Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population passes 1 million
According to new projections released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia is now over 1 million people. This is an increase of 56,300 people since June 2021.
These projections are based on a series of assumptions on levels of fertility, paternity, mortality and internal migration, which are guided by recent data.
Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography statistics, said: “For all three projections series produced, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia is projected to reach around 1.2 million people by 2031.
In all series, the largest percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is projected to be living in Inner and Outer Regional Australia, at 44 per cent between 2021 and 2031.
“We are projecting a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Major Cities, and a smaller proportion living in Remote and Very Remote Australia,” Ms Cho said.
“We are also projecting that the majority of Indigenous Regions will continue to see population growth between 2021 and 2031,” Ms Cho said.
"Perth in Western Australia is projected to be the fastest growing Indigenous Region (growing by between 2.7 and 2.8 per cent on average annually over the next 10 years) followed by Brisbane in Queensland (between 2.6 and 2.8 per cent).”
The median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is projected to increase from 24 years old in 2021 to between 25.4 and 25.7 years old in 2031. The population is projected to grow across all age groups over that same 10 years.
Further details are available in Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2011 to 2031.
| 2016 (no.) | 2021 (no.) | 2031 (high series) (no.) | 2031 (high series) Growth rate (b)(%) | 2031 (medium series) (no.) | 2031 (medium series) Growth rate (b)(%) | 2031 (low series) (no.) | 2031 (low series) Growth rate (b)(%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 311,859 | 339,710 | 409,379 | 1.9 | 404,365 | 1.8 | 401,765 | 1.7 |
| Vic. | 70,365 | 78,696 | 97,696 | 2.2 | 96,608 | 2.1 | 96,010 | 2.0 |
| Qld | 245,895 | 273,119 | 346,087 | 2.4 | 341,705 | 2.3 | 339,574 | 2.2 |
| SA | 47,481 | 52,069 | 61,480 | 1.7 | 60,776 | 1.6 | 60,391 | 1.5 |
| WA | 109,676 | 120,006 | 145,114 | 1.9 | 143,248 | 1.8 | 142,375 | 1.7 |
| Tas. | 31,500 | 33,857 | 39,026 | 1.4 | 38,605 | 1.3 | 38,359 | 1.3 |
| NT | 73,083 | 76,487 | 82,535 | 0.8 | 81,597 | 0.6 | 81,154 | 0.6 |
| ACT | 8,427 | 9,525 | 12,053 | 2.4 | 11,913 | 2.3 | 11,846 | 2.2 |
| Aust.(c) | 898,515 | 983,709 | 1,193,646 | 2.0 | 1,179,088 | 1.8 | 1,171,741 | 1.8 |
- Estimates and projections based on the 2021 Census.
- Average annual growth rate for the period 2021 to 2031.
- Includes all states and territories.
Post release changes
10/10/2024: Table, Estimated and projected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, states and territories, 2016 to 2031 has been updated to correct errors in previously published Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backcast estimates.
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