The population of Australia is over 19 million people. The country is divided into six states and two territories. The bulk of the population is in the states of Victoria and New South Wales. The two most populous cities, Melbourne and Sydney, are located in each, respectively. The reamainder of the east coast, from Adelaide to Cairns, has a high population. In Western Australia, most of the people live in the southwest corner, in Perth and vicinity.

Until the Second World War, the majority of people living in Australia were of British and Irish descent. Following WWII, many Greeks and Italians migrated to Australia, as did people from Germany, Lebanon, Turkey, and more. There is also a large Vietnamese community, as after the Vietnam War, Australia took in a high number of Vietnamese refugees. The number of Aboriginal Australians is increasing at a rate of approximately 2% a year, as more and more people are willing to declare their Aboriginal origins. Most of these people are situated in northern and central Australia.