Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in Australia
Australia: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square was 2.13 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in Australia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
Australia recorded 2.13 units per square kilometre for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in Australia peaked at 2.13 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.7453 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
Australia ranks 112th of 121 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in Australia, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.7453 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.7643 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 0.7839 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 0.8041 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 0.8248 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 0.8461 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 0.8864 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 0.9287 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1969 | 0.9731 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1970 | 1.02 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1971 | 1.07 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1972 | 1.08 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 1.1 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 1.11 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 1.12 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 1.14 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 1.15 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 1.16 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 1.17 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 1.19 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 1.2 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 1.22 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 1.23 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 1.25 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 1.26 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 1.28 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 1.3 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 1.32 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 1.34 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 1.36 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 1.38 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 1.39 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 1.41 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.42 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 1.44 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.46 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 1.46 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 1.46 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.47 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 1.47 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 1.47 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.49 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 1.51 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 1.53 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 1.55 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 1.57 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 1.6 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 1.63 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 1.67 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 1.7 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 1.73 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 1.77 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 1.8 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 1.83 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 1.87 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 1.9 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 1.94 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 2.04 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 2.07 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 2.1 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 2.13 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.8396 units per square kilometre | 0.7453 units per square kilometre | 0.9731 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.11 units per square kilometre | 1.02 units per square kilometre | 1.17 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.26 units per square kilometre | 1.19 units per square kilometre | 1.34 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.42 units per square kilometre | 1.36 units per square kilometre | 1.47 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.55 units per square kilometre | 1.47 units per square kilometre | 1.67 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.85 units per square kilometre | 1.7 units per square kilometre | 2.01 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.08 units per square kilometre | 2.04 units per square kilometre | 2.13 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 109 Sudan 3.4 units per square kilometre compare
- 110 Norway 2.98 units per square kilometre compare
- 111 Mali 2.4 units per square kilometre compare
- 113 Russian Federation 2.09 units per square kilometre compare
- 114 Canada 2.04 units per square kilometre compare
- 115 Mauritania 1.45 units per square kilometre compare
More urban development data for Australia
- Population in the largest city 22.3% (2025)
- Population density 3.47 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 6.41 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 16.77 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.6073 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in largest city 5.39 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 5.43 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 931 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in Australia?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in Australia was 2.13 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.13 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7453 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square?
- Australia ranks 112th out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.