Australia's Immigrant Population Grows
According to March 2007 figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics almost a quarter of Australia's population in 2006 were born overseas. This proportion (24%, or over 4.9 million people) is the highest recorded since Federation.People born in the UK make up the largest migrant group with 1.2 million people (or 6% of the total Australian population). Other major groups come from New Zealand (476,700), Italy (220,500), China (203,100) and Viet Nam (180,400).
The highest proportions of migrants are found in Australia's cities. Sydney's migrants make up 39% of its population while Melbourne's migrants comprise 35% of its population.
Almost half of the overseas-born population in Australia (49%, or 2.3 million people) were born in Europe. This figure has declined over the past nine years, while migration from other regions has increased.
Non-European migrants settle in Australia's large cities and small-town Australia is very largely of European ethnicity.
Sudanese-born people are the fastest growing group, increasing by an average 27% per year over the past ten years (but starting from a low base of only 2,600 people in 1996).
The largest net addition to Australia's population between 1996 and 2006 was from people born in New Zealand (up by 140,000). People born in China (70,000), India (53,900) and South Africa also made strong contributions over this period. Birthplace groups with decreasing numbers in this ten-year period were led by Italy (down 34,800 people) and the United Kingdom (26,800).