The Asianisation of Australia: volume 2, part 3
Part Three
The Asian Population in Australia
In determining the ethnic-Asian proportion of the population, the best solution would be for such information to be gathered in a census. However, the Australian government, via the Australian Bureau of Statistics, no longer gathers such information. Nonetheless, it may be of interest to note the results of the race question in previous censuses.
In the tables below, results from the 1933, 1947, 1954, 1961, and 1966 censuses are given. 1966 was the last census in which detailed racial origins were published; after 1976 the census stopped asking a "race" question altogether (except for the continuing question re. Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders). Also below, detailed information from the 1961 census is given, which lists the Australian population by race, in "full- blood" and "mixed-blood" categories.
Contemporary statistics are also provided, regarding the estimation of the current ethnic-Asian population in Australia.
TABLE 19
POPULATION BY RACE:
AUSTRALIA, CENSUSES, 1933 TO 1966 (51)
RACE (a): 1933 % 1947 % 1954 %
EUROPEAN (b): 6 579 993 98.883 7 524 129 98.960 8 921 691 98.988
NON-EUROPEAN (c):
Asian:
Afghan 246 220 214
Arab, Persian 115 150 301
Asiatic Jew 216 135 83
Asiatic (n.e.i.) 77 31 1 014
Chinese 14 349 12 094 15 558
Cingalese, Burgher, Tamil 350 254 391
Filipino 390 449 428
Indian, Pakistani 3 098 2 898 2 647
Indonesian, Javanese,
Timorese, etc. 111 269 381
Japanese 2 466 335 785
Malay 1 129 974 1 234
Siamese, Thailander 13 35 266
Syrian, Lebanese 3 182 1 898 2 489
Total Asian 25 742 0.387 19 742 0.260 25 791 0.286
Pacific Islander:
Fijian 70 178 99
Maori 197 249 257
Pacific Islander
(n.e.i.) (d) 1 822 (d) 5 583 2 212
Papuan, New Guinean 247 34 53
Torres Strait Islander (e) (e) 4 362
Total Pacific Islander 2 336 0.035 6 044 0.080 6 983 0.077
African:
African (n.e.i.) (f) (f) 72
Egyptian 16 42 72
Negro 330 254 204
Total African 346 0.005 296 0.004 348 0.004
Mixed blood (g) (f) - (f) - (f) -
Other and Indefinite (h) 802 0.012 (h) 1 968 0.026 (i) 358 0.004
Total Non-European
(excluding Aborigines) 29 226 0.439 28 050 0.369 33 480 0.371
Australian Aborigines (j) 45 066 0.677 51 048 0.671 57 722 0.640
Total Non-European
(including Aborigines) 74 292 1.116 79 098 1.040 91 202 1.012
Grand Total 6 654 285 100.00 7 603 227 100.00 9 012 893 100.00
RACE (a): 1961 % 1966 %
EUROPEAN (b): 10 418 761 98.809 11 453 375 98.740
NON-EUROPEAN (c):
Asian:
Afghan 217 89
Arab, Persian 596 1 321
Asiatic Jew 114 243
Asiatic (n.e.i.) 1 346 2 636
Chinese 23 568 26 723
Cingalese, Burgher, Tamil 891 1 679
Filipino 693 765
Indian, Pakistani 4 065 4 411
Indonesian, Javanese,
Timorese, etc. 678 818
Japanese 2 671 3 573
Malay 1 705 1 749
Siamese, Thailander 276 562
Syrian, Lebanese 3 457 4 855
Total Asian 40 277 0.382 49 424 0.426
Pacific Islander:
Fijian 181 257
Maori 449 862
Pacific Islander
(n.e.i.) 2 915 3 005
Papuan, New Guinean 206 502
Torres Strait Islander 5 217 5 403
Total Pacific Islander 8 968 0.077 10 029 0.086
African:
African (n.e.i.) 105 601
Egyptian 103 425
Negro 251 102
Total African 459 0.004 1 128 0.010
Mixed blood (g) (f) - 4 812 0.041
Other and Indefinite (i) 549 0.005 523 0.004
Total Non-European
(excluding Aborigines) 50 253 0.477 65 916 0.568
Australian Aborigines (j) 75 309 0.714 80 207 0.691
Total Non-European
(including Aborigines) 125 562 1.191 146 123 1.259
Grand Total 10 544 323 100.00 11 599 498 100.00
Notes:
(a) Racial categories, as well as the following notes, are those as stated in the Census table.
(b) Persons of over 50 per cent European race.
(c) Persons of more than 50 per cent of the race specified, or of 50 per cent of the race specified and 50 per cent European.
(d) Includes Torres Strait Islander.
(e) Included in Pacific Islander n.e.i.
