Australia has officially become a nation of 28 million people, with the country’s population reaching the milestone early Tuesday morning, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The ABS said the official Australian Population Clock recorded the landmark figure at 5.52am AEST, based on its ongoing estimates of births, deaths and migration patterns across the country.

Population growth continues to be driven largely by migration, with the ABS estimating that a person arrives to live in Australia every 59 seconds. Overall, the nation’s population increases by one person every one minute and 15 seconds.

At the same time, Australia records one birth every two minutes and 16 seconds, while one death occurs every three minutes and 33 seconds.

The latest figures show Australia’s population has grown by nearly half a million people over the past year. The ABS estimates the population rose from 27.59 million in 2025 to 28.09 million in 2026, an increase of 491,743 people.

The data also provides a snapshot of Australia’s changing demographics. The average Australian is now estimated to be 39.72 years old, while women outnumber men by approximately 1.8 per cent.

Looking ahead, population growth is expected to continue. Based on current trends, the ABS projects Australia will reach 29 million residents in 2028 and could surpass 30 million by 2031.

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