Quick facts
Canberra overview
Canberra (orange) and the other large cities of Australia
Canberra lies in Australian Capital Territory in Australia at 35.28°S, 149.13°E, about 571 m above sea level. The local time zone is Australia/Sydney (UTC+11); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is smaller than Sunshine Coast (398,840) and larger than Central Coast (346,596). The largest city in Australia is Sydney with 5,638,830 people.
The nearest large city is Tuggeranong, about 16 km away, followed by Wollongong (187 km).
Australia as a whole has a live population of 27,301,322 (+0.9% a year) and ranks #55 of 238 countries — see the Australia population page for the full statistics and the Australia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Canberra
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Tuggeranong Australian Capital Territory | 16 km | 89,461 |
| Wollongong New South Wales | 187 km | 280,153 |
Largest cities in Australia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney | New South Wales | 5,638,830 |
| 2 | Melbourne | Victoria | 5,435,590 |
| 3 | Brisbane | Queensland | 2,780,063 |
| 4 | Perth | Western Australia | 2,384,371 |
| 5 | Adelaide | South Australia | 1,469,163 |
| 6 | Gold Coast | Queensland | 640,778 |
| 7 | Newcastle | New South Wales | 508,437 |
| 8 | Sunshine Coast | Queensland | 398,840 |
| 9 | CanberraCapital | Australian Capital Territory | 367,752 |
| 10 | Central Coast | New South Wales | 346,596 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Canberra?
Canberra has about 367,752 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Canberra the capital of Australia?
Yes — Canberra is the national capital of Australia.
How big is Canberra compared with the rest of Australia?
Its 367,752 residents are 1.3% of the 27,301,322 people living in Australia today. Sydney is larger with 5,638,830 people.
Where is Canberra?
In Australian Capital Territory, Australia, at latitude -35.28 and longitude 149.13, 571 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Tuggeranong (16 km), Wollongong (187 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Canberra Population 2026 — Australia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/australia/canberra/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/australia/canberra/">Canberra Population 2026 — Australia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.