SYDNEY, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The population in New South Wales (NSW), Australia is expected to grow to almost 10 million in the next two decades, outpacing previous forecasts, local media reports.
Updated population projection data released by NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes on Monday showed the number of people living in the state is expected to grow from 7.2 million in 2011 to 9.9 million by 2036, representing about 225,000 people more from the 2014 forecast.
A net total of 1.74 million people is expected to arrive from overseas to make their home in NSW between 2011 and 2036, while 370,000 people currently residing in the state were expected to move interstate over the same period of time.
Metropolitan Sydney alone is expected to grow from 4.2 million in 2011 to 6.4 million residents in 2036.
NSW state Premier Mike Baird acknowledged that the higher headcount would put more pressure on Sydney which was already grappling with traffic jams and low housing affordability.