New South Wales
Birthplace
In 2016, 27.6% of people in New South Wales were born overseas, compared with 32.8% in Greater Capital Cities.
Country of Birth data identifies where people were born and is indicative of the level of cultural diversity in New South Wales. The mix of Country of Birth groups is also indicative of historical settlement patterns, as source countries for Australia's immigration program have varied significantly over time.
To get a more complete picture of cultural and ethnic characteristics, New South Wales's Country of Birth data should be viewed together with Ancestry, Language Spoken at Home and Religion.
Please note: Due to changes in ABS rules around perturbation and additivity of data to protect the confidentiality of individuals, counts of individual birthplace groups and totals derived from them may differ slightly from those published by the ABS. For more information see notes on data confidentiality.
Derived from the Census question:
'In which country was the person born?'
Total population
| Birthplace - Summary | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales - Total persons (Usual residence) | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Birthplace | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | 2011 to 2016 | |
| Total overseas born | 2,068,036 | 27.6 | 32.8 | 38000 | 1,775,543 | 25.7 | 30.7 | +292,493 |
| Australia | 4,899,090 | 65.5 | 60.8 | 38004 | 4,747,383 | 68.6 | 63.8 | +151,707 |
| Not stated | 512,987 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 38006 | 394,676 | 5.7 | 5.5 | +118,311 |
| Total Population | 7,480,113 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 6,917,602 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +562,511 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
| Birthplace - Ranked by size | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales - Overseas born (Usual residence) | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Birthplace | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | 2011 to 2016 | |
| United Kingdom | 270,877 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 30036 | 274,346 | 4.0 | 5.6 | -3,469 |
| China | 234,508 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 30005 | 156,089 | 2.3 | 2.1 | +78,419 |
| India | 143,459 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 30013 | 95,428 | 1.4 | 1.9 | +48,031 |
| New Zealand | 117,136 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 30023 | 114,210 | 1.7 | 2.3 | +2,926 |
| Philippines | 86,749 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 30027 | 70,399 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +16,350 |
| Vietnam | 84,130 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 30038 | 71,899 | 1.0 | 1.3 | +12,231 |
| Lebanon | 57,381 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 30019 | 56,287 | 0.8 | 0.5 | +1,094 |
| South Korea | 51,816 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 30029 | 41,852 | 0.6 | 0.5 | +9,964 |
| Italy | 49,476 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 30017 | 51,635 | 0.7 | 1.1 | -2,159 |
| South Africa | 43,058 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 30031 | 40,267 | 0.6 | 0.8 | +2,791 |
| Hong Kong | 42,347 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 30012 | 38,598 | 0.6 | 0.5 | +3,749 |
| Iraq | 40,271 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 30015 | 29,309 | 0.4 | 0.3 | +10,962 |
| Fiji | 33,879 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 30008 | 32,311 | 0.5 | 0.4 | +1,568 |
| Nepal | 32,117 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 30102 | 15,287 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +16,830 |
| Indonesia | 31,774 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 30014 | 26,772 | 0.4 | 0.4 | +5,002 |
| Malaysia | 31,655 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 30020 | 27,237 | 0.4 | 0.8 | +4,418 |
| United States of America | 30,081 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 30037 | 26,527 | 0.4 | 0.4 | +3,554 |
| Germany | 29,541 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 30010 | 31,064 | 0.4 | 0.5 | -1,523 |
| Greece | 29,481 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 30011 | 31,594 | 0.5 | 0.7 | -2,113 |
| Sri Lanka | 28,732 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 30033 | 23,750 | 0.3 | 0.6 | +4,982 |
| Thailand | 26,719 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 30034 | 17,512 | 0.3 | 0.3 | +9,207 |
| Pakistan | 24,524 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 30108 | 13,321 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +11,203 |
| Bangladesh | 24,217 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 30063 | 16,998 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +7,219 |
| Ireland | 24,038 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 30016 | 21,887 | 0.3 | 0.4 | +2,151 |
| Iran | 23,048 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 30049 | 15,465 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +7,583 |
| Egypt | 19,724 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 30007 | 18,410 | 0.3 | 0.2 | +1,314 |
| Netherlands | 16,900 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 30022 | 18,162 | 0.3 | 0.3 | -1,262 |
| North Macedonia | 16,501 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30009 | 17,156 | 0.2 | 0.2 | -655 |
| Croatia | 15,638 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30006 | 17,768 | 0.3 | 0.3 | -2,130 |
| Serbia / Montenegro (fmr Yugoslavia) | 15,525 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30032 | 16,021 | 0.2 | 0.3 | -496 |
| Malta | 14,481 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30021 | 15,794 | 0.2 | 0.3 | -1,313 |
| Japan | 14,008 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30018 | 12,109 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +1,899 |
| Taiwan | 13,493 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 30058 | 8,666 | 0.1 | 0.2 | +4,827 |
| Poland | 13,451 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 30028 | 14,326 | 0.2 | 0.3 | -875 |
| Canada | 13,290 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30004 | 11,910 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +1,380 |
