Demographics of Canberra

Last updated

Canberra is Australia's capital and its largest inland city. At the 2016 census, it had 395,790 residents. [1] This amounted to only 1.7% of Australia's population. The population density for Canberra is 443.5 people per sq kilometre.

Contents

At the 2016 census, 32% of Canberra's population were born overseas, a large majority which come from Asia and Europe.

The estimated population for Canberra as of 2016 was 395,790, constituting 194,879 males and 200,914 females. [1] The 2016 unemployment rate was around 4.7%. [1]

Canberra and ACT population density by mesh blocks (MB), according to the 2016 census ACT Canberra density.jpg
Canberra and ACT population density by mesh blocks (MB), according to the 2016 census

History

The first few decades after the establishment of Canberra growth was relatively slow due to low funds after World War I. The population was nearly 2000 at the time. Until the end of World War II development was completely put on hold due to the Great Depression.

Office development accelerated rapidly in the 1960s in Civic. From 1960 - 1971, the population tripled from 50,000 inhabitants to 146,000 and climbing to 203,000 in 1976. The Australian economy went into recession in 1975, and a year later the construction industries in Canberra collapsed.

In modern times, the growth completely slowed in 1996 - 2001. However, the city experiences over 1 percent growth annually. [2] The population in 2016 was around 395,790. [1]

Population of the ACT
YearPop.±%
1911 1,777—    
1921 2,583+45.4%
1933 8,947+246.4%
1947 16,905+88.9%
1954 30,315+79.3%
1961 58,828+94.1%
1966 96,032+63.2%
1971 151,169+57.4%
1976 207,740+37.4%
1981 227,581+9.6%
1986 258,910+13.8%
1991 289,320+11.7%
1996 308,251+6.5%
2001 307,053−0.4%
2006 322,036+4.9%
2011 357,222+10.9%
2016 397,397+11.2%
2021 453,890+14.2%
Source: Censuses [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Populations by district

Most of Canberra's growth since 1991 has taken place in Gungahlin.

Population of Canberra districts1991 [8] 199620012006201120162021
North Canberra 40,24938,81838,58543,75748,030 [9] 53,002 [10] 61,188 [11]
South Canberra 22,37122,73023,32424,58124,154 [12] 27,007 [13] 31,592 [14]
Belconnen 89,51985,65981,70187,24692,444 [15] 96,049 [16] 106,061 [17]
Woden Valley 33,92133,04332,49431,99232,958 [18] 34,760 [19] 39,279 [20]
Weston Creek 27,26824,87923,66222,88622,746 [21] 22,988 [22] 24,630 [23]
Tuggeranong 74,41290,10490,87589,66686,900 [24] 85,154 [25] 89,461 [26]
Gungahlin 45512,68424,39832,55047,303 [27] 71,142 [28] 87,682 [29]
Molonglo 27 [30] 4,578 [31] 11,435 [32]
Total Canberra288,195 307,917 307,053322,036355,596 [33] 395,790 [1] 453,890

Ancestry and immigration

Country of Birth (2016) [34]
Birthplace [N 1] Population
Australia 269,682
England 12,739
Mainland China 11,334
India 10,405
New Zealand 4,722
Philippines 3,789
Vietnam 3,340
United States 2,775
Sri Lanka 2,774
Malaysia 2,431
South Korea 2,283

At the 2016 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were: [N 2] [35]

The 2016 census showed that 32% of Canberra's inhabitants were born overseas. [37] Of inhabitants born outside of Australia, the most prevalent countries of birth were England, China, India, New Zealand and the Philippines. [38]

1.6% of the population, or 6,476 people, identified as Indigenous Australians (Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders) in 2016. [N 5] [39]

Language

At the 2016 census, 72.7% of people spoke only English at home. The other languages most commonly spoken at home were Mandarin (3.1%), Vietnamese (1.1%), Cantonese (1%), Hindi (0.9%) and Spanish (0.8%). [40]

Religion

At the 2011 census, the most common responses for religion were no religion (36.2%) Catholic (22.3%), Anglican (10.7%), not stated (9.1%) and Hinduism (2.6%). [1]

Demographic Statistics

The following statistics are from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. [41] [42]

Canberra's population Canberra-timeline.svg
Canberra's population

Median age

34 years of age [1]

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.7% (74,213)
15–64 years: 68.7% (271,762)
65 years and over: 12.7% (49,828) [1]

Population growth rate

1.6%

Birth rate

13.5 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

4.5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Life expectancy

As of 2013-2015, the Australian Capital Territory has the highest life expectancy in Australia. The life expectancy at birth for males is 81.2 years and 85.3 years for females. [43]

Sex ratios

There were 99.0 males for every 100 females in Canberra as of 2010.
Civic had the highest sex ratio (137.2 males for every 100 females.)
Deakin had the lowest sex ratio (80.6 males for every 100 females.)

