General Information » Facts & Figures » Population

Australia’s population is ageing thanks to low fertility rates and declining mortality rates. Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have fallen while life expectancy at birth improved by six years for males (to 78 years) and four years for females (to 83 years). Aboriginal life expectancy is around 17 years lower than the national figure.

According to the 2001 census, the population of Sydney Statistical Division was 4,128,272. Of these, 2,044,159 were male and 2,101,202 were female. Just 1.1% of the population was indigenous and 31% were born overseas. More than one in four people aged over 15 spoke a language other than English at home.