Profile of First Nations people
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Section: First Nations people
Citation
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2025) Profile of First Nations people, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 5 June 2026.
Profile of First Nations people
is an Australia's welfare
and Australia's health
topic
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people are the first peoples of Australia. They are not one group, but rather comprise hundreds of groups that have their own distinct set of languages, histories and cultural traditions (AIHW 2015). The health and welfare of First Nations people living in the big cities are different to those living in the Torres Strait, which are different again to those living on the outskirts of Alice Springs or those living in remote communities.
This page provides demographic information on the First Nations population, including information on their languages and cultures. This page includes a list of the Closing the Gap targets. Information on each of the targets is included in Education of First Nations people, Employment of First Nations people, Housing circumstances of First Nations people and Safety and justice for First Nations people.
First Nations identification in data collections
In most Australian data collections, First Nations people refers to people who have identified themselves or have been identified by a representative (for example, their parent or guardian), as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin. For a few data collections, such as those associated with government grants and payments, information on acceptance of a person as being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin by their community may also be required.
Colonisation is recognised as having a fundamental impact on the disadvantage and poor health of First Nations peoples worldwide, through social systems that maintain disparities (see for example, Thurber et al. 2022; Paradies 2016; Paradies and Cunningham 2012). In Australia, the historical and ongoing effects of colonisation and racism have contributed, at least in large part, to current inequities in the health and wellbeing of First Nations people. In contrast, cultural factors – such as connection to Country and caring for Country, knowledge and beliefs, language, self-determination, family and kinship, and cultural expression – can be protective and positively influence First Nations people’s health and wellbeing (see for example, Thurber et al. 2022; Bourke et al. 2018).
Population size, geographic distribution and trends over time
Population size
As at 30 June 2021, Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) estimates indicate that 984,000 First Nations people were living in Australia, representing 3.8% of the total Australian population.
Of the 984,000 First Nations people:
- 91.7% identified as being of Aboriginal origin
- 4.0% identified as being of Torres Strait Islander origin
- 4.3% identified as both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ABS 2023a).
The First Nations population has a relatively young age structure, with larger proportions of people aged 29 and under compared to older age groups. As at 30 June 2021, an estimated one-third (34%) of the First Nations population was aged under 15, and this hasn’t changed since the 2016 Census (ABS 2016, 2023a; Figure 1). The median age of First Nations people has increased – from 21 in 2011, to 23 in 2016 and 24 in 2021. The First Nations population is generally younger than the non-Indigenous population (with a median age of 38.9 years in 2021) (ABS 2023a).
Figure 1: First Nations population by age and sex, 30 June 2021
This figure shows the distribution of the estimated First Nations population by age and sex. It shows the relatively young age profile of First Nations people, with 34% aged under 15.
Geographic distribution
First Nations people are more likely to live in urban and regional areas than remote areas, though the proportion of the total population who are First Nations is generally higher in more remote areas.
Based on 2021 Census-based estimates (ABS 2023a; Figure 2), among First Nations people:
- 41% (401,700) lived in Major cities
- 44% (431,200) lived in Inner and outer regional areas
- 15% (150,800) lived in Remote and very remote areas combined.
This distribution has changed from 2016 when about 37% (298,000) of First Nations people lived in Major cities, 44% (351,000) lived in Inner and outer regional areas and 19% (149,000) lived in Remote and very remote areas.
In 2021, the proportion of the total population who were First Nations increased with remoteness, from 2.2% in Major cities, to 30% in Remote and very remote areas.
According to 2021 ABS Estimated Resident Population, over 34% of First Nations people (340,000 people) lived in New South Wales and 28% (273,000 people) in Queensland (Figure 2).
The Northern Territory had the highest proportion of First Nations residents among its population in 2021– about 31% (76,500 people) (Figure 2).
Figure 2: First Nations population by geography, 2021
The figure shows that the majority (34.5%) of First Nations people live in New South Wales. The Australian Capital Territory has the smallest proportion of Australia’s First Nations population (1.0%).
Population trends over time
After each Census, the ABS produces a time series population for periods before the Census year ('backcast') by 'reverse-surviving' the population using mortality rates (derived from life tables) and also produces estimates for forward periods ('projections') using assumptions about future fertility, mortality and migration. These estimates are used as denominators for many First Nations health and welfare measures (ABS 2023b).
