Population: 18 613 087 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21% (male 2 023 147; female 1 926 206)

15-64 years: 66% (male 6 251 159; female 6 105 381)

65 years and over: 13% (male 1 005 196; female 1 301 998) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 13.47 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.69 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.26 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.89 years

male: 76.95 years

female: 82.98 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Australian(s) (alternately: bludgers or boguns)

adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups: Caucasian 92% Asian 7% aboriginal and other 1%

Religions: Anglican 26.1% Roman Catholic 26% other Christian 24.3% non-Christian 11%

Languages: English native languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (1980 est.)