CANBERRA, Feb 15- The resident population of Australia will hit 23 million by early May, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) online population clock. The ABS estimates the overall population increases at a rate of one person every one minute and 24 seconds. On 15 February 2013 at 14:46:44 Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), the resident population is projected to be 22,920,131, reports China’s Xinhua news agency.
According to the figures, the preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 30 June 2012 was 22,683,600 people. This reflects an increase of 359,600 people since 31 June 2011 and 87,100 people since 31 March 2012. And the preliminary natural increase recorded for the year ending 30 June 2012 (151,300 people) was 0.5 percent, or 800 people, higher than the natural increase recorded for the year earlier (150,500 people).
The preliminary net overseas migration recorded for the year ending 30 June 2012 (208,300 people) was 22.3 percent, or 38,100 people, higher than the net overseas migration recorded for the last year (170,300 people).
The population clock was a “simplified projection”, but on current estimates the 23 million mark could be hit in early May, ABS demographer Guy Jennings told local reporters.
The clock will updated on March 28, which could result in a later or earlier date for the milestone to be reached — depending on the birth and death rate and migration intake. The 22 million mark was hit in September 2009.
BERNAMA