(f) Included in "Other and indefinite".
(g) Persons of three or more races where no race represents more than 50 per cent, or persons of two non-European races each of which represents 50 per cent.
(h) Includes African n.e.i. and mixed blood.
(i) Includes mixed blood.
(j) Includes people who reported themselves as being more than 50 per cent Aboriginal or simply as Aboriginal.
(n.e.i.) - not elsewhere included.
TABLE 20
POPULATION ACCORDING TO RACE
AUSTRALIA, 30TH JUNE, 1961 CENSUS (52)
Full-Blood Mixed-Blood:
Race (a) Non-European European and (c) Total
Asian:
Afghan 99 118 217
Arab, Persian 555 41 596
Asiatic Jew 101 13 114
Asiatic (n.e.i.) 1 118 228 1 346
Chinese 20 382 3 186 23 568
Cingalese, Burgher, Tamil 663 228 891
Filipino 297 396 693
Indian, Pakistani 3 532 533 4 065
Indonesian, Javanese,
Timorese, etc. 539 139 678
Japanese 1 718 953 2 671
Malay 1 063 642 1 705
Siamese, Thailander 240 36 276
Syrian, Lebanese 3 241 216 3 457
Total Asian 33 548 6 729 40 277
Pacific Islander:
Fijian 138 43 181
Maori 194 255 449
Pacific Islander (n.e.i.) (b) 2 186 729 2 915
Papuan, New Guinean 130 76 206
Torres Strait Islander 4 972 2 45 5 217
Total Pacific Islander 7 620 1 348 8 968
African:
African (n.e.i.) 84 21 105
Egyptian 76 27 103
Negro 132 119 251
Total African 292 167 459
Other and Indefinite 120 429 549
Total non-European (excluding
Australian Aboriginal) 41 580 8 673 50 253
Australian Aboriginal 36 137 39 172 75 309
Grand Total 77 717 47 845 125 562
Note: The 1961 Census estimated that there were a further 3 944 Full-Blood Aboriginals that were not counted as they were "out of contact at Census".
(a) Racial categories, as well as the following notes, are those as stated in the Census table.
(b) Includes Pacific Islander, Polynesian and South Sea Islander so described.
(c) This category covers persons with European blood to the extent of one-half and blood of a Non- European race to the extent of one-half.
(n.e.i.) = not elsewhere included.
TABLE 21
POPULATION ACCORDING TO RACE
FIGURES AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE AUSTRALIAN
POPULATION
(As at 30th June, 1961)
Asians: 40 277 0.38%
Other Non-Europeans (excluding Australian Aborigines): 9 976 0.09%
Total Non-Europeans (excluding Australian Aborigines): 50 253 0.48%
Europeans: 10 418 761 98.77%
Australian Aborigines (Half-Blood): 39 172 0.37%
Australian Aborigines (Full-Blood): 40 081 0.38%
Total Australian Aborigines: 79 253 0.75%
Total Australian population (excluding
Aboriginal Full-Bloods): 10 508 186 99.62%
Total Australian population: 10 548 267 100.00%
Note: This table is a summarisation of the 1961 census information, as provided by the preceding two tables.
TABLE 22
ETHNO-EUROPEAN AND ETHNO-ASIAN
MIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA
(As at 1978)
Dr. Charles Price has estimated the numbers of ethno-Europeans born outside of Europe that have migrated to Australia (as at 1978):(53)
UNITED KINGDOM:
(From Asia) 100 Turkey, 250 Lebanon-Syria, 3172 Palestine, 55185 India, 2292 Pakistan, 482 Bangladesh, 6132 Sri Lanka, 4935 Burma, 20 Thailand, 8833 Malaysia, 873 Philippines, 626 Indonesia, 161 East Timor, 150 Indochina, 67274 China etc., 5646 Japan, 465 Korea, 1850 Other Asia = 158,446.
(From elsewhere) 359 Egypt, 6307 Mauritius, 37693 South Africa, 11827 Other Africa, 10540 British West Indies, 616 Spanish America, 5481 Papua New Guinea, 9819 Fiji, 15668 Pacific, 94 At Sea = 98,404.
SOUTH EUROPE:
(From Asia) 500 East Timor, 500 India, 500 Sri Lanka, 437 China, 3875 Philippines, 1200
Turkey = 7,012.
(From elsewhere) 17742 Egypt, 1515 Africa, 1225 British West Indies, 42501 Spanish America, 1350 Portugese America = 64,333.
EAST EUROPE:
(From Asia) 3116 Palestine, 6500 China = 9,616.
WEST/NORTH EUROPE:
(From Asia) 196 Palestine, 500 Lebanon-Syria, 5250 Sri Lanka, 8800 Indonesia, 75 Thailand, 750 Indo-China = 15,571.
