NOTES
ABOUT THIS RELEASE
This product contains final estimates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, non-Indigenous and total populations of Australia at 30 June 2011, for various geographies.
Estimates are disaggregated by age (5-year age groups, with some single year of age data available) and sex for state and territory, Remoteness Areas and Indigenous Regions. Only total estimates for Statistical Areas Level 2 are available.
The estimates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous populations presented in this publication are based on 2011 Census of Population and Housing counts adjusted for net undercount as measured by the Post Enumeration Survey. The extent of undercoverage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the 2011 Census and the relatively small sample size of the Post Enumeration Survey to adjust for that undercoverage means the estimates should be interpreted with a degree of caution.
Description of the methods used to produce the estimates are contained in the technical note in this product.
Single year of age population estimates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for 30 June 2011 should be used with caution. The estimates are subject to errors that cannot be comprehensively adjusted for within the population estimates compilation process, given the limited ability to estimate Census undercount by Indigenous status and other demographic characteristics. Features present in single year of age Census counts may be likely to appear in population estimates even after adjustments for undercount and other factors have been applied. The ABS recommends that five year age groups should be used in preference to single year of age data wherever possible, particularly for states and territories with relatively small Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.
SUMMARY COMMENTARY
ESTIMATES OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER AUSTRALIANS
This publication presents the final population estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as at 30 June 2011. They replace the preliminary estimates released on 27 September 2012 in Australian Demographic Statistics, March Quarter 2012 (cat. no. 3101.0). Details of the methodology used in calculating these estimates are provided in Technical Note: Estimated Resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population - Method of Calculation.
The final estimated resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia as at 30 June 2011 was 669,900 people, or 3% of the total Australian population. This population estimate represents a large increase in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates from the estimate of 517 000 for 30 June 2006. This change will be explored in the upcoming publication Census of Population and Housing: Understanding the Increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Counts Between 2006 and 2011 (cat. no. 2077.0).
Of the states and territories, the largest populations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in New South Wales (208,500 people) and Queensland (189,000 people). The smallest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in The Australian Capital Territory (6,200 people).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians comprised 30% of the population of the Northern Territory, the highest proportion of any state or territory.
Estimated resident population, Indigenous status, 30 June 2011 |
|
 | Estimated resident population
| Median age
|
| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | Non-Indigenous | Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | Non- Indigenous |
| no. | % | no. | years | years |
Males |
|
| NSW | 103 907 | 2.9 | 3 481 202 | 20.6 | 37.2 |
| Vic. | 23 543 | 0.9 | 2 717 416 | 21.1 | 36.3 |
| Qld | 94 082 | 4.2 | 2 139 877 | 20.2 | 36.5 |
| SA | 18 554 | 2.3 | 793 291 | 21.5 | 38.8 |
| WA | 43 731 | 3.7 | 1 141 319 | 22.0 | 36.1 |
| Tas. | 12 076 | 4.7 | 242 714 | 20.9 | 40.5 |
| NT | 34 479 | 28.4 | 87 004 | 23.0 | 35.0 |
| ACT | 3 181 | 1.7 | 179 815 | 21.5 | 33.9 |
| Aust.(a) | 333 683 | 3.0 | 10 784 551 | 21.1 | 36.8 |
Females |
|
| NSW | 104 569 | 2.9 | 3 528 851 | 22.2 | 38.9 |
| Vic. | 23 790 | 0.9 | 2 773 068 | 22.2 | 38.2 |
| Qld | 94 872 | 4.2 | 2 147 947 | 21.7 | 37.8 |
| SA | 18 854 | 2.3 | 808 915 | 23.1 | 40.9 |
| WA | 44 539 | 3.8 | 1 123 820 | 22.9 | 37.5 |
| Tas. | 12 089 | 4.7 | 244 604 | 22.5 | 42.1 |
| NT | 34 371 | 31.3 | 75 438 | 24.5 | 34.5 |
| ACT | 2 979 | 1.6 | 182 010 | 22.8 | 35.5 |
| Aust.(a) | 336 198 | 3.0 | 10 885 592 | 22.5 | 38.5 |
Persons |
|
| NSW | 208 476 | 2.9 | 7 010 053 | 21.4 | 38.0 |
| Vic. | 47 333 | 0.9 | 5 490 484 | 21.7 | 37.3 |
| Qld | 188 954 | 4.2 | 4 287 824 | 21.0 | 37.2 |
| SA | 37 408 | 2.3 | 1 602 206 | 22.3 | 39.8 |
| WA | 88 270 | 3.8 | 2 265 139 | 22.4 | 36.8 |
| Tas. | 24 165 | 4.7 | 487 318 | 21.7 | 41.3 |
| NT | 68 850 | 29.8 | 162 442 | 23.8 | 34.8 |
| ACT | 6 160 | 1.7 | 361 825 | 22.1 | 34.7 |
| Aust.(a) | 669 881 | 3.0 | 21 670 143 | 21.8 | 37.6 |
|
| (a) Includes Other Territories. |
Age structure
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 30 June 2011 had a younger age structure than the non-Indigenous population, with larger proportions of young people and smaller proportions of older people. The median age of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 30 June 2011 was 21.8 years, compared to 37.6 years for the non-Indigenous population.
Indigenous Status (individual categories)
Among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in 2011, 90% of people (606,200 people) identified as being of Aboriginal origin only, 6% (38,100) were of Torres Strait Islander origin only, and 4% (25,600) were of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.
Estimated resident population, Indigenous status, 30 June 2011 |
|
| Aboriginal only | Torres Strait Islander only | Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | Total Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | Non-Indigenous | Total |
| no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. |
|
| NSW | 198 920 | 5 723 | 3 833 | 208 476 | 7 010 053 | 7 218 529 |
| Vic. | 43 644 | 2 636 | 1 053 | 47 333 | 5 490 484 | 5 537 817 |
| Qld | 149 072 | 24 386 | 15 496 | 188 954 | 4 287 824 | 4 476 778 |
| SA | 35 483 | 1 253 | 672 | 37 408 | 1 602 206 | 1 639 614 |
| WA | 84 971 | 1 667 | 1 632 | 88 270 | 2 265 139 | 2 353 409 |
| Tas. | 21 869 | 1 428 | 868 | 24 165 | 487 318 | 511 483 |
| NT | 66 150 | 830 | 1 870 | 68 850 | 162 442 | 231 292 |
| ACT | 5 799 | 206 | 155 | 6 160 | 361 825 | 367 985 |
| Aust.(a) | 606 164 | 38 134 | 25 583 | 669 881 | 21 670 143 | 22 340 024 |
|
| (a) Includes Other Territories. |
Remoteness Areas
At 30 June 2011, around one-third of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in Major Cities of Australia (233,100 people). A further 147,700 people lived in Inner Regional Australia and 146,100 people in Outer Regional Australia. The remainder lived in Remote Australia (51,300 people) or Very Remote Australia (91,600 people).
Estimated resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, Remoteness Areas, 30 June 2011 |
|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | Non-Indigenous | Total |
| Remoteness Areas | % | % | % |
|
| Major City Areas | 34.8 | 71.3 | 70.2 |
| Inner Regional | 22.0 | 18.3 | 18.4 |
| Outer Regional | 21.8 | 8.7 | 9.1 |
| Remote | 7.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| Very Remote | 13.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
|
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