec-07	388574	153327	244030
Mar-08	406111	154155	261444
Jun-08	421577	154432	277338
Sep-08	441889	154320	298648
Dec-08	459504	155794	315687
Mar-09	452748	154693	310921
Jun-09	442454	156343	299866
Sep-09	422039	158728	278259
Dec-09	389998	159237	246900
Mar-10	362421	161691	218063
Jun-10	340097	162566	196058
Sep-10	316314	161846	175318
Dec-10	306846	157978	172038
Mar-11	304661	157003	173149
Jun-11	308274	155714	180372
Sep-11	328369	154518	194040
Dec-11	349728	156050	206240
Mar-12	372185	157854	219276
Jun-12	393441	158822	231947
Sep-12	401151	158708	239848
Dec-12	405826	163064	240248
Mar-13	402061	162153	237462
Jun-13	394664	161958	230329
Sep-13	386309	162611	221214
Dec-13	369754	158791	208379
Mar-14	363189	158305	202191
Jun-14	347557	156976	187778
Sep-14	342670	155718	183735
Dec-14	342554	156565	182345
Mar-15	339436	154285	181080
Jun-15	340309	151779	184033
Sep-15	341370	150622	184227
Dec-15	344250	148985	186730
Mar-16	357796	151267	195976
Jun-16	374912	154351	206233
Sep-16	395582	154883	229509
Dec-16	405103	153212	243829
Mar-17	414930	150436	259585
Jun-17	410953	147602	263351
Sep-17	402029	142603	259426
Dec-17	383666	142005	241661
Mar-18	380276	142279	237997
Jun-18	380828	142604	238224
Sep-18	390840	148520	242320
Dec-18	398986	146766	252220
Mar-19	388306	138537	249769
Jun-19	374865	142714	232151
Sep-19	359213	138766	220447
Dec-19	349833	139171	210662

["","Total growth","Natural increase","Net overseas migration"]

[["Dec-99","Mar-00","Jun-00","Sep-00","Dec-00","Mar-01","Jun-01","Sep-01","Dec-01","Mar-02","Jun-02","Sep-02","Dec-02","Mar-03","Jun-03","Sep-03","Dec-03","Mar-04","Jun-04","Sep-04","Dec-04","Mar-05","Jun-05","Sep-05","Dec-05","Mar-06","Jun-06","Sep-06","Dec-06","Mar-07","Jun-07","Sep-07","Dec-07","Mar-08","Jun-08","Sep-08","Dec-08","Mar-09","Jun-09","Sep-09","Dec-09","Mar-10","Jun-10","Sep-10","Dec-10","Mar-11","Jun-11","Sep-11","Dec-11","Mar-12","Jun-12","Sep-12","Dec-12","Mar-13","Jun-13","Sep-13","Dec-13","Mar-14","Jun-14","Sep-14","Dec-14","Mar-15","Jun-15","Sep-15","Dec-15","Mar-16","Jun-16","Sep-16","Dec-16","Mar-17","Jun-17","Sep-17","Dec-17","Mar-18","Jun-18","Sep-18","Dec-18","Mar-19","Jun-19","Sep-19","Dec-19"],[[213590],[216186],[216538],[218360],[221826],[238470],[245899],[243067],[245425],[228169],[220509],[219764],[218980],[223278],[225527],[224558],[221714],[217477],[211985],[216248],[218848],[232448],[244122],[255050],[265540],[271579],[274122],[297555],[316004],[344685],[376656],[381878],[388574],[406111],[421577],[441889],[459504],[452748],[442454],[422039],[389998],[362421],[340097],[316314],[306846],[304661],[308274],[328369],[349728],[372185],[393441],[401151],[405826],[402061],[394664],[386309],[369754],[363189],[347557],[342670],[342554],[339436],[340309],[341370],[344250],[357796],[374912],[395582],[405103],[414930],[410953],[402029],[383666],[380276],[380828],[390840],[398986],[388306],[374865],[359213],[349833]],[[122915],[122809],[122077],[121035],[121831],[120435],[120306],[121430],[118978],[119918],[119120],[115874],[117024],[115779],[116899],[118327],[118944],[120541],[118817],[119865],[119133],[121098],[126994],[130362],[134156],[133543],[131973],[136595],[139793],[146327],[151225],[151295],[153327],[154155],[154432],[154320],[155794],[154693],[156343],[158728],[159237],[161691],[162566],[161846],[157978],[157003],[155714],[154518],[156050],[157854],[158822],[158708],[163064],[162153],[161958],[162611],[158791],[158305],[156976],[155718],[156565],[154285],[151779],[150622],[148985],[151267],[154351],[154883],[153212],[150436],[147602],[142603],[142005],[142279],[142604],[148520],[146766],[138537],[142714],[138766],[139171]],[[104210],[106552],[107275],[109456],[111441],[128796],[135673],[131490],[136076],[117651],[110556],[112733],[110475],[115694],[116498],[113833],[110104],[104002],[99966],[103135],[106425],[118020],[123763],[130819],[137009],[143153],[146753],[166253],[182196],[205033],[232796],[238660],[244030],[261444],[277338],[298648],[315687],[310921],[299866],[278259],[246900],[218063],[196058],[175318],[172038],[173149],[180372],[194040],[206240],[219276],[231947],[239848],[240248],[237462],[230329],[221214],[208379],[202191],[187778],[183735],[182345],[181080],[184033],[184227],[186730],[195976],[206233],[229509],[243829],[259585],[263351],[259426],[241661],[237997],[238224],[242320],[252220],[249769],[232151],[220447],[210662]]]

