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Australia is home to a diverse range of cultures, with a long history of immigration shaping its population. The country's Indigenous people, including Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, make up a smaller proportion of the population, while those of European descent form the majority. Since the end of the White Australia policy in 1973, Australia has experienced a large wave of immigration from around the world, with Asia now being the largest source of immigrants. The country's diverse population is reflected in the various terms used to describe its people, including Aussie and specific labels for residents of different cities and states, such as Sydneysider and Victorian.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ancestry | 57.2% European, 33.8% Oceanian, 17.4% Asian, 3.2% North African and Middle Eastern, 1.4% Peoples of the Americas, 1.3% Sub-Saharan African |
| Largest ancestry groups | 46% North-West European, 11.2% Southern and Eastern European, 29.9% Australian |
| Largest non-Anglo-Celtic ancestry group | Chinese Australians (5.5%) |
| Indigenous Australians | Aboriginal Australians, Torres Strait Islanders |
| Population | 27,400,013 (31 December 2024) |
| Population projection for 2071 | 34.3 million to 45.9 million |
| Population density | 3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi) or 4/km² (9/sq mi) |
| Median age | 38.3 years or 38.5 years |
| Gender ratio | 49.3% male, 50.7% female |
| Median weekly income | $789 |
| Median weekly household income | $1,770 |
| Main source of income | Employee wages and salary (56.4%) |
| Religion | 43.9% Christian, 38.9% no religion |
| Largest Christian denominations | Roman Catholic Church (20%), Anglican Church of Australia (9.8%) |
| Languages | Australian English, Auslan, over 250 Indigenous languages |
| Immigration | 30% of the population, or 7,529,570 people, were born overseas (2019) |
| Culture | Laid-back, welcoming, mateship, nature-loving, beach culture |
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What You'll Learn
- Indigenous Australians: The original inhabitants of the Australian continent, including Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders
- European Australians: The majority group in Australia, with 57.2% of the population having European ancestry
- Chinese Australians: The single largest non-Anglo-Celtic group, forming 5.5% of the population
- Australian Culture: A mix of diverse influences, from Aboriginal traditions to Western art, music, and literature
- Population and Demographics: Australia has a population of over 27 million, with a median age of 38.3 years
Indigenous Australians: The original inhabitants of the Australian continent, including Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders
Indigenous Australians are the descendants of the original inhabitants of the Australian continent. Their ancestors are believed to have migrated from Africa to Asia around 70,000 years ago and arrived in Australia around 50,000 to 65,000 years ago. The Indigenous Australian people consist of two distinct cultural groups: the Aboriginal Australians and the Torres Strait Islanders. The term "Aboriginal" is traditionally applied to the indigenous inhabitants of mainland Australia, Tasmania, and some of the adjacent islands. On the other hand, the Torres Strait Islanders are a distinct people of Melanesian ancestry, indigenous to the Torres Strait Islands, which are located at the northernmost tip of Queensland near Papua New Guinea, along with some nearby settlements on the mainland.
The Indigenous Australian people dispersed across the continent over time, and their population expanded and differentiated into hundreds of distinct groups, each with its own unique language and culture. It is estimated that over 250 Indigenous Australian languages existed at the time of first European contact, with fewer than 20 still in daily use today. The Aboriginal people referred to themselves using various names, such as Koori, Murri, or Nunga, depending on the region they were connected to.
The first contact between British explorers and Indigenous Australians occurred in 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook explored the east coast of Australia. This marked the beginning of a tumultuous period for the Indigenous people, as clashes and conflicts arose between the colonists and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The expansion of British settlement led to tens of thousands of Indigenous people being dispossessed of their land, with many losing their lives in frontier conflicts. The introduction of foreign diseases, such as smallpox, and the decimation of food sources like kangaroos further devastated the Indigenous population.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have their own distinct laws, customs, and practices. The Dreaming, for example, established the laws, structures of society, and ceremonies performed to ensure the continuity of life and their connection to the land. Some groups also practised ritual cannibalism in rare circumstances. Today, the Australian Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag are officially recognized as the flags of Australia, acknowledging the importance and contributions of these Indigenous communities to the country's identity and culture.
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European Australians: The majority group in Australia, with 57.2% of the population having European ancestry
Australia is a diverse country with a rich history of immigration, resulting in a unique blend of cultures. Since the early 19th century, people of European descent have constituted the majority group in the country, with 57.2% of the population identifying as having European ancestry in the 2021 census. This includes 46% of North-West European ancestry and 11.2% of Southern and Eastern European ancestry. The largest statistical grouping within European Australians is Anglo-Celtic, with ancestors originating wholly or partially in the British Isles, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
The history of European settlement in Australia dates back to the first documented European landing in 1606 by the Dutch East India Company ship captained by Willem Janszoon. In the centuries that followed, various European expeditions explored and settled the continent, leading to the establishment of British colonies and the displacement of Indigenous Australians.
Following World War II, Australia experienced a large wave of immigration from across Europe, particularly Southern and Eastern Europe. This contributed to the diverse range of European ancestries found in Australia today, including Italian, German, Greek, Dutch, Polish, and Scandinavian, among others.
It is important to note that the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not collect data on race but instead asks residents to nominate up to two ancestries during the census. The proportion of Australians with European ancestry may be higher than the census data suggests, as those nominating their ancestry as "Australian" are likely to be of Anglo-Celtic or European descent.
