Preliminary estimates of Australia's annual population growth rate slowed to 2.0 per cent over 2009, according to figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australia's population reached 22.2 million by the end of 2009, growing by 432,600 people over the year. Net overseas migration accounted for 64 per cent of this growth, with the remaining 36 per cent due to natural increase (births minus deaths).
Western Australia's population continued to record the fastest annual growth rate of all states and territories, growing 2.7 per cent during 2009, followed by Queensland (2.4 per cent), the Northern Territory (2.2 per cent), Victoria (2.1 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (1.8 per cent), New South Wales (1.6 per cent), South Australia (1.3 per cent) and Tasmania (0.9 per cent).