Australia will become the world’s 11th-biggest economy within a decade, and China will become the largest, a report predicts.

The London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research has forecast Australia will climb two places on its world economic league table by 2026 from its current ranking of 13.

The report also predicts China will overtake the United States as the world’s biggest economy in 2030.

Countries that depend on brainpower to drive their economies will generally overtake those dependant on natural resources, however, much of Australia’s economic growth is based on population growth.

While Australia’s growth has been fueled by the resources sector in recent years, the centre noted that it has become one of the most popular countries in the world for inward migration.

And it’s particularly Australia’s intake of migrants with highly sought-after skills that will help fuel its future growth.

“The growing population means the economy is forecast to rise from 13th-largest in 2017 to 11th-largest economy in 2026,” the centre’s 2018 World Economic League Table said.

“Investment in urban infrastructure will need to accelerate as population increases.”

Australia took in just under 190,000 permanent migrants during the 2015-2016 financial year, the majority of whom were skilled.

Some, however, believe Australia should trim its intake.

A survey published by the Australian Population Research Institute in October found three quarters of Australians believe the country doesn’t need any more people and nearly half supports a partial ban on Muslims migrants.

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