The Australian Capital Territory's population grew by 2.2 per cent in the year ended 31 December 2017, the highest growth recorded for the territory since 2012 according to the latest population figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said net overseas migration was the main contributor in the Australian Capital Territory's growth at 48 per cent, with natural increase and net interstate migration contributing 44 per cent and 8 per cent respectively. Both net overseas migration and natural increase were at the highest levels ever experienced in a calendar year by the ACT.
"Victoria continues to lead the nation in population growth with an annual increase of 2.3 per cent, followed by the Australian Capital Territory at 2.2 per cent and Queensland at 1.7 per cent. The Northern Territory recorded the lowest growth at 0.2 per cent".
"While not growing as fast as some other states and territories, large gains in overseas and interstate migration have nearly tripled Tasmania's annual population growth over the past two years, increasing from 0.3 per cent in 2015 to 0.9 per cent in the year ended 31 December 2017. This brings Tasmania's growth rate back up to levels last seen in 2008, thanks mainly to increases in net interstate migration."
Overall, Australia's population grew by 388,000 people in 2017 to reach 24.8 million by the end of the year. As a result, it is projected that Australia will reach a population of 25 million in early August 2018.
Net overseas migration added 240,400 people to the population, and accounted for 62 per cent of Australia's total population growth.
Natural increase contributed 147,500 additional people to Australia's population, made up of 308,500 births and 160,900 deaths.
For population estimates at the regional level, see Regional Population Growth, Australia (cat. no. 3218.0), available for free download from http://www.abs.gov.au/
