Australia’s population officially surpassed 27 million this year with overseas migrants primarily driving the growth, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The ABS said Australia’s population climbed 2.3 per cent in the 12 months to March 31, increasing by 615,300 people.
ABS head of demography Beidar Cho said the population grew by 615,300 people over the previous year with net overseas migration driving 83 per cent of this population growth.
“While births and deaths, known as natural increase, made up the other 17 per cent,” Ms Cho said.
Annual net overseas migration contributed 509,800 people in the year to March, down from a peak of 559,900 in September 2023.
Natural increase was 105,500 in the year ending March 2024 which comprised of 184,200 deaths and 289,700 births registered in Australia.