| Chile | 13,058 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 30045 | 12,651 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +407 |
| Afghanistan | 13,032 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 30061 | 8,935 | 0.1 | 0.2 | +4,097 |
| Turkey | 12,808 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30035 | 12,919 | 0.2 | 0.2 | -111 |
| Singapore | 12,730 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 30030 | 11,261 | 0.2 | 0.3 | +1,469 |
| Cambodia | 12,439 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30044 | 11,106 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +1,333 |
| Brazil | 12,314 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 30067 | 6,499 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +5,815 |
| France | 11,540 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30039 | 8,950 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +2,590 |
| Syria | 9,291 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30121 | 5,112 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +4,179 |
| Samoa | 9,025 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30110 | 7,874 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +1,151 |
| Portugal | 8,325 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30054 | 8,207 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +118 |
| Russian Federation | 7,586 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30056 | 6,877 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +709 |
| Burma (Myanmar) | 7,128 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 30070 | 5,168 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +1,960 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7,095 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30003 | 7,677 | 0.1 | 0.2 | -582 |
| Colombia | 6,742 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30071 | 4,482 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +2,260 |
| Zimbabwe | 6,495 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 30131 | 5,683 | 0.1 | 0.2 | +812 |
| Hungary | 6,420 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30048 | 7,108 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -688 |
| Spain | 6,387 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30057 | 5,272 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +1,115 |
| Argentina | 6,244 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30041 | 5,725 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +519 |
| Cyprus | 6,239 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30046 | 6,549 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -310 |
| Uruguay | 6,213 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30127 | 6,524 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -311 |
| Tonga | 5,843 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30123 | 5,601 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +242 |
| Mauritius | 5,731 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30052 | 5,803 | 0.1 | 0.2 | -72 |
| Peru | 5,714 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30109 | 5,133 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +581 |
| Papua New Guinea | 5,466 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30026 | 5,481 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -15 |
| Laos | 5,227 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30091 | 5,106 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +121 |
| Austria | 5,172 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30042 | 5,796 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -624 |
| Sudan | 5,093 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30134 | 5,628 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -535 |
| Ukraine | 4,830 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30060 | 5,035 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -205 |
| Switzerland | 3,855 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 30120 | 3,738 | 0.1 | 0.1 | +117 |
| Jordan | 3,785 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 30087 | 3,039 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +746 |
| Israel | 3,594 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30086 | 3,393 | 0.0 | 0.1 | +201 |
| Saudi Arabia | 3,566 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30111 | 3,043 | 0.0 | 0.1 | +523 |
| Romania | 3,473 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30055 | 3,522 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -49 |
| Sweden | 3,424 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30119 | 2,881 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +543 |
| Czechia | 3,310 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30074 | 3,028 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +282 |
| Kenya | 3,197 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30088 | 2,722 | 0.0 | 0.1 | +475 |
| Nigeria | 2,712 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30104 | 1,501 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +1,211 |
| Denmark | 2,630 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30075 | 2,727 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -97 |
| Kuwait | 2,603 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30090 | 1,932 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +671 |
| United Arab Emirates | 2,595 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30126 | 1,418 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +1,177 |
| Ghana | 2,432 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30084 | 1,925 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +507 |
| Finland | 2,267 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30082 | 2,287 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -20 |
| Slovakia | 2,252 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30115 | 1,913 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +339 |
| Cook Islands | 2,208 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30073 | 2,075 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +133 |
| East Timor | 2,119 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30047 | 2,143 | 0.0 | 0.1 | -24 |
| Belgium | 2,026 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30065 | 1,774 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +252 |