Annual components calculated at the end of each quarter.

Births and deaths

Births

In the year ending 31 December 2019:

there were 305,800 births
births increased by 2,200 (0.7%) since the previous year

Deaths

In the year ending 31 December 2019:

there were 166,700 deaths
deaths increased by 9,800 (6.2%) since the previous year

Overseas migration arrivals and departures

Overseas migration arrivals

In the year ending 31 December 2019:

there were 533,500 people immigrating to Australia
arrivals decreased by 890 people (0.2%) since the previous year

Overseas migration departures

In the year ending 31 December 2019:

there were 322,900 people emigrating from Australia
departures increased by 40,700 people (14.4%) since the previous year

States and territories

Annual population change

All states and territories, except the Northern Territory, had positive population growth over the year ending 31 December 2019.
Victoria had the highest growth rate (1.9%).
The Northern Territory had the lowest growth rate (-0.4%).

Annual population change by state and territory

	Population at 31 Dec 2019 ('000)	Change over previous year ('000)	Change over previous year (%)
New South Wales	8,129.0	90.9	1.1
Victoria	6,651.1	122.2	1.9
Queensland	5,130.0	79.3	1.6
South Australia	1,759.2	15.7	0.9
Western Australia	2,639.1	33.2	1.3
Tasmania	537.0	5.2	1.0
Northern Territory	244.8	-0.9	-0.4
Australian Capital Territory	427.4	4.2	1.0
Australia (a)	25,522.2	349.8	1.4

a. Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.

State and territory population change is comprised of natural increase, net overseas migration, and net interstate migration (interstate arrivals minus interstate departures).

Components of annual population change

For the year ending 31 December 2019:

natural increase was the major contributor to population change in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory
net interstate migration loss was the largest component of population change in the Northern Territory
net overseas migration was the major contributor to population change in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

Components of annual population growth
	Natural increase	Net interstate migration	Net overseas migration
NSW	42839	-22447	70545
Vic.	35955	10649	75557
Qld	29264	22928	27144
SA	5526	-3861	14074
WA	18499	-4124	18862
Tas.	1089	1438	2635
NT	2517	-3994	535
ACT	3488	-589	1291

["","Natural increase","Net interstate migration","Net overseas migration"]

[["NSW","Vic.","Qld","SA","WA","Tas.","NT","ACT"],[[42839],[35955],[29264],[5526],[18499],[1089],[2517],[3488]],[[-22447],[10649],[22928],[-3861],[-4124],[1438],[-3994],[-589]],[[70545],[75557],[27144],[14074],[18862],[2635],[535],[1291]]]

Natural increase by state and territory

	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
Births	98,905	77,221	61,734	19,490	33,539	5,753	3,659	5,521
Deaths	56,066	41,266	32,470	13,964	15,040	4,664	1,142	2,033
Natural increase	42,839	35,955	29,264	5,526	18,499	1,089	2,517	3,488

Net overseas migration by state and territory

	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
Overseas arrivals	185,125	164,027	90,006	26,792	47,928	5,692	4,936	8,974
Overseas departures	114,580	88,470	62,862	12,718	29,066	3,057	4,401	7,683
Net overseas migration	70,545	75,557	27,144	14,074	18,862	2,635	535	1,291

Net interstate migration by state and territory

	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
Interstate arrivals	95,315	87,879	106,628	24,603	32,018	14,041	13,942	21,675
Interstate departures	117,762	77,230	83,700	28,464	36,142	12,603	17,936	22,264
Net interstate migration	-22,447	10,649	22,928	-3,861	-4,124	1,438	-3,994	-589

Notes

Changes to this issue

Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2018-19 (cat. no. 3218.0) was released on the 25th March 2020. Table 4, Population, Major population regions, in this publication has been updated accordingly.

