Sorry this is not fishing related, but I thought it may be of interest to some members.

AUSTRALIA TO REACH 22 MILLION IN LATE 2009
The economy may be at a standstill but Australia’s national population continues to grow at record-setting rates. Social Demographer Mark McCrindle explains how we’re expanding and identifies our growth hot spots.
22 MILLION BEFORE CHRISTMAS!
After the country’s national population clock ticked over to 21 million on June 29, 2007 – just over two years ago – Australia now looks set to hit 22 million around December 5, 2009. That’s an extra 1 million people in under two-and-a-half years!
Australia’s population reached 11 million in 1963 so it will have taken 46 years to double it to 22 million. However it looks likely to double again in just over 40 years.
“These population records have surprised even experienced demographers. In 1998 the Australian Bureau of Statistics forecast a national population in 2051 of 23.5 million, up to a maximum of 26.4 million. However, if these new growth rates remain constant then Australia will have more than doubled its population by mid-century with a population exceeding 44 million” states Mark
McCrindle.
MORE NOTCHES IN OUR BELT
In conjunction with several other record figures, Australia’s population reached 21.6 million at the year ending December 31, 2008.

Total national population: 21,643,987

Largest ever increase: 406,083

Largest ever births: 296,610

Highest immigration (NOM): 253,415

Fastest ever growth rate: 1.91%
 Lowest ever death rate: 6.03 per 1000
“These record breaking numbers combine to give the perfect storm of population growth. The highest number of births ever, combined with the
lowest death rate ever, set a new natural increase record. Additionally record immigration levels boost our population growth rate by almost two-thirds” writes Mark McCrindle. “While an annual population growth rate of 1.91% doesn’t sound huge, it equates to one new Canberra, two new Hobart’s or three new Darwin’s per year.”
Population Growth Rate by State/Territory
WA QLD NT VIC ACT NSW SA TAS
3.09 2.52 1.95 1.95 1.69 1.40 1.16 0.99
Source: McCrindle Research/ABS
NUMBERS UP NORTH
· The top 3 population growth rates are from the northern-most states
· Three of the top 4 TFRs were generated by the northern-most states
· More men (114,943) than women (106,739) reside in NT
MOVEMENT TO THE WEST
· WA has the highest growth rate of all the states and territories (3.09)
· 1 in 10 Australians reside in WA (2,204,040)
· There are more men (1,117,090) than women (1,086,950) in WA
RISING IN THE EAST, BUT STEADY DOWN SOUTH
· 1 in 3 Australians reside in NSW (7,041,393)
· 1 in 4 reside in VIC (5,364,796)
· 1 in 5 reside in QLD (4,349,529)
· More people live in Sydney (4,399,722) than in all of QLD
· If Sydney was in the USA, it would be their 10th largest city
· The lowest growth rates were in TAS (0.99) and SA (1.16)
“Western Australia has now joined the Northern Territory in breaking the mandrought. In every other state and territory, women outnumber men.
Additionally it seems that Tasmanians are working on a solution for their very low population growth rate of 0.99%. While they have the lowest growth rate of any state, they have the highest fertility rate of any state!” observes Mark McCrindle.
Migration nation
Even with the largest ever number of births on record, natural increase only accounted for around one-third of our growth (152,668), with migration accounting for two-thirds of growth (253,415).
“Traditionally the strongest contributor of Australia’s population growth has been natural increase rather than net migration. However for the last five years the national population has been boosted more by migration than natural increase” states Mark McCrindle. “Yet both growth factors are important because while migration gives a better immediate boost to the labour force and consumption than natural increase, it does less to counteract the ageing population and associated long-term consumer demand declines than births, as the median age of a migrant almost mirrors the rising national median age of 37”.
Sources: McCrindle Research, ABS.
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