(From elsewhere) 107 Egypt, 7500 South Africa, 5500 Mauritius, 1260 Other Africa, 1950 British West Indies, 5425 Pacific, 2000 Papua New Guinea = 23,742.
TOTALS:
From Asia
190,645
From elsewhere
186,479
Total
377,124
Dr. Charles Price has also estimated the numbers of ethno-Asians born outside of Asia that have migrated to Australia (as at 1978):
WEST ASIA:
(From Europe) 250 Cyprus.
(From elsewhere) 1750 Egypt.
SOUTH ASIA:
(From Europe) 300 United Kingdom,
(From elsewhere) 935 Mauritius, 375 South Africa, 1000 Other Africa, 1300 Fiji, 190 Pacific, 35 Papua New Guinea = 3,835.
SOUTH-EAST ASIA:
(From Europe) n/a.
(From elsewhere) 100 Other Africa, 100 Papua New Guinea = 200.
EAST ASIA:
(From Europe) n/a.
(From elsewhere) 50 Mauritius, 15 South Africa, 10 Other Africa, 10 Spanish America, 10 British West Indies, 1400 Papua New Guinea, 250 Fiji, 195 Pacific = 1,940.
TOTALS:
From Asia
550
From elsewhere
7,725
Total
8,275
It should be noted that the above information relates to the period before the massive influx of immigrants from the Asian region in the 1980s and 1990s; and that the ethno-European influx from Asia was largely an historical event that occurred during the 1940s to 1960s due to various political and social factors, such as the overthrow or dismantling of the European colonial governments in Asia and other parts of the Third World.
It should also be noted that the above information relates not only to first generation
immigrants, but also to their offspring.
TABLE 23
ASIAN BIRTHS IN AUSTRALIA, 1978-1988 (54)
Mother Father born in Asia; mother born elsewhere:
born in Pacific Not Father
Year Asia: Africa America (Asia) Australia Europe Islands stated Sub-Total Total
1978 8399 74 40 (6176) 1384 471 72 2 2043 10 442
1979 9263 74 41 (6858) 1522 439 79 - 2157 11 420
1980 9948 87 42 (7417) 1478 464 78 - 2149 12 097
1981 11212 68 58 (8214) 1553 481 87 - 2247 13 459
1982 12396 76 49 (8868) 1755 491 89 - 2460 14 856
1983 13298 77 47 (9175) 1642 477 91 - 2334 15 632
1984 13384 79 49 (9267) 1560 414 92 - 2194 15 578
1985 15127 92 60 (10254) 1716 441 110 1 2420 17 547
1986 14916 86 67 (10130) 1805 457 100 - 2515 17 431
1987 16276 92 61 (11058) 1867 414 101 - 2535 18 811
1988 17709 80 70 (12229) 1887 475 132 3 2647 20 356
Summary
Mother Father born in Asia, "Father" increase over
born in Asia: mother born elsewhere: Total: "Mother" figures; %
1978 8 399 2 043 10 442 24.3
1979 9 263 2 157 11 420 23.3
1980 9 948 2 149 12 097 21.6
1981 11 212 2 247 13 459 20.0
1982 12 396 2 460 14 856 19.8
1983 13 298 2 334 15 632 17.5
1984 13 384 2 194 15 578 16.4
1985 15 127 2 420 17 547 16.0
1986 14 916 2 515 17 431 16.9
1987 16 276 2 535 18 811 15.6
1988 17 709 2 647 20 356 14.9
1978-1986 141 928 25 701 167 629 18.1
Notes:
a) All years listed are calendar years: January 1st to December 31st.
b) "Asia" includes "West Asia", except that Cyprus has been included in "Europe".
c) The "Asia" category for "Father born in Asia; mother born elsewhere" section has not been added to the sub-total or total, so as not to double-count births already included in the "Mother born in Asia"
section.
TABLE 24
ESTIMATED ASIAN POPULATION IN AUSTRALIA
(From the 1996 Census)
(Including statistical workings)
See tables 24-A to 24-E
TABLE 24-A
ESTIMATED ASIAN POPULATION IN AUSTRALIA
(at the time of the 1996 Census)
Total of mother born in Asia 328 177
minus father/mother both born in Asia -237 553
= 90 624
Total of father born in Asia 318 677
minus father/mother both born in Asia -237 553
= 81 124
Father and mother both born in Asia 237 553
Total second generation 409 301
Persons born in Asia 1 008 327
Allowance for Census net undercount,
at 2% of above totals (1 417 628)(55) 28 353
Net allowance for subtracting ethnic-Europeans
born in Asia (and their offspring) and adding
approximate population of "other ethnic-Asians"
(3rd generation, etc.)(56*) 169,674
TOTAL ESTIMATE OF ASIAN POPULATION IN AUSTRALIA: 1 615 655
Ethnic-Asian percentage of the Australian population
(estimated at 18,289,100 at 30 June 1996)(57*) = 8.8%
(56*)
TABLE 24-B
1996 Census
Persons born in Asia:(58)
West Asia 152,183
Southeast Asia 456,460
Northeast Asia 254,186
Southern Asia 145,498
Total 1,008,327
Note: Excludes overseas visitors.