Total fertility rate

1.6 children born/woman (2001 est.) [44]

Unemployment rate

4.5%

Notes

  1. ↑ In accordance with the Australian Bureau of Statistics source, England, Scotland, Mainland China and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are listed separately
  2. ↑ As a percentage of 373,561 persons who nominated their ancestry at the 2016 census.
  3. ↑ The Australian Bureau of Statistics has stated that most who nominate "Australian" as their ancestry are part of the Anglo-Celtic group. [36]
  4. ↑ Of any ancestry. Includes those identifying as Aboriginal Australians or Torres Strait Islanders. Indigenous identification is separate to the ancestry question on the Australian Census and persons identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander may identify any ancestry.
  5. ↑ Of any ancestry. Includes those identifying as Aboriginal Australians or Torres Strait Islanders. Indigenous identification is separate to the ancestry question on the Australian Census and persons identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander may identify any ancestry.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Capital Territory</span> Federal territory of Australia

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a federal territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is located in this territory. It is located in southeastern Australian mainland as an enclave completely within the state of New South Wales. Founded after Federation as the seat of government for the new nation, the territory hosts the headquarters of all important institutions of the Australian Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory</span> Retail and light industry suburb of Canberra, Australia

Fyshwick is a retail and light industrial suburb of Canberra, Australia, east of the South Canberra district. At the 2016 census, Fyshwick had a population of 56.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belconnen</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Belconnen is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. The district is subdivided into 27 divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks. As at the 2021 census, the district had a population of 106,061 people; and was the most populous district within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Canberra</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

North Canberra, or the Inner North, is a subdivision of Canberra Central in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. Comprising 14 suburbs. At the 2021 census, it had 26,699 dwellings housing 61,188 people of the 453,324 people in the Australian Capital Territory. Many of Canberra's oldest dwellings are located on it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuggeranong</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Tuggeranong is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks and is the southernmost district of the Australian Capital Territory. The district comprises nineteen suburbs and occupies 117 square kilometres (45 sq mi) to the east of the Murrumbidgee River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parkes, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australia

Parkes is an inner southern suburb of the Canberra Central district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory of Australia. Located southeast of the Canberra central business district, Parkes contains the Parliamentary Triangle and many of the national monuments of Australia's capital city.

South Canberra, or the Inner South, is a subdivision of Canberra Central in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woden Valley</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Woden Valley is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gungahlin</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Gungahlin is a district in the Australian Capital Territory, one of fastest growing regions in Australia. The district is subdivided into suburbs, sections and blocks. Gungahlin is an Aboriginal word meaning either "white man's house" or "little rocky hill".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weston Creek</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Weston Creek is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks. The district comprises eight residential suburbs, situated to the west of the Woden Valley district and approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) southwest of the Canberra City centre. Situated adjacent to the district was the large Stromlo Forest pine plantation until the forest was destroyed by bushfires in 2001 and 2003.

The suburbs of the Australian Capital Territory are organised into a hierarchy of districts, town centres, group centres, local suburbs and other industrial areas and villages. While these divisions have no formal role in the governance or administration of the city, they formed a basis for the planning and development of the city and are significant to the city's commercial and social activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gungahlin, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Gungahlin is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district with the same name; Gungahlin. The postcode is 2912. Gungahlin is the name for the entire district, and also the town centre, but it is also the name of the suburb which Gungahlin Town Centre is in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crace, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Crace is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the district of Gungahlin. It was named after Edward Kendall Crace an original settler in the Gungahlin area. Streets in Crace are named after parishes and land divisions from colonial times. It is bounded by the Barton Highway, Gundaroo Drive, Nudurr Drive and Gungahlin Drive. Located in the suburb is the Canberra Nature Park of Gungaderra Grasslands nature reserve. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 4,459.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Franklin is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the district of Gungahlin. It is named after the novelist Miles Franklin. The streets in Franklin are named after writers. It comprises an area of approximately 256 hectares. It is bounded by Flemington Road to the north and east, Well Station Drive to the south, and Gungahlin Drive to the west. Franklin is mainly a residential area with higher density, mixed-use development along Flemington Road including a local shopping centre and other retail and commercial tenancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canberra Central</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Canberra Central is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. Consisting of both the subdivisions of North Canberra and South Canberra. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks. The district of Canberra Central lies entirely within the bounds of the city of Canberra, the capital city of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molonglo Valley</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Molonglo Valley is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. Is the only district that was not created in 1966. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks and is the newest district of the ACT. The district is planned to consist of thirteen suburbs, planned to contain 33,000 dwellings, with an expected population of between 50,000 and 73,000. To be developed in three stages over more than ten years, the district will contain a principal town centre and a secondary group centre, with residential suburbs located to the south and north of the Molonglo River; located to the west of Lake Burley Griffin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Wright is a suburb in the Molonglo Valley district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It is named in honour of Judith Wright, a poet, environmentalist and Aboriginal land rights advocate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerrabomberra (district)</span> Place in Australian Capital Territory

