Page tools: Print Page Print All | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Population distribution: Population characteristics and remoteness
REMOTENESS AREAS ACROSS AUSTRALIA - 2001 Population distribution In 2001, there were 18.8 million people living in Australia. Of these people, two-thirds were located in Major Cities. The rest were counted mainly in Inner and Outer Regional areas (31%), with only 3% of people counted in either Remote or Very Remote areas. The proportion of the population counted in each of the Remoteness Areas varied considerably across the states and territories. In 2001, almost all of the population of the Australian Capital Territory (99.8%) was located in a Major City, while the Northern Territory had higher proportions of people in Remote (22%) and Very Remote (25%) areas than any other state or territory. DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION ACROSS REMOTENESS AREAS - 2001
(b) Includes persons in Other Territories. Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing Between 1991 and 2001, the population of Australia grew by 12%. Major Cities experienced a similar population growth over the decade (13%). The population in Outer Regional and Very Remote areas grew by 5% each, while Remote areas remained virtually stable (declining by 800 people). Inner Regional areas had the greatest increase in population over the decade (14%). POPULATION CHANGE - 1991 TO 2001
(b) Includes persons in Migratory category. Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples In the 2001 Census, there were 410,000 people who indicated they were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. Indigenous peoples may experience both cultural and language barriers when accessing services in the community. In addition, a comparatively high proportion of Indigenous peoples live in regional and remote areas, away from many of the services located in larger urban centres. While the largest proportion of Indigenous peoples lived in Major Cities (31%), almost half (49%) lived in Outer Regional, Remote, and Very Remote areas combined, compared with 13% of the total Australian population. For more information about access to services in Indigenous communities see Australian Social Trends 2003, Services in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES - 2001
(b) Includes persons in Migratory category. Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing. The number of Indigenous peoples in Very Remote areas increased by 16% between 1991 and 2001, and as a result this group increased as a proportion of the total population of these areas (from 33% to 38%). This growth was consistent with the younger age profile and higher fertility rates of Indigenous peoples. The increase in the Indigenous population in Very Remote areas is largely the result of natural population increase. The increased propensity for people to identify as being of Indigenous origin is unlikely to have contributed significantly to growth in more remote areas; this was predominantly a factor in urban areas.2 People born overseas The overseas-born population in Australia is highly urbanised. In 2001, 83% of those people born in another country lived in Major Cities. As a result, people born overseas accounted for 29% of the population in Major Cities, with this proportion being lower in the other Remoteness Areas at around 11%. A person’s proficiency in spoken English may affect their ability to communicate in day-to-day activities and access services. In 2001, 12% of those people born overseas and located in Major Cities did not speak English or did not speak it well. In comparison, all other areas had a lower proportion of people in these categories (between 3% and 4%). Migrants who do not speak English, or do not speak it well, may choose to settle in Major Cities where they are more likely to find other people who speak their language, and where they have better access to multilingual and other support services.3 PEOPLE BORN OVERSEAS(a) - 2001
(b) People who did not state their birthplace were excluded prior to the calculation of percentages. (c) Includes persons in Migratory category. Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing. Demographic characteristics In 2001, there were 98 males for every 100 females in Australia. Women outnumbered men in Major Cities and Inner Regional areas, but in the more remote areas there were a greater number of males than females. The highest ratio of males to females occurred in Very Remote areas where there were 125 males for every 100 females. With the exception of the Indigenous population, most adults living in Very Remote areas are likely to be located there for work, with much of this employment focused on male-dominated industries (such as Mining, and Agriculture, forestry and fishing). Men account for 67% of lone person households in Very Remote areas, compared with 45% in Australia overall. MALES AND FEMALES IN REMOTENESS AREAS - 2001 Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing. In 2001, the median age in Major Cities (the age at which half the population are older and half are younger) was 35.1 years. In Inner Regional areas the median age was highest at 37.3 years; median ages then declined consistently as remoteness increased, to 32.3 years in Very Remote areas. These variations in median ages across Remoteness Areas are due to underlying differences in the age profile of these areas. AGE PROFILE OF REMOTENESS AREAS - 2001
Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing. In 2001, Major Cities had the highest percentage of young adults (aged 15-24 years) as a proportion of the population (14%). Major Cities provide opportunities for education, employment and social interaction, which are general requirements of people in this age group. There is a recognised pattern of young people migrating out of country areas to cities, seeking such services and opportunities (see Australian Social Trends 2003, Youth migration within Australia, and Regional differences in education and outcomes). Consistent with this movement, Outer Regional and Remote areas had the lowest proportions of young adults (12% and 11% respectively). Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas had the highest proportions of people aged 65 years and over (14% and 13% respectively), contributing to higher median ages for these Remoteness Areas. In addition to lifestyle factors, non-metropolitan areas have a comparatively lower cost of living than capital cities, and these locations attract and retain older people (see Australian Social Trends 2002, Regional population ageing). Further, rates of disability increase with age, affecting just over half (54%) of those people aged 65 years and over.4 Many Inner Regional areas have the necessary population base to support specific services for the aged, such as nursing homes, and are generally located closer to capital cities where more specialised services are available.5 The lowest proportions of people aged 65 years and over were in Remote and Very Remote areas (10% and 8% respectively). This may partly be the result of older people moving away from these areas to less remote locations, such as Inner Regional areas, to access health services and other forms of assistance.6 The lower percentage of older people is also likely to be related to the higher proportion of Indigenous peoples in these areas and their significantly lower life expectancy compared with the total Australian population (see Australian Social Trends 2002, Mortality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples). Family characteristics In 2001, the proportions of family, lone person and group households were similar across Remoteness Areas. However, multi-family households accounted for a greater proportion of family households in Very Remote areas (10%), compared with all other Remoteness Areas (between 1% and 2%). Opportunities for employment, along with availability of health, education and other services, are important factors in attracting and retaining particular family types. The age distribution of people in an area is also linked to the presence of different family types. In 2001, older couples without children (where the male partner was aged 55 years or over) comprised almost one quarter of families in Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas (24% and 23% respectively), compared with 20% nationally. This is consistent with these areas having higher proportions of older people. In comparison, these predominantly ‘empty nest’ families (where adult children have left home) accounted for just 12% of families in Very Remote areas, where older people accounted for a smaller share of the population. SELECTED FAMILY TYPES ACROSS REMOTENESS AREAS - 2001
(b) Includes children of any age. (c) Includes couple families without children not specified in table. (d) Includes other family types not specified in table. Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing. Families in Very Remote areas were more likely to have children living with them than any other area - Very Remote areas had the highest proportion of both couple families with children (49% of all families), and one-parent families (17%). Families with children in Very Remote areas were also more likely to contain more children than those in less remote areas; the average number of children (aged less than 15 years) increased across Remoteness Areas from 1.8 children in Major Cities to 2.1 in Very Remote areas. There is a pattern of increasing fertility from city areas to regional and remote areas. In Major Cities, the lower levels of fertility are accompanied by higher levels of educational attainment and skilled occupations. In Remote and Very Remote areas, the higher level of fertility of Indigenous women contributed to the higher average number of children.7 AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN UNDER 15 YEARS IN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN - 2001 Source: ABS 2001 Census of Population and Housing Endnotes 1 Marshall, N., Murphy, P., Burnley, I. and Hugo, G. 2003, Welfare Outcomes of Migration of Low-Income Earners From Metropolitan to Non-Metropolitan Australia, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.
|