In recent years, Asia has become the largest source of immigrants to Australia, with Chinese Australians forming the single largest non-Anglo-Celtic ancestry group, constituting 5.5% of the population in the 2021 census. Australia's population continues to grow and diversify through immigration, with 30% of residents born overseas as of 2019.
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Chinese Australians: The single largest non-Anglo-Celtic group, forming 5.5% of the population
Australia is a diverse country with a rich multicultural identity, influenced by its history of immigration. Since 1788, Australian culture has been primarily Western, strongly influenced by early Anglo-Celtic settlers. However, the country has evolved into a melting pot of cultures, with significant waves of immigration from across the world, especially from Asia.
Chinese Australians are a key part of this multicultural fabric, constituting the single largest non-Anglo-Celtic ancestry group in the country. At the 2021 census, 5.5% of Australians nominated Chinese ancestry. This makes the community in Australia the largest Overseas Chinese group in Oceania, and the largest Asian-Australian community. On a per capita basis, Australia has more people of Chinese ancestry than any country outside of Asia.
The history of Chinese Australians dates back to significant immigration from villages in the Pearl River Delta in Southern China. More recent Chinese migrants have come from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. The community is diverse, with some being descendants of early immigrants, and others being more recent arrivals.
Chinese Australians have contributed significantly to the country's diverse culture, especially in the realm of food and celebrations. Australia's buzzing cities and towns showcase this influence, with Chinese cuisine and cultural elements interwoven into the Australian way of life.
Australia's population continues to evolve, with ongoing immigration from around the world. As of 2025, the country has the eighth-largest immigrant population globally, with immigrants accounting for 30% of its population.
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Australian Culture: A mix of diverse influences, from Aboriginal traditions to Western art, music, and literature
Australian culture is primarily Western and is influenced by its British, Indigenous, and migrant components. The Indigenous Australians or Aboriginal Australians arrived as early as 60,000 years ago, and evidence of Aboriginal art in Australia dates back at least 30,000 years. They have beliefs unique to each tribe and have a strong connection to the land. The British colonisation of Australia began in 1788, bringing with it Western Christianity, the English language, a constitutional monarchy, and democratic parliamentary governance.
Aboriginal art ranges from ancient rock art to modern watercolour landscapes. Traditional Aboriginal music has developed unique instruments, and contemporary Aboriginal music spans many genres. Aboriginal peoples did not develop a writing system, but they had a rich oral tradition of storytelling, songs, and dances, which were used to pass down cultural traditions, beliefs, and history.
British colonisation disrupted these traditions, and Australian literature began to imitate European models. However, since the 1980s, Indigenous music and art have experienced a "cultural renaissance", with artists of Aboriginal origin attracting international attention. Conflict and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians have become a source of much art and literature in Australia.
Immigrant traditions and customs have also influenced Australian culture and society. Post-World War II multicultural immigration brought new flavours and influences to Australian cuisine, with immigrants from Greece, Italy, Thailand, Vietnam, and China contributing to a diverse and gastronomical culinary scene. Chinese culture has also influenced medicine and therapy, with practices like acupuncture and Shiatsu massage. Australian music has been enriched by post-World War II immigration, with musicians like Kazakhstan-born virtuoso guitarist Slava Grigoryan.
Australian performing arts, including dance and music, are known for their energy, originality, and diversity. The country's unique and diverse cultural heritage is expressed through customs, folklore, languages, and traditions, reflected in both natural and manufactured environments.
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Population and Demographics: Australia has a population of over 27 million, with a median age of 38.3 years
Australia has a population of over 27 million people as of August 2025, with a median age of 38.3 years. This makes Australia the 55th most populous country in the world, constituting only 0.33% of the total world population. The population density is 3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi), making Australia the third least densely populated country in the world, after Namibia and Mongolia. Australia is highly urbanised, with 89% of its population living in urban areas, and the majority of the population living near coastlines. The country has five cities with populations of over one million people, including their suburbs: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Canberra. The capital, Canberra, has a population of over five million, while Sydney and Melbourne have populations of more than five million each.
The average life expectancy in Australia is among the highest in the world, at 83.2 years for the period 2015-2017. Australia is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. This trend is expected to continue, with projections indicating that the natural increase in population will fall below zero in the mid-2030s due to low fertility rates and an ageing population. The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman, and in Australia, it is currently below the replacement rate of 2.1, contributing to an ageing population.
The population of Australia has been influenced by its history of immigration. Before British colonisation began in 1788, the population consisted of Indigenous Australians, including Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. Human habitation of the Australian continent is estimated to have begun 50,000 to 65,000 years ago, with the migration of people from Southeast Asia. By the time of British settlement, Aboriginal Australians spoke 250 distinct languages and had one of the oldest living cultures in the world.
Following British colonisation, the majority of settlers and immigrants came from the British Isles, particularly England, Ireland, and Scotland. There was also significant immigration from China and Germany during the 19th century. After World War II, Australia experienced a large wave of immigration from Europe, particularly Southern and Eastern Europe. The "White Australia" policy, which restricted migration from non-European countries, was abolished in 1973, leading to a further increase in immigration from Asia and other parts of the world. Today, Australia is a diverse country, with people of various ancestries, including European, Asian, Indigenous, and others.
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