In 2006, 30% of the Indigenous population lived in New South Wales, 28% in Queensland, 14% in Western Australia and 12% in the Northern Territory. Only 1% of the Indigenous population lived in the ACT.
In the Northern Territory, the Indigenous population contributes almost a third (30%) of that territory's total population, but only 12% of all Indigenous people living in Australia. While New South Wales has the largest number of Indigenous people (152,685 or 30% of all Indigenous persons), this represents only 2.2% of the NSW population. The State with the lowest percentage of Indigenous residents was Victoria where only 0.7% of the population was Indigenous.
Estimated Resident Population, 30 June 2006
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
Total
Proportion which is Indigenous
State/Territory
no.
%
no.
%
no.
%
%
New South Wales
152 685
29.5
6 663 402
33.0
6 816 087
32.9
2.2
Victoria
33 517
6.5
5 093 023
25.2
5 126 540
24.8
0.7
Queensland
144 885
28.0
3 946 023
19.6
4 090 908
19.8
3.5
South Australia
28 055
5.4
1 539 833
7.6
1 567 888
7.6
1.8
Western Australia
70 966
13.7
1 988 415
9.9
2 059 381
9.9
3.4
Tasmania
18 415
3.6
471 536
2.3
489 951
2.4
3.8
Northern Territory
64 005
12.4
146 622
0.7
210 627
1.0
30.4
Australian Capital Territory
4 282
0.8
329 837
1.6
334 119
1.6
1.3
Australia(a)
517 043
100
20 180 837
100
20 697 880
100
2.5
(a) Includes Other Territories. Source: Experimental Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, June 2006 (cat.no.3238.0.55.001).
Remoteness Areas
According to 2006 figures, almost one third of the Indigenous population lived in Major Cities (32%), 21% lived in Inner Regional areas, 22% lived in Outer Regional areas and 9% lived in Remote areas. The remaining 15% of the Indigenous population resided in Very Remote areas of Australia.
This pattern is very different from that of non-Indigenous persons who live predominantly in Major Cities or Inner Regional Areas (89.1%). Less than 2% of non-Indigenous persons live in Remote or Very Remote areas.
Estimated Resident Population by Remoteness by Indigenous status, 2006
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
Total
Remoteness
no.
%
no.
%
no.
%
Major Cities
165 804
32.1
13 996 450
69.4
14 162 254
68.4
Inner Regional
110 643
21.4
3 975 154
19.7
4 085 797
19.7
Outer Regional
113 280
21.9
1 854 026
9.2
1 967 306
9.5
Remote
47 852
9.3
267 199
1.3
315 051
1.5
Very Remote
79 464
15.4
88 008
0.4
167 472
0.8
Australia
517 043
100.0
20 180 837
100.0
20 697 880
100.0
Source: Experimental Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, June 2006 (cat. no.3238.0.55.001
Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Persons by Remoteness, 2006 Source: Experimental Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, June 2006 (cat. no. 3238.0.55.001).
As a result of the difference in population distribution, the Indigenous proportion of the total population increases with geographic remoteness; from 1% of the total population living in Major Cities to 47% living in Very Remote areas.Indigenous Proportion of Estimated Resident Population, 2006 Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713.0).
Indigenous Population Distribution, 2006 Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713.0).
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