| El Salvador | 1,842 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30078 | 1,890 | 0.0 | 0.1 | -48 |
| Slovenia | 1,773 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30116 | 2,014 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -241 |
| Mexico | 1,703 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30097 | 1,166 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +537 |
| Eastern Europe, nfd | 1,699 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30076 | 1,806 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -107 |
| Gaza Strip and West Bank | 1,632 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30083 | 1,447 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +185 |
| Sierra Leone | 1,601 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30114 | 1,537 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +64 |
| Ecuador | 1,356 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30077 | 1,320 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +36 |
| Ethiopia | 1,260 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 30081 | 1,134 | 0.0 | 0.1 | +126 |
| Norway | 1,237 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30105 | 1,155 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +82 |
| Macau | 1,212 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30096 | 1,105 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +107 |
| Latvia | 1,144 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30092 | 1,357 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -213 |
| Zambia | 1,106 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30130 | 1,006 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +100 |
| Bulgaria | 1,059 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30069 | 870 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +189 |
| Lithuania | 1,022 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30095 | 824 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +198 |
| South Sudan | 977 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30135 | 561 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +416 |
| Somalia | 824 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30117 | 616 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +208 |
| Tanzania | 797 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30122 | 787 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +10 |
| Uganda | 791 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30125 | 727 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +64 |
| Estonia | 759 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30080 | 731 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +28 |
| Morocco | 729 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30099 | 593 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +136 |
| Libya | 702 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30094 | 684 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +18 |
| Bhutan | 674 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30132 | 466 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +208 |
| Liberia | 600 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30093 | 540 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +60 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | 551 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30072 | 474 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +77 |
| New Caledonia | 495 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30103 | 468 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +27 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 492 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30068 | 440 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +52 |
| Belarus | 472 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30064 | 438 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +34 |
| Vanuatu | 431 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30128 | 428 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +3 |
| Oman | 375 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30106 | 222 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +153 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 352 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30124 | 343 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +9 |
| Albania | 315 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30062 | 191 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +124 |
| Eritrea | 287 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30079 | 217 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +70 |
| Namibia | 259 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30101 | 182 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +77 |
| Seychelles | 245 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30113 | 270 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -25 |
| Botswana | 233 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30066 | 200 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +33 |
| Mozambique | 199 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30100 | 171 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +28 |
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Excludes countries of birth with fewer than 10 people.
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the country of birth of the population in New South Wales in 2016 compared to Greater Capital Cities shows that there was a smaller proportion of people born overseas.
Overall, 27.6% of the population was born overseas, compared with 32.8% for Greater Capital Cities.
The largest non-English speaking country of birth in New South Wales was China, where 3.1% of the population, or 234,508 people, were born.
The major difference between the countries of birth of the population in New South Wales and Greater Capital Cities was:
- A smaller percentage of people born in United Kingdom (3.6% compared to 5.0%)
Emerging groups
Between 2011 and 2016, the number of people born overseas increased by 292,493 or 16.5%.
The largest changes in birthplace countries of the population in this area between 2011 and 2016 were for those born in:
- China (+78,419 persons)
- India (+48,031 persons)
- Nepal (+16,830 persons)
- Philippines (+16,350 persons)