Following the 2021 Census, the ABS produced estimates from 2011 to 2031. Between 2011 and 2021, the First Nations population increased from about 806,000 people to about 984,000 people (ABS 2011-to-2031). The population is projected to increase to 1,179,000 people (medium series) by 2031.
In successive Censuses, there have been large increases in counts of First Nations people, beyond what can be explained by demographic factors (births, deaths and migration). For example, between 2016 and 2021, 57% of the increase was due to non-demographic factors, including changing identification and other factors such as improved Census coverage (ABS 2023b). The change due to non-demographic factors was higher than that between 2011 and 2016 (39%).
Given the extent of non-demographic change between the 2016 and 2021 Census, using the 2021 Census-based backcast data may lead to artificially lower rates in earlier periods. For this reason, AIHW reporting using 2021 Census-based denominators will generally be limited to 2016 onwards, consistent with ABS advice (ABS 2024).
Figure 3 shows how the population series based on the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses compare.
Figure 3: First Nations population estimates and projections, by Census base
Figure shows the differences between three sets of population estimates and projections based on 2011, 2016 and 2021 Census.
| Year | 2011-based | 2016-based | 2021-based |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 669,881 | 719,840 | 806,090 |
| 2012 | 684,017 | 735,575 | 825,179 |
| 2013 | 698,583 | 751,421 | 843,996 |
| 2014 | 713,589 | 766,834 | 862,361 |
| 2015 | 729,048 | 782,483 | 880,561 |
| 2016 | 744,956 | 798,101 | 898,515 |
| 2017 | 761,300 | 813,714 | 916,078 |
| 2018 | 778,064 | 829,468 | 933,207 |
| 2019 | 795,221 | 845,597 | 950,414 |
| 2020 | 812,757 | 862,105 | 967,123 |
| 2021 | 830,668 | 878,998 | 983,709 |
Notes:
- Figure shows three sets of population estimates – one based on the 2011 Census ('2011-based'), another based on the 2016 Census ('2016-based') and a third based on the 2021 Census ('2021-based')
- For each set of estimates, the data after the Census year are projections (medium series). For example, for the 2016-based estimates, 2016 is the Estimated Resident Population, estimates from 2011 to 2015 are backcast, and estimates from 2017 to 2021 are projections.
- ABS produces 3 main population projection ‘series’ referred to as high, medium, low. This figure only presents the medium series. For assumptions behind each series see Estimates and projections, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, 2011 to 2031 | Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Source:
ABS population estimates and projections (ABS 2014, 2019, 2025).
Language and culture
First Nations communities pass on knowledge, tradition, ceremony and culture from one generation to the next through language, performance, protection of significant sites, storytelling and the teachings of Elders. Cultural factors, such as connection to community, land and spirituality, are important for the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations people (Bourke et al. 2018).
Language
In the 2021 Census, almost 1 in 10 (9.5% or around 77,000) First Nations people reported that they spoke an Indigenous language at home, with over 150 different Indigenous languages being spoken.
In 2021, the most common Indigenous languages spoken at home were Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) (around 7,600 or 9.9% of First Nations people who spoke an Indigenous language at home) and Kriol (around 7,400 people or 9.6%) (ABS 2022; Figure 4). These were also the most commonly spoken languages in 2016 (ABS 2022).
The distribution of First Nations people who used Indigenous language at home by age in the 2021 Census showed that the highest proportion was in the 25–44 years old age group (29.8%) followed by the 0–14 years old age group (28%) (ABS 2021 cited in Table CtG16c.2, Productivity Commission Dashboard).
Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) and Kriol
During colonisation, speaking traditional languages was generally discouraged. This resulted in some languages being lost or merging with other languages to form new languages. Yumplatok and Kriol are both recently developed English-based creole languages (that is, these languages are a mixture of Standard Australian English and traditional languages). Yumplatok, in particular, is a common language shared by all Torres Strait Islanders and is often spoken in addition to other local languages.
