Australia has a population density of 9.16 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Australia has 3,043,442 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Australia ranked 196th out of 197.
Australia has 0.33% of the world's population and 5.16% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Australia compared to the World's average
Australia
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 9.16 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 196/197 | N/A |
| Population |
27677455
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 2,969,906 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 3,043,440 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 13.2% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 86.8% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 62.6% | 28.6% |
Australia population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Australia has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 36.3%. The population density rank was 190th 21 years ago and is 196th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9.16 | 196 |
| 2023 | 8.97 | 196 |
| 2022 | 8.76 | 196 |
| 2021 | 8.65 | 196 |
| 2020 | 8.64 | 195 |
| 2019 | 8.53 | 195 |
| 2018 | 8.41 | 195 |
| 2017 | 8.28 | 195 |
| 2016 | 8.15 | 195 |
| 2015 | 8.03 | 195 |
| 2014 | 7.91 | 195 |
| 2013 | 7.8 | 195 |
| 2012 | 7.66 | 195 |
| 2011 | 7.53 | 193 |
| 2010 | 7.43 | 192 |
| 2009 | 7.31 | 192 |
| 2008 | 7.16 | 192 |
| 2007 | 7.02 | 192 |
| 2006 | 6.89 | 192 |
| 2005 | 6.8 | 190 |
| 2004 | 6.72 | 190 |
| 2003 | 6.65 | 190 |
| 2002 | 6.57 | 190 |
| 2001 | 6.5 | 190 |
| 2000 | 6.42 | 190 |
| 1999 | 6.34 | 187 |
| 1998 | 6.27 | 186 |
| 1997 | 6.21 | 186 |
| 1996 | 6.14 | 186 |
| 1995 | 6.07 | 186 |
| 1994 | 6 | 186 |
| 1993 | 5.95 | 186 |
| 1992 | 5.89 | 182 |
| 1991 | 5.83 | 163 |
| 1990 | 5.75 | 161 |
| 1989 | 5.67 | 160 |
| 1988 | 5.57 | 160 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 159 |
| 1986 | 5.4 | 159 |
| 1985 | 5.32 | 159 |
| 1984 | 5.25 | 159 |
| 1983 | 5.19 | 159 |
| 1982 | 5.12 | 159 |
| 1981 | 5.03 | 159 |
| 1980 | 4.95 | 159 |
| 1979 | 4.89 | 158 |
| 1978 | 4.84 | 158 |
| 1977 | 4.78 | 158 |
| 1976 | 4.73 | 158 |
| 1975 | 4.68 | 158 |
| 1974 | 4.63 | 158 |
| 1973 | 4.51 | 158 |
| 1972 | 4.44 | 158 |
| 1971 | 4.36 | 158 |
| 1970 | 4.22 | 158 |
| 1969 | 4.13 | 157 |
| 1968 | 4.05 | 157 |
| 1967 | 3.98 | 157 |
| 1966 | 3.93 | 157 |
| 1965 | 3.84 | 157 |
| 1964 | 3.76 | 157 |
| 1963 | 3.69 | 157 |
| 1962 | 3.62 | 157 |
| 1961 | 3.53 | 157 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Australia from 1960 to 2024: 81.5% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 84.2% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 86.8%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 86.8% | 31 |
| 2023 | 86.6% | 31 |
| 2022 | 86.5% | 31 |
| 2021 | 86.4% | 31 |
| 2020 | 86.2% | 31 |
| 2019 | 86.1% | 30 |
| 2018 | 86% | 30 |
| 2017 | 85.9% | 30 |
| 2016 | 85.8% | 30 |
| 2015 | 85.7% | 29 |
| 2014 | 85.6% | 28 |
| 2013 | 85.5% | 28 |
| 2012 | 85.4% | 28 |
| 2011 | 85.3% | 27 |
| 2010 | 85.2% | 27 |
| 2009 | 85.1% | 25 |
| 2008 | 84.9% | 25 |
| 2007 | 84.8% | 24 |
| 2006 | 84.7% | 24 |
| 2005 | 84.6% | 24 |
| 2004 | 84.5% | 24 |
| 2003 | 84.3% | 23 |
| 2002 | 84.2% | 23 |
| 2001 | 84.1% | 23 |
| 2000 | 84.2% | 22 |
| 1999 | 84.4% | 22 |
| 1998 | 84.5% | 22 |
| 1997 | 84.6% | 22 |
| 1996 | 84.8% | 22 |
| 1995 | 84.9% | 20 |
| 1994 | 85% | 19 |
| 1993 | 85.2% | 19 |
| 1992 | 85.3% | 17 |
| 1991 | 85.4% | 16 |
| 1990 | 85.4% | 16 |
| 1989 | 85.5% | 16 |
| 1988 | 85.5% | 16 |
| 1987 | 85.5% | 16 |
| 1986 | 85.6% | 15 |
| 1985 | 85.6% | 15 |
| 1984 | 85.6% | 15 |
| 1983 | 85.6% | 15 |
| 1982 | 85.7% | 14 |
| 1981 | 85.7% | 14 |
| 1980 | 85.6% | 13 |
| 1979 | 85.4% | 13 |
| 1978 | 85.3% | 13 |
| 1977 | 85.1% | 13 |
| 1976 | 84.9% | 13 |
| 1975 | 84.8% | 13 |
| 1974 | 84.6% | 13 |
| 1973 | 84.5% | 13 |
| 1972 | 84.3% | 11 |
| 1971 | 84.2% | 11 |
| 1970 | 84% | 11 |
| 1969 | 83.8% | 10 |
| 1968 | 83.7% | 9 |
| 1967 | 83.5% | 9 |
| 1966 | 83.3% | 8 |
| 1965 | 83.1% | 8 |
| 1964 | 82.8% | 8 |
| 1963 | 82.5% | 8 |
| 1962 | 82.2% | 9 |
| 1961 | 81.9% | 9 |
| 1960 | 81.5% | 9 |
Densely populated cities
|
Australia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Sydney | 5.45M |
| Melbourne | 5.35M |
| Brisbane | 2.71M |
| Perth | 2.14M |
| Adelaide | 1.39M |
| Gold Coast | 608K |
| Canberra | 381K |
| Sunshine Coast | 284K |
| Wollongong | 262K |
| Ipswich | 233K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Australia topic pages:
Population density comparisons
