15.7.1 Urbanisation in Australia With a population of over 27 million people in 2024 and a very large landmass, Australia has an average population density of only 3.4 people per square kilometre. Yet 85 per cent of people live within 50 kilometres of the coast, and most of these people live in urban areas. Australia is one of the most urbanised and coastal dwelling populations in the world, and the level of urbanisation is increasing. From federation (1901) until 1976, the number of Australians living in capital cities increased gradually from a little over one-third (36 per cent) to almost two-thirds (65 per cent). Since 1977, the population living in capital cities has grown to 66 per cent. It is estimated that by 2053 this will have grown to 72 per cent (with an estimated 89 per cent in the four largest capital cities).
FIGURE2 A map of Australia’s population distribution shows that it is highly urbanised and coastal.
0
500
1000 km
Remoteness
Population per square kilometre
Major city Inner regional Outer regional Remote Very remote
14 800
0
Australian Bureau of Statistics.
All of Australia’s capital cities have grown over time, as have many regional urban areas, such as the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay regions. This growth is expected to continue in the future (see TABLE1 ).
TABLE1 Australian capital city 2023 populations and projections for 2036 and 2066 City 2023 population Projected 2036
Projected 2066
Sydney
5450 500 5207 100 2707 000 2309 300 1446 400
7379976 7520830 3596431 2798994 1605335
11240860 12235490 5782256 4330509 2068550
Melbourne
Brisbane
Perth
Adelaide
Hobart Darwin
253700 150700
297085 195082
466752 295458
Total
17991 300
23393733
36419875
Source: © Australian Bureau of Statistics
450 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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