New research shows Australia’s pre-colonial Indigenous population was much larger than thought
Australian researchers published new findings Tuesday evening stating the pre-1788 Indigenous population was up to seven times larger than previous estimates.
Population size revised upward
The study indicates the median pre-colonial Indigenous population was 2.22 million people. This figure is significantly higher than earlier calculations which ranged between 250,000 and 1 million.
Massive losses from colonisation
Researchers estimate that approximately 2.06 million First Nations Australians died after European arrival. Deaths resulted from diseases, massacres, and mortality associated with displacement during the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Recovery timeline extends far
Current population trends suggest it will take another 21 years to reach pre-colonisation numbers. The work was published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour by a national research group.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- Phys.org
- ABC News Australia
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