In a significant move, the concerned statistics organization of Australia has brought out its latest figures for population growth showing that 54% of the increase of the past one year to the month of March this year is thanks chiefly to the migration of people from across the world to its shores.

The figures amply show that migration is a bigger factor behind the growth of population as compared to natural increase via birth which accounted for only 46%. But, notwithstanding the important role essayed by immigration towards boosting the population growth of the nation, the concerned body discovered that the overall growth rate of population has actually decreased to 1.4%.

The involved body went on to add that the population of the country reached 22,546,300 persons towards the closing of March 2011, increasing by 312,400 people across the year. This is comparatively less when one places this figure against the figures of the previous year during which the population headed north by 374,600 persons. It is also the most unimpressive increase since the year closing March 2006 during which a swell of 299,269 individuals was registered.

The figures also show that the present rate of growth, while comparatively slower when pitched against the figures of the two years gone by, equals the average growth of population for the past three decades. In addition, the number of individuals making a move to the nation has actually headed south. Meanwhile, some experts were quoted as saying that behind the decrease in migration are politics and the immigration policy of the government of Australia.