Major age groups and the overseas-born
At 30 June 2009, as shown in Table 5.7, the majority (76%) of all overseas-born Australian residents were of working age (15-64 years). In comparison, the proportion of overseas-born residents aged 65 years and older and 0-14 years was 18% and 6% respectively.
The overseas-born population from Asia, America and Africa had a proportionally larger young (aged 0-14 years) and working age population compared to those from Europe. Among the regions, Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest proportion aged 0-14 years (13%), followed by Oceania and Antarctica (excl. Aust.) (10%), the Americas (9%), North Africa and the Middle East and Southern and Central Asia (8% each) and South-East Asia (6%). The overseas-born population of Southern and Eastern Europe had the highest proportion (41%) in the resident population who were aged 65 years and over, followed by North-West Europe (28%).
5.7 Estimated resident population, Country of birth and age group - 30 June 2009(a) |
|
| POPULATION | PROPORTION |
| 0-14 | 15-64 | 65 and over | 0-14 | 15-64 | 65 and over |
Region of birth | no. | no. | no. | % | % | % |
|
Oceania and Antarctica (excl. Aust.) | 64 611 | 550 409 | 49 202 | 9.7 | 82.9 | 7.4 |
North-West Europe | 71 772 | 1 075 493 | 437 811 | 4.5 | 67.9 | 27.6 |
Southern and Eastern Europe | 10 241 | 486 168 | 339 142 | 1.2 | 58.2 | 40.6 |
North Africa and Middle East | 26 286 | 265 073 | 39 081 | 8.0 | 80.2 | 11.8 |
South-East Asia | 46 130 | 654 164 | 51 879 | 6.1 | 87.0 | 6.9 |
North-East Asia | 31 517 | 548 029 | 45 549 | 5.0 | 87.7 | 7.3 |
Southern and Central Asia | 37 759 | 433 398 | 33 064 | 7.5 | 86.0 | 6.6 |
Americas | 20 918 | 199 963 | 20 186 | 8.7 | 82.9 | 8.4 |
Sub-Saharan Africa | 35 618 | 222 410 | 20 534 | 12.8 | 79.8 | 7.4 |
Total overseas-born | 344 852 | 4 435 107 | 1 036 448 | 5.9 | 76.3 | 17.8 |
Total Australia-born | 3 844 362 | 10 416 033 | 1 878 454 | 23.8 | 64.5 | 11.6 |
Total | 4 189 214 | 14 851 140 | 2 914 902 | 19.1 | 67.6 | 13.3 |
|
(a) Estimates for 2008-09 are preliminary - see paragraphs 9-10 of the Explanatory Notes. |
At 30 June 2009, of the top 50 countries of birth, Nepal-born, Taiwan-born and Bangladesh-born residents had the highest proportion (96%, 92% and 92% respectively) of all overseas-born residents aged 15-64 years. Following closely behind were those persons born in Hong Kong and Vietnam (90% each). The top five countries of birth with the highest proportion of their populations aged 65 years and older were: Italy (55%); Greece (52%); Hungary (51%); Austria (42%); and the Netherlands (41%). Among the overseas-born residents, Sudan-born had the highest proportion (21%) of residents aged 0-14 years, followed by the United States of America (16%), Afghanistan (14%), South Africa and Singapore (13% each), and Pakistan and Zimbabwe (12% each).