Australia is an island almost the same size as the United States or Canada. Eighteen million people live there, mainly in the big cities along the coasts. From 1950 to 1990, Australia's population more than doubled. Forty percent of the growth came from immigration. One out of every five Australians was born overseas.

The country's population density - six people per square mile - is one of the lowest in the world. Eighty-eight percent of the population lives in cities and towns. Three-quarters of the urban residents are concentrated in the eight cities that serve as capitals for the six states, the nation, and the Northern Territory.

People of European origin make up 94% of the population, Asians 4%, and Aborigines 1.5%. There is a high proportion of young people compared with other countries, partly due to the high number of young immigrants.

The population of New Zealand in 1996 was 3.6 million, giving the country an overall population density of about 35 per square mile. Nearly three-quarters of the population (including most of the Maori) reside on North Island.