One born every minute as Australia reaches 23 million

Today, 23 April 2013, Australia’s population reached 23 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

According to the Canberra Times, in 1918 the population was just 5 million. Each year the population grew at an average of 1.7%, with the state of Western Australia increasing greater than the national rate (at 3.4%). Making up the 1.7% growth, or 1,048 people per day, is one birth every one minute and 44 seconds and a new arrival from overseas every 2 minutes and 23 seconds, minus a death every 3 minutes and 32 seconds. That equates to a population increase of one person every minute and 23 seconds. This represents the fastest growth rate in the developed world. This compares to a growth rate of 0.9% in the United States, 0.6% in the United Kingdom, and 1.4% in India. Globally, the rate of growth is 1.1%.

Australia’s increase is largely made up of migrants, which were predominantly male in the early years. By 1979 there were more women than men arriving in Australia. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) maintains the growth rate is mainly due to migration rather than elevated birth rates. The net overseas migration accounted for 60% of Australia’s population increase in 2012. The upward trend in migration is due to the number of people on temporary visas (people on working holidays, visitors, or New Zealanders) who make up about half of the growth in net migration. Australia has no cap (ceiling) on the number of people that can take a working holiday—and most working holiday makers are from Ireland, Taiwan, and England. Even permanent arrivals (66% in 2012—which is 488,100 people) were on some kind of working visa, with 30% on family visas and 7% on humanitarian visas.

The proportion of births decreased from 46% to 40%, although the average number of children per women has remained relatively stable at about 1.9 children. Despite the downward trend, births still hit a record high in 2012, surpassing 300,000 for the first time. Last year Australia recorded twice as many births (303,600) than deaths (149,100).

From 5 million in 1918, the population reached 10 million in 1959, 15 million in 1982, and 20 million in 2003. The ABS predicts that by 2028 there will be more people aged over 60 years than those below 20 years. And in 30 years (by 2043) there will be almost 35 million people in Australia.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/data-point/23million