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ABOUT THESE STATISTICS

This publication provides population estimates for the states and territories at 31 December 2003. Additional details of these statistics will be published on 4 June 2004 in Australian Demographic Statistics, December quarter, 2003 (cat. no. 3101.0).


ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION

The preliminary estimated resident population of Australia at December 2003 was 20,008,700 persons. The population increased by 250,800 persons since December 2002 and 67,900 persons since September 2003.


POPULATION GROWTH RATES

During the year ended December 2003 the Australian population grew by 1.3%. Excluding Other Territories, all states and territories had positive growth rates, the highest being for Queensland (2.3%) and the lowest for the Australian Capital Territory (0.1%).

TABLE 1. ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION AND GROWTH RATES(a)
		Population at end of
		December Quarter
						Change over
		2002		2003		previous year
		no.		no.		no.		%
New South Wales		6,662,212		6,716,277		54,065		0.8
Victoria		4,884,952		4,947,985		63,033		1.3
Queensland		3,754,154		3,840,111		85,957		2.3
South Australia		1,522,475		1,531,375		8,900		0.6
Western Australia		1,936,902		1,969,046		32,144		1.7
Tasmania		474,305		479,958		5,653		1.2
Northern Territory		198,075		198,700		625		0.3
Australian Capital Territory		322,164		322,579		415		0.1
Other Territories(b)		2,657		2,646		-11		-0.4
Australia		19,757,896		20,008,677		250,781		1.3
(a) Data for December 2002 and December 2003 are preliminary and subject to revision. (b) Comprised of Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

TABLE 2. QUARTERLY ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION(a)
	New							Australian
At end	South		Queens-	South	Western		Northern	Capital	Aust-
of period	Wales	Victoria	land	Australia	Australia	Tasmania	Territory	Territory	ralia(b)
2001
December	6,608,134	4,830,508	3,668,848	1,515,523	1,913,273	472,188	197,970	320,201	19,529,274
2002
March	6,626,305	4,848,853	3,689,299	1,517,423	1,920,720	472,590	198,189	321,305	19,597,316
June	6,634,110	4,857,228	3,710,972	1,518,696	1,924,553	472,612	198,665	321,512	19,640,979
September	6,645,251	4,869,098	3,730,838	1,520,425	1,930,132	473,191	198,316	321,630	19,691,510
December	6,662,212	4,884,952	3,754,154	1,522,475	1,936,902	474,305	198,075	322,164	19,757,896
2003
March	6,675,800	4,906,339	3,774,801	1,525,489	1,945,532	475,935	197,772	322,850	19,827,167
June	6,686,757	4,917,311	3,796,244	1,527,148	1,952,238	477,077	198,338	322,830	19,880,599
September	6,699,295	4,933,552	3,816,355	1,529,010	1,960,351	478,402	198,593	322,545	19,940,760
December	6,716,277	4,947,985	3,840,111	1,531,375	1,969,046	479,958	198,700	322,579	20,008,677
(a) Data from December quarter 2001 to June quarter 2002 inclusive have been revised, and will be finalised after the 2006 census. Data from September quarter 2002 to December quarter 2003 are preliminary and subject to revision. (b) Includes Other Territories.

		Components of population change during 2003
	ERP at 31				Net	Net		ERP at 31
	December			Natural	overseas	interstate	Total	December
	2002	Births	Deaths	increase(b)	migration	migration	growth	2003
New South Wales	6,662,212	86,330	46,244	40,086	45,259	-31,280	54,065	6,716,277
Victoria	4,884,952	61,061	33,258	27,803	36,683	-1,453	63,033	4,947,985
Queensland	3,754,154	48,339	23,529	24,810	23,591	37,556	85,957	3,840,111
South Australia	1,522,475	17,445	12,185	5,260	5,586	-1,946	8,900	1,531,375
Western Australia	1,936,902	24,270	11,334	12,936	19,581	-373	32,144	1,969,046
Tasmania	474,305	5,807	3,944	1,863	755	3,035	5,653	479,958
Northern Territory	198,075	3,790	875	2,915	605	-2,895	625	198,700
Australian Capital
Territory	322,164	4,128	1,413	2,715	344	-2,644	415	322,579
Australia(c)	19,757,896	251,201	132,788	118,413	132,368	. .	250,781	20,008,677