New Research Estimates Australia's Pre-Colonial Indigenous Population at 2.2 Million
Quick Brief
New research indicates that Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population prior to European colonization was significantly larger than previously believed. National research group modeling estimates the pre-1788 population reached 2.2 million, dwarfing early estimates of 250,000. This suggests the demographic catastrophe brought by diseases and massacres was far more severe than historical assumptions.
What Happened?
A national research group published new demographic modeling indicating that the pre-colonial population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia was approximately 2.2 million prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. This figure contrasts sharply with early historical estimates of 250,000 people, pointing to a much higher toll from introduced diseases and massacres following colonization.
Why It Matters
The findings fundamentally shift the historical understanding of Australia's demographic landscape prior to colonization. By revising the pre-colonial population upward, the study implies that the demographic collapse caused by European settlement resulted in a significantly greater loss of life than previously recognized.
Key Facts
- New modeling estimates Australia's pre-colonial Indigenous population at 2.2 million.
- Early historical estimates had previously placed the figure at around 250,000.
- The population figures apply to the period prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.
- Researchers indicate the findings reveal a much greater impact of massacres and diseases during colonization.
Compiled from 2 outlets
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