SPA Infosheet

Australia's Carrying Capacity

September 2000

For thousands of years this dry continent has been relatively unproductive and sparsely populated. Despite this claims are often made that Australia could support many millions more people. In assessing these claims the following figures are relevant.

Wheat Production

Australians usually think of their nation as a wonderful wheat belt. However, in comparison with Australia:

• France produces twice the crop while planting half the area;
• Canada produces twice the crop with the same area;
• USA produces six times our crop with two and a half times the area.

Our farmers are efficient and low yields are the result of poor soils and erratic rainfall. Even this low production is causing severe soil degradation. It has been calculated that for every tonne of wheat produced the nation loses six tonnes of soil. Our current wheat production is not sustainable.

Population Density

The population density of Australia is not high but it is:

• seventy times higher than that of Greenland;
• four times higher than that of Western Sahara;
• twice as high as that of Mongolia.

There is no suggestion that the above three areas of the globe should encourage population increase. However, in a curious inconsistency, it is often claimed that Australia can support higher numbers because of her open spaces and low population density. As can be seen from the above three examples, the number of people per square kilometre is almost useless as an indicator of carrying capacity.