Figure 4: Proportion of First Nations people who spoke an Indigenous language at home, by language spoken, top 10 most commonly spoken languages, 2021
This figure shows that the most commonly spoken Indigenous languages in 2021 were Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) (9.9%) and Kriol (9.6%)
| Language spoken at home | Per cent |
|---|---|
| Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) | 9.9% (7,596 people) |
| Kriol | 9.6% (7,403 people) |
| Australian Indigenous Languages (nfd) | 5.5% (4,197 people) |
| Djambarrpuyngu | 5.0% (3,839 people) |
| Pitjantjatjara | 4.4% (3,399 people) |
| Other Australian Indigenous Languages (nec) | 3.7% (2,863 people) |
| Cape York Peninsula Language (nec) | 3.5% (2,688 people) |
| Warlpiri | 3.4% (2,592 people) |
| Murrinh Patha | 2.7% (2,063 people) |
| Tiwi | 2.7% (2,053 people) |
Notes:
- Proportion is of First Nations people who spoke an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language at home from the 2021 Census.
- 'Australian Indigenous languages (nfd)’ is a supplementary code in the ASCL and is not considered a language group.
- Not elsewhere classified (nec) is used for any language which is not separately identified in the ASCL because it does not meet the threshold for the minimum number of speakers.
Source:
ABS 2022.
Based on Census data, the proportion of First Nations people who spoke an Indigenous language at home has declined over time – from 16.4% in 1991 to 9.8% in 2016 and 9.5% in 2021 (ABS 2022). According to the latest National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS), 8.1% of First Nations people aged 18 and over spoke an Indigenous language at home in 2022–23 (AIHW analysis of 2022–23 NATSIHS data). This is slightly lower compared to 2018–19 NATSIHS, where 8.4% of First Nations people aged 18 and over spoke an Indigenous language at home (AIHW 2024).
The target associated with Outcome 16 of 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap is to have a sustained increase in the number and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken by 2031. The data from National Indigenous Languages Surveys indicate that the number of Indigenous languages spoken has increased from 120 in 2014–15 to 123 in 2018–19 after an initial decline from 145 in 2004–05 (Table CtG16A.1, Productivity Commission 2025). Among these, 12 traditional and 2 new languages were reported as strong languages in 2018–19, while 51 were critically and severely endangered and 43 were being revived, revitalised or reawakened.
According to the same survey, there were 20 languages that had more than 1,000 speakers, and another 15 languages had between 250–1000 speakers. There were 67 languages that had 50 or less speakers, and 17 languages that had no speakers in 2018–19.
Culture
Data from the 2022–23 NATSIHS show that First Nations people have strong connections to their family, community and culture. In 2022–23, among First Nations people aged 18 and over (577,000) an estimated:
- 76% (440,000 people) recognised an area as a homeland/traditional country – this was 87% in remote areas compared with 74% in non-remote areas.
- 66% (382,000 people) identified with a tribal group, language, clan, mission or regional group – this was 80% in remote areas compared with 64% in non-remote areas.
- 22% (127,000 people) lived on their homeland – this was 43% in remote areas compared with 18% in non-remote areas (Figure 5).
Figure 5: Selected measures of cultural connectedness among First Nations people aged 18 and over by remoteness, 2022–23
The figure shows that, across all measures, the proportion of First Nations people who are connected to their culture is higher in remote areas.
| Category | Non-remote | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Recognises a homelands/traditional country | 74% (358,000 people) | 87% (80,700 people) |
| Lives on homelands/traditional country | 18% (87,300 people) | 43% (39,400 people) |
| Identifies with a clan, tribal or language group | 64% (307,700 people) | 80% (74,400 people) |
Note: Remoteness classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography standard 2021. ‘Non-remote’ includes Major cities, Inner regional areas and Outer regional areas. ‘Remote’ includes Remote and Very remote areas.
Source:
AIHW analysis of 2022–23 NATSIHS data.
Closing the Gap targets
Closing the Gap is a government framework aiming to reduce disadvantage among First Nations people. It was first agreed in 2008. Four of the original 7 targets expired unmet.
In 2020, there was a marked shift in the approach to the Closing the Gap framework, with the signing of a new National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement). For the first time, this agreement was developed in genuine partnership between Australian governments and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations.
The National Agreement is built around 4 Priority Reforms that focus on changing the way governments work with First Nations people. The National Agreement also identifies 17 socioeconomic outcome areas with 19 targets across these areas (Table 1).
