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Population & Demographics•Series ID: 1.3.TOT.AUS.Q•1901–2026

Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) - Historical Data

Combines the ABS Historical Population archive (1901–1980) with quarterly ABS Estimated Resident Population statistics (1981–2026).

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Current Statistics & Historical Records

Latest Reading (2026 Q1)
27.92M
Prev (2025 Q4): 27.79M+130,887
Highest Recorded (2026 Q1)
27.92M

Recorded in 2026 Q1

Lowest Recorded (1901)
3.82M

Recorded in 1901

Long-Run Mean (1901–2026)
12.69M

126 annual observations · Quarterly

Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) - Historical Series (1901–2026)

Persons

Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full annual history (1901–2026) and recent quarterly releases.

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Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (1.3.TOT.AUS.Q) Latest: 27921150 Persons (2026 Q1)

Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) by Decade (1901–2026)

Decade averages, peaks, and troughs across Australian economic cycles

1900s1901–1909
4.05M
High (1909):4,323,960
Low (1901):3,824,913
1910s1910–1919
4.89M
High (1919):5,303,574
Low (1910):4,425,083
1920s1920–1929
5.94M
High (1929):6,436,213
Low (1920):5,411,297
1930s1930–1939
6.74M
High (1939):7,004,912
Low (1930):6,500,751
1940s1940–1949
7.45M
High (1949):8,045,570
Low (1940):7,077,586
1950s1950–1959
9.23M
High (1959):10,160,968
Low (1950):8,307,481
1960s1960–1969
11.39M
High (1969):12,407,217
Low (1960):10,391,920
1970s1970–1979
13.81M
High (1979):14,602,481
Low (1970):12,663,469
1980s1980–1989
15.84M
High (1989):16,936,723
Low (1980):14,807,370
1990s1990–1999
18.03M
High (1999):18,919,210
Low (1990):17,169,768
2000s2000–2009
20.33M
High (2009):21,865,623
Low (2000):19,141,036
2010s2010–2019
23.84M
High (2019):25,520,468
Low (2010):22,172,469
2020s2020–2026
26.83M
High (2026):27,921,150
Low (2020):25,630,698

Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) - Historical Table (1901–2026)

Unit: Persons · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (1.3.TOT.AUS.Q)

