Society of Australia

KEY FACTS 2015

Population per sq km: 3

Life expectancy: 82 years

Net primary enrolment: 97% (2010)

Population: 23,781,000 (2015); density is one of the lowest in the world; 89 per cent of people live in urban areas and 58 per cent in urban agglomerations of more than one million people; growth 1.3 per cent p.a. 1990-2015; birth rate 13 per 1,000 people (20 in 1970); life expectancy 82 years (71 in 1970); life expectancy in the Aboriginal population about 62 years.

People of Asian origin comprise 8.7 per cent of the population, and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island peoples 2.5 per cent. Seventy per cent of the population were born in Australia (2006 census).

Language: English, the official language, is spoken at home by 78.5 per cent of the population. The largest other home languages are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic and Mandarin (2006 census).

Religion: Mainly Christians (Roman Catholics 26 per cent, Anglicans 19 per cent), small minorities of Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Jews (2006 census).

Media: Newspapers have a high circulation rate throughout the country. National dailies are The Australian and Australian Financial Review. Regional newspapers include The Advertiser (Adelaide), The Age (Melbourne), The Courier-Mail (Brisbane), The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Herald-Sun (Melbourne), The Sydney Morning Herald and The West Australian (Perth).

Newspapers have a high circulation rate throughout the country. National dailies are The Australian and Australian Financial Review. Regional newspapers include The Advertiser (Adelaide), The Age (Melbourne), The Courier-Mail (Brisbane), The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Herald-Sun (Melbourne), The Sydney Morning Herald and The West Australian (Perth).

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) operates national and regional public radio and TV stations. The Special Broadcasting Service is the other principal public broadcaster, running radio and TV networks that broadcast in many languages. Pay TV networks are widely used, and digital TV is available via satellite and cable.

Some 99 per cent of households have TV sets (2007).

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Australia Day (26 January), ANZAC Day (25 April), Queen’s Official Birthday (Monday in early June), Labour Day (early October in most states, otherwise in March), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. States have additional public holidays.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday and Easter Monday.