Australian Bureau Of Statistics

Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Population Up 19%

Victor P Taffa

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has reached 798,400, or 3.3 % of the total Australian population, according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS Demography Director Beidar Cho said that over the 5 years to June 2016, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population increased by 19 %, or 128,500 people.

 

“This is higher than the 8 % increase for the non-Indigenous population over the same period.” Ms. Cho said.

“New South Wales was the fastest growing state or territory for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait population with an increase of 27 %.”

Largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population:

• New South Wales (265,600 people),
• Queensland (221,400 people),
• Western Australia (100,500 people).

These 3 states comprised almost ¾ of the total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia. Australian Capital Territory had the smallest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population (7,500 people).

Overall, Australia’s population grew by 389,100 people to reach 24.5 Million by the end of March 2017. Victoria was the fastest growing state or territory, with a population increase of 2.4 %, followed by the Australian Capital Territory, 1.8 %.

Net overseas migration added 231,900 people to the population, and accounted for 60 % of Australia’s total population growth.

Natural increase contributed 142,400 additional people to Australia’s population, made up of 302,600 births and 160,100 deaths.

Over the year, net overseas migration was the major contributor to population change in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, whilst natural increase was the major contributor in all other states and territories.

Preliminary Data

Population at end March Qtr 2017 Change Over Previous Year Percentage Change

State/Territories                         ‘000                 ‘000                 %

New South Wales                               7, 837.7           123.3               1.6%

Victoria                                                6, 290.7           149.4               2.4%

Queensland                                         4, 907.6           75.4                 1.6%

South Australia                                   1, 721.0           10.3                 0.6%

Western Australia                               2, 576.0           18.4                 0.7%

Tasmania                                               520.1               3.1                   0.6%

Northern Territory                               245.0               0.3                   0.1%

Australian Capital Territory                409.1               7.2                   1.8%

Australia                                            24, 511.8         389.1               1.6%