Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia - statistics & facts
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia for over 65,000 years, making them one of the oldest living cultures in the world. That is why Indigenous Australians are also referred to as Australia’s ‘first people’ or ‘traditional owners of the land’. The term, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, represents two groups of peoples. Aboriginal people inhabited mainland Australia and Tasmania, whereas Torres Strait Islanders are from the islands between Australia and Papua New Guinea. When British settlers colonized Australia in 1788, it was estimated that there were more than 750,000 Aboriginal people living in the country, 500 clan groups and 250 different Indigenous languages spoken, each with their own unique beliefs and cultures.