The targets in the National Agreement are monitored annually by the Productivity Commission and reported in their Closing the Gap Information Repository Dashboard (Productivity Commission 2025).
Socioeconomic outcome area | Target |
|---|---|
1 | Close the Gap in life expectancy within a generation, by 2031. |
2 | By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies with a healthy birthweight to 91%. |
3 | By 2025, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in Year Before Fulltime Schooling (YBFS) early childhood education to 95%. |
4 | By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children assessed as developmentally on track in all 5 domains of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) to 55%. |
5 | By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (age 20–24) attaining year 12 or equivalent qualification to 96%. |
6 | By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25–34 years who have completed a tertiary qualification (Certificate III and above) to 70%. |
7 | By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth (15–24 years) who are in employment, education or training to 67%. |
8 | By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25–64 who are employed to 62%. |
9 | a: By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in appropriately sized (not overcrowded) housing to 88%. b: By 2031, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households:
|
10 | By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration by at least 15%. |
11 | By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10–17 years) in detention by at least 30%. |
12 | By 2031, reduce the rate of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45%. |
13 | By 2031, the rate of all forms of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children is reduced at least by 50%, as progress towards zero. |
14 | Significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people towards zero. |
15 | a: By 2030, a 15% increase in Australia’s landmass subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests. b: By 2030, a 15% increase in areas covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests in the sea. |
16 | By 2031, there is a sustained increase in number and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken. |
17 | By 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have equal levels of digital inclusion. |
For more information on the Closing the Gap targets, see Safety and justice for First Nations people, Education of First Nations people, Housing circumstances of First Nations people and Employment of First Nations people.
Key data gaps and data improvement activities
There is significant work to be done regarding population projections and backcasting which include a scenario around changes in identification of First Nations people over time. The ABS has recently released a projection series that incorporates projected changes in Indigenous identification over time, rather than assuming constant levels of identification (ABS 2011-to-2031). Another approach being explored is using linked administrative data as well as Census to improve small area Census counts and population data more generally. An example of such linked data is the Administrative Data Snapshot of Population and Housing (ADS), which is an experimental population and housing data for the total Australian population built using integrated administrative data from the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA). The use of ADS has the potential to improve the completeness of the data, and the continuity of population estimates over time.
Where do I go for more information?
For more information on First Nations people, see:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework
- Australian Bureau of Statistics Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
For information on the Closing the Gap framework, such as the National Agreement and targets, see Closing the Gap.
For data on each Closing the Gap target by jurisdiction, see the Productivity Commission Closing the Gap Information Repository Dashboard.
For more on this topic, see First Nations people.
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2011-to-2031), Estimates and projections, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, ABS Website, accessed 22 April 2025.
ABS (2014) Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2001 to 2026, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 03 February 2025.
ABS (2016) Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, ABS Website, accessed 11 April 2025.
ABS (2019) Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Reference period 2006 to 2031, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 03 February 2025.
ABS (2022) Language Statistics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 11 January 2023.
ABS (2023a) Estimates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, reference period June 2021, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 4 February 2025.
ABS (2023b) Understanding change in counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: Census, ABS, Australian Government, accessed 21 April 2023.
ABS (2024), Guide to using historical estimates for comparative analysis and reporting, ABS Website, accessed 22 April 2025.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2015) The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 2015, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 31 May 2023.
AIHW (2024) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and primary health care: patterns of service use, preferences, and access to services, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 11 April 2025.
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Paradies Y (2016) ‘Colonisation, racism and indigenous health’, Journal of Population Research, 33(1): 83–96, doi:10.1007/s12546-016-9159-y.
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Productivity Commission (2025) Closing the gap information repository, Canberra, Australian Government, accessed 23 April 2025.
Thurber KA, Brinckley MM, Jones R, Evans O, Nichols K, Priest N, Guo S, Williams DR, Gee GC, Joshy G, Banks E, Thandrayen J, Baffour B, Mohamed J, Calma T, Lovett R (2022) Population-level contribution of interpersonal discrimination to psychological distress among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, and to Indigenous-non-Indigenous inequities: cross-sectional analysis of a community-controlled First Nations cohort study. The Lancet, 400(10368): 2084–2094, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01639-7.