Australia’s Population Shows Lowest Growth since 2006

Added by on April 1, 2011

Australia’s population has grown 1.7 percent in the last year, the lowest annual growth recorded since 2006, the latest statistics show.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the country’s population reached 22.33 million on June 30, 2010 – an increase of 377,100 people from the year before. While inner-city areas, suburbs and places along the coast experienced most of the increase, many inland and rural areas saw a decline in their population, in particular areas affected by drought.

However, also the cities have experienced a slow-down in their rate of growth. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane along with the other capitals have all experienced steady growth since 2003/04, which slowed in 2009/10 – for the first time in six years – to 1.8 percent.

Melbourne showed the biggest increase among capitals, adding 79,000 people, taking it to more than four million for the first time.

Among states, Tasmania showed the least growth, with an increase of mere 0.8 percent, or 4,400 people, in the year ending September 2010. Western Australia experienced the highest growth for the fourth year in a row, adding 2.2 percent to its total population.