Asian Australian

Asian Australians

Total population
1,696,568 (2006) 6% of Australian population
Regions with significant populations
Capital cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Languages
commonly Australian English, Asian languages
Religion
Buddhism, Christianity, Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, East Asian religions, other Indian religions, and others

East Asia

Central and South Asia

Southeast Asia

Asian Australian Ancestries as defined by the 2006 census

An Asian Australian can be generally defined as a person of Asian ancestry who was born in or is an immigrant to Australia.

There is no agreed definition of who an Asian Australian is, although for the purposes of aggregating data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics in its Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG) has grouped certain ethnic groups into certain categories, including Northeast Asian e.g Chinese Australian, Southeast Asian e.g Vietnamese Australian, South Asian e.g. Indian Australian and Central Asian e.g Afghan Australian. For the purpose of this article an Asian Australian is considered to be an Australian resident falling into one of these four groups.

At the 2006 Census 1,696,568 Australian residents declared that they had ancestral background to one of these three groupings, either alone or in combination with one other ancestry. This represents about 6% of all responses.

Cultural Influences

Although Asians have been in Australia since the 1700’s, large numbers of Asians first came to Australia in the 1880’s. Since then, they have influenced many areas of Australian culture. T'ai chi ch'uan is a form of exercise that the Chinese have practiced for centuries. It has become especially popular among older Australians of many ethnicities. Its slow, gentle movements provide good exercise for aging bodies. Tae kwon do is a traditional Korean martial art (style of fighting). Korean immigrants popularized it, and many of them now teach it to Australian youth. Judo is a traditional Japanese form of wrestling. Many Australian colleges offer it in physical education programs. Both judo and tae kwon do are Olympic sports.

Many Asian foods have become a regular part of Australian meals. Australians of all races are familiar with many Chinese foods, such as dumplings and kung pao chicken, spicy deep-fried chicken cubes with nuts. Dim sim, a Chinese-inspired meat dumpling-style snack food, is another popular dish. A favorite for some Australians is sushi, a Japanese dish of vinegar-flavored rice and raw fish or vegetables. Many Auustralian restaurants and groceries offer sushi. Restaurants that serve spicy Thai or Indian food are also popular. Some Australian grocery stores carry naan, an Indian flat bread. Many supermarkets carry tofu, soybean curd that can be sautéd, braised, or grilled. Tofu originated in China more than 1,000 years ago. Many Australians enjoy Bánh mì pâté thịt, a Vietnamese term for all kinds of sandwich served with various Vietnamese cold cuts such as sliced pork or pork bellies, chả lụa, and head cheese, along with the liver pâté and vegetables. Vietnamese Bò lá lốt a dish of spiced beef rolled in a pepper leaf (lá lốt) and grilled is also popular with many Australians. Many Australian groceries sell soy milk, a traditional drink in many Asian countries, as an alternative to cow’s milk.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese method of relieving pain and treating disease by inserting needles in the body. It has become accepted by the Australian medical profession as a way to treat certain ailments. Yoga is a traditional South Asian spiritual practice of meditation and exercise. It has become a popular form of exercise for Australian from all walks of life.

Demographics

Metropolitan Areas with High Proportion of Australians of Asian ancestry (2006 Census)

Metropolitan Area	Asian population(Est)	Asian people as % of total population
Sydney, NSW	683,917	18.8
Melbourne, VIC	565,056	16.18
Perth, WA	136,848	9.47
Brisbane, QLD	130,598	7.41
Adelaide, SA	68,640	6.21
Canberra, ACT	30,113	9.32
Darwin, NT	10,551	9.96

Asian Australians by Sydney region (2006 census)

Region	Asian population	Asian people as % of total population
Fairfield-Liverpool	97,765	28.38
Inner Western Sydney	87,251	28.07
Central Western Sydney	84,491	27.88
Canterbury-Bankstown	68,784	22.89
Lower Northern Sydney	62,395	21.61
Central Northern Sydney	80,355	19.51
Inner Sydney	51,191	16.35
St George-Sutherland	60,010	14.16
North Western Sydney	73,806	12.76
Eastern Suburbs	27,274	11.82
Outer South Western Sydney	21,008	9.01
Northern Beaches	14,458	6.42

Asian Australians by Melbourne region (2006 census)

Region	Asian population	Asian people as % of total population
Box Hill	105,361	40.04
Melbourne Central	90,541	31.32
Fitzroy - North Fitzroy	71,440	28.92
Footscray	50,314	20.03
Burwood	26,395	18.67
Camberwell	20,035	15.25
Inner Melbourne	43,111	14.33
Springvale	22,991	14.17
Western Suburbs	72,842	9.32
Eastern Suburbs	64,485	8.98

See also

• Asian American
• Asian Canadian
• Asian Brazilian
• British Asian
• Asian people

External links

• Centre for Asian Societies and Histories