Migration, Australia, 2018-19 (cat. no. 3412.0) was released on the 28th April 2020. Table 8, Estimated resident population, Country of birth, in this publication has been updated accordingly.

COVID-19 and 2019/20 Australian bushfires

Statistics in this publication largely predate COVID-19.

To ensure the ongoing production of fit-for-purpose official population estimates through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABS has been assessing the likely impact of changed traveller behaviour on preliminary Net Overseas Migration (NOM) estimates, a component of ERP. From this release, the ABS has introduced more frequent revisions to NOM to ensure the suite of demographic statistics continue to be of high quality, and reflect the most timely data available. Preliminary NOM estimates will be revised every quarter over four quarters, instead of once after four quarters, until it becomes final. These more frequent revisions will ensure the most timely and accurate data flows through to ERP.

It should be noted that the model that underpins the preliminary NOM estimates utilises all available overseas movements data, including some data for January through April 2020. As a result, some impacts from changed traveller behaviour may be observed in this release. For further information see the Information Paper: Improvements to estimation of net overseas migration (cat. no. 3412.0.55.004).

The Australian summer bushfires of 2019/20 had no observed impact on the statistics in this publication.

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

Table 1. Population change, summary - Australia ('000)

Data files

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Table 2. Population change, components - States and territories (number)

Document content:

Population components prior to September 2016 will not sum to total population growth due to intercensal difference. Components for September 2016 onwards will sum to total population growth as the intercensal difference for this period will not be known until after the 2021 Census.

Intercensal difference is the difference between the preliminary ERP for 30 June in a Census year (carried forward from the previous Census base using births, deaths and migration data) and the final ERP for the same time point (based on the new Census). The intercensal difference by age and sex for each state and territory is spread evenly across the intercensal quarters. Thus intercensal difference acts as a balancing item that when combined with births, deaths and migration equals total population growth for that period.

For more information see Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2017 Feature Article: Final rebasing of Australia's population estimates using the 2016 Census.

Data files

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Table 4. Estimated resident population, states and territories (number)

Data files

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Table 16A. Interstate arrivals, states and territories (persons)

Data files

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Table 16B. Interstate departures, states and territories (persons)

Data files

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Table 51. Estimated resident population by single year of age, New South Wales

Data files

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Table 52. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Victoria

Data files

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Table 53. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Queensland

Data files

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Table 54. Estimated resident population by single year of age, South Australia

Data files

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Table 55. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Western Australia

Data files

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Table 56. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Tasmania

Data files

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Table 57. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Northern Territory

Data files

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Table 58. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Australian Capital Territory

Data files

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Table 59. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Australia

Data files

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All time series spreadsheets

Data files

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Data downloads - data cubes

Australian demographic statistics tables

Data files

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Population by age and sex tables

Data files

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Standard population for use in age-standardisation table

Data files

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All data cubes

Data files

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ABS.Stat datasets

Help for: ABS.Stat Datasets

Quarterly Population Estimates (ERP), by State/Territory, Sex and Age
Interstate Migration by States and Territories of Arrival and Departure by Sex
Population Clock Component Data

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 3101.0.

National, state and territory population

Key statistics

National

Annual population change

Components of quarterly population change

Components of annual population change

Births and deaths

Births

Deaths

Overseas migration arrivals and departures

Overseas migration arrivals

Overseas migration departures

States and territories

Annual population change

Annual population change by state and territory

Components of annual population change

Natural increase by state and territory

Net overseas migration by state and territory

Net interstate migration by state and territory

Notes

Changes to this issue

COVID-19 and 2019/20 Australian bushfires

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

Table 1. Population change, summary - Australia ('000)

Table 2. Population change, components - States and territories (number)

Table 4. Estimated resident population, states and territories (number)

Table 16A. Interstate arrivals, states and territories (persons)

Table 16B. Interstate departures, states and territories (persons)

Table 51. Estimated resident population by single year of age, New South Wales

Table 52. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Victoria

Table 53. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Queensland

Table 54. Estimated resident population by single year of age, South Australia

Table 55. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Western Australia

Table 56. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Tasmania

Table 57. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Northern Territory

Table 58. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Australian Capital Territory

Table 59. Estimated resident population by single year of age, Australia

All time series spreadsheets

Data downloads - data cubes

Australian demographic statistics tables

Population by age and sex tables

Standard population for use in age-standardisation table

All data cubes

ABS.Stat datasets

Previous catalogue number

Methodology

National, state and territory population methodology, December 2019

Articles

Australia's population grew by 1.4 per cent