Download full CSV (126 rows) ↓
YearPopulation (Persons)Year Range (Low – High)Historical Context / Year Snapshot
202627,921,15027,921,150 The Australian Economy in 2026 →
202527,790,26327,528,422 – 27,790,263Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration
202427,391,12527,113,517 – 27,391,125 The Australian Economy in 2024 →
202326,956,66026,514,302 – 26,956,660 The Australian Economy in 2023 →
202226,320,28525,912,977 – 26,320,285Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle
202125,773,79525,653,005 – 25,773,795 The Australian Economy in 2021 →
202025,630,69825,627,924 – 25,649,248COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor
201925,520,46825,264,932 – 25,520,468 The Australian Economy in 2019 →
201825,146,14024,881,751 – 25,146,140 The Australian Economy in 2018 →
201724,759,01824,511,409 – 24,759,018 The Australian Economy in 2017 →
201624,385,06424,103,425 – 24,385,064 The Australian Economy in 2016 →
201523,984,58123,745,629 – 23,984,581 The Australian Economy in 2015 →
201423,640,33123,406,193 – 23,640,331 The Australian Economy in 2014 →
201323,297,77723,043,004 – 23,297,777 The Australian Economy in 2013 →
201222,928,02322,640,943 – 22,928,023 The Australian Economy in 2012 →
201122,522,19722,268,758 – 22,522,197China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak
201022,172,46921,964,097 – 22,172,469 The Australian Economy in 2010 →
200921,865,62321,601,676 – 21,865,623 The Australian Economy in 2009 →
200821,475,62521,148,928 – 21,475,625Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts
200721,016,12120,742,817 – 21,016,121 The Australian Economy in 2007 →
200620,627,54720,398,132 – 20,627,547 The Australian Economy in 2006 →
200520,311,54320,126,553 – 20,311,543 The Australian Economy in 2005 →
200420,046,00319,894,105 – 20,046,003 The Australian Economy in 2004 →
200319,827,15519,676,628 – 19,827,155 The Australian Economy in 2003 →
200219,605,44119,453,350 – 19,605,441 The Australian Economy in 2002 →
200119,386,46119,225,181 – 19,386,461 The Australian Economy in 2001 →
200019,141,03618,986,711 – 19,141,036Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST)
199918,919,21018,770,525 – 18,919,210 The Australian Economy in 1999 →
199818,705,62018,572,416 – 18,705,620 The Australian Economy in 1998 →
199718,510,00418,388,710 – 18,510,004 The Australian Economy in 1997 →
199618,330,07918,175,986 – 18,330,079 The Australian Economy in 1996 →
199518,119,61617,951,550 – 18,119,616 The Australian Economy in 1995 →
199417,893,43317,772,078 – 17,893,433 The Australian Economy in 1994 →
199317,719,09017,609,552 – 17,719,090RBA formalises 2–3% inflation targeting
199217,557,13317,441,287 – 17,557,133 The Australian Economy in 1992 →
199117,378,98117,237,424 – 17,378,981Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have")
199017,169,76817,005,636 – 17,169,768Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate)
198916,936,72316,764,042 – 16,936,723 The Australian Economy in 1989 →
198816,687,08216,471,767 – 16,687,082 The Australian Economy in 1988 →
198716,394,64116,204,041 – 16,394,641October 1987 sharemarket crash
198616,138,76915,961,498 – 16,138,769 The Australian Economy in 1986 →
198515,900,56615,736,665 – 15,900,566 The Australian Economy in 1985 →
198415,677,28215,531,541 – 15,677,282 The Australian Economy in 1984 →
198315,483,49615,346,242 – 15,483,496Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord
198215,288,89115,121,698 – 15,288,891Early 1980s recession & drought
198115,054,11714,988,677 – 15,054,117 The Australian Economy in 1981 →
198014,807,37014,807,370 The Australian Economy in 1980 →
197914,602,48114,602,481 The Australian Economy in 1979 →
197814,430,83014,430,830 The Australian Economy in 1978 →
197714,281,53314,281,533 The Australian Economy in 1977 →
197614,110,10714,110,107 The Australian Economy in 1976 →
197513,968,88113,968,881 The Australian Economy in 1975 →
197413,831,97813,831,9781974 wage explosion & stagflation peak
197313,614,34413,614,344First OPEC oil shock
197213,409,28813,409,288 The Australian Economy in 1972 →
197113,198,38013,198,380 The Australian Economy in 1971 →
197012,663,46912,663,469 The Australian Economy in 1970 →
196912,407,21712,407,217 The Australian Economy in 1969 →
196812,145,58212,145,582 The Australian Economy in 1968 →
196711,912,25311,912,253 The Australian Economy in 1967 →
196611,704,84311,704,843Decimal currency transition (£ to AUD)
196511,505,40811,505,408 The Australian Economy in 1965 →
196411,280,42911,280,429 The Australian Economy in 1964 →
196311,055,48211,055,482 The Australian Economy in 1963 →
196210,846,05910,846,059 The Australian Economy in 1962 →
196110,642,65410,642,654Menzies credit squeeze
196010,391,92010,391,920 The Australian Economy in 1960 →
195910,160,96810,160,968 The Australian Economy in 1959 →
19589,947,3589,947,358 The Australian Economy in 1958 →
19579,744,0879,744,087 The Australian Economy in 1957 →
19569,530,8719,530,871 The Australian Economy in 1956 →
19559,311,8259,311,825 The Australian Economy in 1955 →
19549,089,9369,089,936 The Australian Economy in 1954 →
19538,902,6868,902,686 The Australian Economy in 1953 →
19528,739,5698,739,569 The Australian Economy in 1952 →
19518,527,9078,527,907Korean War wool price boom & inflation spike
19508,307,4818,307,481 The Australian Economy in 1950 →
19498,045,5708,045,570-
19487,792,4657,792,465-
19477,637,9637,637,963-
19467,517,9817,517,981-
19457,430,1977,430,197-
19447,347,0247,347,024-
19437,269,6587,269,658-
19427,201,0967,201,096-
19417,143,5987,143,598-
19407,077,5867,077,586-
19397,004,9127,004,912-
19386,935,9096,935,909-
19376,871,4926,871,492-
19366,810,4136,810,413-
19356,755,6626,755,662-
19346,707,2476,707,247-
19336,656,6956,656,695-
19326,603,7856,603,785-
19316,552,6066,552,606Premiers' Plan & Depression deflation trough
19306,500,7516,500,751-
19296,436,2136,436,213Wall Street Crash & onset of Great Depression
19286,355,7706,355,770-
19276,251,0166,251,016-
19266,124,0206,124,020-
19256,003,0276,003,027-
19245,882,0025,882,002-
19235,755,9865,755,986-
19225,637,2865,637,286-
19215,510,9445,510,944-
19205,411,2975,411,297-
19195,303,5745,303,574-
19185,080,9125,080,912-
19174,982,0634,982,063-
19164,917,9494,917,949-
19154,969,4574,969,457-
19144,971,7784,971,778-
19134,893,7414,893,741-
19124,746,5894,746,589-
19114,573,7864,573,786-
19104,425,0834,425,083-
19094,323,9604,323,960-
19084,232,2784,232,278-
19074,161,7224,161,722-
19064,091,4854,091,485-
19054,032,9774,032,977-
19043,974,1503,974,150-
19033,916,5923,916,592-
19023,875,3183,875,318-
19013,824,9133,824,913-

Related Australian Economic Statistics

Annual Population Growth RatePopulation & Demographics · 1902–2026
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101.0k2026 Q1
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Source Information & Methodology

Primary Institution:
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
Dataset / Publication:
National, State and Territory Population (Cat. no. 3101.0 & 3105.0)
Series / Table ID:
ABS Dataflow ERP_Q (1.3.TOT.AUS.Q)
Release Frequency:
Quarterly
Licence:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

• Primary source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - National, State and Territory Population (Cat. no. 3101.0 & 3105.0) (ABS Dataflow ERP_Q).

• Observation frequency: Quarterly. Annual table values represent calendar year-end observations.

• Series coverage spans 1901 to 2026 (126 annual observations).

APA Citation:Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2026). National, State and Territory Population (Cat. no. 3101.0 & 3105.0) (Dataflow ERP_Q: 1.3.TOT.AUS.Q). Retrieved October 2026 from https://data.api.abs.gov.au

Frequently Asked Questions: Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population)

What is the current Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population)?
As of 2026 Q1, the latest recorded Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) is 27921150.0 (Persons), compared with 27790263.0 in 2025 Q4.
What is the highest and lowest Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) ever recorded in Australia?
Across the historical series (1901–2026), the highest observation was 27921150.0 (Persons) in 2026 Q1, while the lowest was 3824913.0 (Persons) in 1901. The long-run historical average is 12689752.0.
Where is the official Australian Population (Estimated Resident Population) data sourced from?
This series is compiled from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (National, State and Territory Population (Cat. no. 3101.0 & 3105.0), Series ID: 1.3.TOT.AUS.Q) and is updated on a quarterly basis under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).