TABLE 24-C
1996 Census
Australian-born offspring of persons born in Asia (by father):(59)
Birthplace of father:
Birthplace West S.E. N.E. S.
of mother: Asia Asia Asia Asia Total
Australia 14 670 18 153 9 542 16 014 58 379
New Zealand 445 527 185 330 1 487
Melanesia 11 142 241 41 435
Micronesia 4 - 9 - 13
Polynesia 114 138 126 318 696
U.K. and Ireland 1 321 2 492 951 3 319 8 083
Southern Europe 1 657 481 163 405 2 706
Western Europe 726 1 304 335 572 2 937
Northern Europe 77 54 39 63 233
Eastern Europe 379 122 136 141 778
Former USSR and
Baltic States 214 34 200 54 502
West Asia 89 303 63 66 195 89 627
Southeast Asia 437 78 421 3 817 1 903 84 578
Northeast Asia 181 3 424 34 071 125 37 801
Southern Asia 238 645 79 25 395 26 357
Northern America 205 137 61 99 502
South America 380 120 37 70 607
Central America 38 28 3 15 84
Caribbean 28 16 9 19 72
North Africa 634 36 12 49 731
Central and West Africa 155 4 - 6 165
Southern and East Africa 200 193 59 340 792
Inadequately described,
at sea, and n.e.c. 174 82 35 55 346
Not stated 320 262 81 103 766
Total 111 911 106 878 50 257 49 631 318 677
Notes:
(a) Excludes persons whose place of usual residence on Census night was overseas.
(b) Polynesia excludes Hawaii.
(c) "n.e.c." is an abbreviation of "not elsewhere classified"
TABLE 24-D
1996 Census
Australian-born offspring of persons born in Asia (by mother):(60)
Birthplace of mother:
Birthplace West S.E. N.E. S.
of father: Asia Asia Asia Asia Total
Australia 6 240 30 937 8 500 10 572 56 249
New Zealand 142 1 149 314 273 1 878
Melanesia 8 164 258 21 451
Micronesia - 3 - - 3
Polynesia 30 126 93 184 433
Europe n.f.d. - 5 3 - 8
U.K. and Ireland 666 6 592 1 577 3 124 11 959
Southern Europe 1 119 2 812 526 560 5 017
Western Europe 470 3 577 623 716 5 386
Northern Europe 25 333 60 58 476
Eastern Europe 585 812 327 147 1 871
Former USSR and
Baltic States 220 103 524 50 897
West Asia 89 303 437 181 238 90 159
Southeast Asia 63 78 421 3 424 645 82 553
Northeast Asia 66 3 817 34 071 79 38 033
Southern Asia 195 1 093 125 25 395 26 808
Northern America 102 298 112 146 658
South America 147 194 46 47 434
Central America 16 31 7 4 58
Caribbean 20 27 8 8 63
North Africa 918 184 62 42 1 206
Central and West Africa 212 34 3 18 267
Southern and East Africa 111 346 86 355 898
Inadequately described,
at sea, and n.e.c. 123 188 55 63 429
Not stated 517 1 088 197 181 1 983
Total 101 298 132 771 51 182 42 926 328 177
Notes:
(a) Excludes persons whose place of usual residence on Census night was overseas.
(b) Polynesia excludes Hawaii.
(c) "n.e.c." is an abbreviation of "not elsewhere classified"
(d) "Europe n.f.d." is an abbreviation of "Europe and former USSR not further defined"
TABLE 24-E
1996 Census
Birthplace of mother and father (both born in Asia): (61)
Birthplace of mother:
Birthplace West S.E. N.E. S.
of father: Asia Asia Asia Asia Total
West Asia 89 303 437 181 238 90 159
Southeast Asia 63 78 421 3 424 645 82 553
Northeast Asia 66 3 817 34 071 79 38 033
Southern Asia 195 1 093 125 25 395 26 808
Total 89 627 83 768 37 801 26 357 237 553
The Asianisation of Australia:
Statistics (Immigration, Ethnicity, and Trade) (Volume 2)
Australian Nationalism Information Database - www.ausnatinfo.angelfire.com
