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ABOUT THESE STATISTICS

This publication provides population estimates for the states and territories at 31 December 2002. Additional details of these statistics will be published on 5 June 2003 in Australian Demographic Statistics, December Quarter, 2002 (cat. no. 3101.0).


ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION

The preliminary estimated resident population of Australia at December 2002 was 19,786,600 persons. The population increased by 255,100 persons since December 2001 and 59,100 persons since September 2002.


POPULATION GROWTH RATES

During the year ended December 2002 the Australian population grew by 1.3%. Excluding Other Territories, all states and territories, with the exception of the Northern Territory, had positive growth rates, the highest being for Queensland (2.4%) and the lowest for Tasmania (0.5%). The Northern Territory recorded a negative growth rate of 0.1% (or a small loss of 240 persons) in the 12 months ended December 2002.

TABLE 1. ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION AND GROWTH RATES(a)
		Population at end of
		December Quarter
						Change over
		2001		2002		previous year
		no.		no.		no.		%
New South Wales		6,608,792		6,671,426		62,634		0.9
Victoria		4,836,196		4,902,920		66,724		1.4
Queensland		3,664,284		3,750,543		86,259		2.4
South Australia		1,515,748		1,524,136		8,388		0.6
Western Australia		1,913,850		1,940,485		26,635		1.4
Tasmania		472,116		474,388		2,272		0.5
Northern Territory		197,617		197,374		-243		-0.1
Australian Capital Territory		320,275		322,680		2,405		0.8
Other Territories(b)		2,586		2,618		32		1.2
Australia		19,531,464		19,786,570		255,106		1.3
(a) Data for December 2001 and December 2002 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)
2000
December	6,527,379	4,770,042	3,592,443	1,508,028	1,887,658	471,416	196,257	316,816	19,272,644
2001
March	6,557,399	4,793,874	3,612,587	1,510,386	1,896,309	471,830	196,905	318,353	19,360,239
June	6,575,217	4,804,726	3,628,946	1,511,728	1,901,159	471,795	197,768	319,317	19,413,240
September	6,594,553	4,821,455	3,646,256	1,513,470	1,907,877	471,604	197,985	319,698	19,475,484
December	6,608,792	4,836,196	3,664,284	1,515,748	1,913,850	472,116	197,617	320,275	19,531,464
2002
March	6,631,006	4,861,263	3,686,253	1,518,621	1,921,583	472,610	197,520	321,540	19,612,987
June	6,640,355	4,872,538	3,707,175	1,520,242	1,927,322	472,725	198,013	321,819	19,662,781
September	6,657,351	4,888,234	3,729,028	1,522,456	1,934,494	473,365	197,724	322,234	19,727,476
December	6,671,426	4,902,920	3,750,543	1,524,136	1,940,485	474,388	197,374	322,680	19,786,570
(a) Data from December Quarter 2000 to June Quarter 2001 inclusive are final. Data from September Quarter 2001 to December Quarter 2002 are preliminary and subject to revision. (b) Includes Other Territories.

		Components of population change during 2002
	ERP at 31				Net	Net		ERP at 31
	December			Natural	overseas	interstate	Total	December
	2001	Births	Deaths	increase(b)	migration(c)	migration	growth	2002
New South Wales	6,608,792	86,787	47,126	39,661	52,822	-29,849	62,634	6,671,426
Victoria	4,836,196	60,415	33,831	26,584	36,346	3,794	66,724	4,902,920
Queensland	3,664,284	47,784	23,978	23,806	25,904	36,549	86,259	3,750,543
South Australia	1,515,748	17,656	11,845	5,811	4,386	-1,809	8,388	1,524,136
Western Australia	1,913,850	23,635	11,157	12,478	18,160	-4,003	26,635	1,940,485
Tasmania	472,116	6,016	3,982	2,034	505	-267	2,272	474,388
Northern Territory	197,617	3,727	910	2,817	223	-3,283	-243	197,374
Australian Capital
Territory	320,275	4,145	1,324	2,821	716	-1,132	2,405	322,680
Australia(d)	19,531,464	250,219	134,161	116,058	139,048	. .	255,106	19,786,570