Jerrabomberra is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. It is situated to the southeast of Canberra Central, south of the Molonglo River, east of Woden Valley and north east of Tuggeranong and west of the New South Wales border. It includes the suburbs of Beard, Hume, Oaks Estate and Symonston and the military communications and logistics facility HMAS Harman. At the 2016 census, it had a total population of 1,240, comprising 559 in Symonston, 430 in Hume and 251 in Oaks Estate and Beard At the 2011 census, 13 also lived in Harman. It is named after Jerrabomberra Creek, which runs through it, Jerrabomberra is derived from the Aboriginal word, meaning "afraid of lightning".

The 2016 Australian census was the 17th national population census held in Australia. The census was officially conducted with effect on Tuesday, 9 August 2016. The total population of the Commonwealth of Australia was counted as 23,401,892 – an increase of 8.8 per cent or 1,894,175 people over the 2011 census. Norfolk Island joined the census for the first time in 2016, adding 1,748 to the population.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Canberra - Queanbeyan (Canberra Part)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. ↑ "History of Canberra". Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "3105.0.65.001 - Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2006". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Australian Capital Territory". 2006 Census QuickStats. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Australian Capital Territory". 2011 Census QuickStats. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  6. ↑ "Australian Capital Territory". 2016 Census QuickStats. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Australian Capital Territory". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  8. ↑ McLennan, W. (May 1998). 1996 Census of Population and Housing (PDF). Department of the Environment. pp. 98–100. ISBN   0-642-25690-X . Retrieved 7 April 2015.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  9. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "North Canberra (Statistical Subdivision)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  10. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "North Canberra (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  11. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "North Canberra". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  12. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "South Canberra (Statistical Subdivision)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  13. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "South Canberra (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  14. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "South Canberra". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  15. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Belconnen (SA3)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  16. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Belconnen (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  17. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Belconnen". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  18. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Woden (SA3)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  19. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Woden Valley (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  20. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Woden Valley". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  21. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Weston Creek (SA3)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  22. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Weston Creek (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  23. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Weston Creek". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  24. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Tuggeranong (SA3)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  25. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Tuggeranong (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  26. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Tuggeranong". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  27. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Gungahlin (SA3)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  28. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Gungahlin (Statistical Subdivision)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 October 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  29. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gungahlin". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  30. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Molonglo (SA2)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  31. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Molonglo". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  32. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Molonglo". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 September 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  33. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Canberra - Queanbeyan (Canberra Part)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2015. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  34. ↑ "2016 Australian Capital Territory, Census Community Profiles | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  35. ↑ "2016 Australian Capital Territory, Census Community Profiles | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  36. ↑ Statistics, c=AU; o=Commonwealth of Australia; ou=Australian Bureau of (January 1995). "Feature Article - Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Australia (Feature Article)". www.abs.gov.au.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ↑ "2016 Australian Capital Territory, Census Community Profiles | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  38. ↑ "2016 Australian Capital Territory, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  39. ↑ "2016 Australian Capital Territory, Census Community Profiles | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  40. ↑ "2016 Australian Capital Territory, Census Community Profiles | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  41. ↑ Population in 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  42. ↑ Canberra at the 2011 census. Archived 11 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  43. ↑ "3302.0.55.001 - Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2013-2015". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  44. ↑ Fertility rate of Australia in 2001 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 31 October 2001. Retrieved 31 October 2001.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.