Eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians
Discover strategies for eliminating prejudice and discrimination against Arab and Muslim Australians in communities, workplaces and institutions.
Summary
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Fact sheet: Australian Muslims
Total number of Muslims in Australia: 281 578
Proportion of the Australian population who are Muslim: 1.5%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2001 Census.
1. Birthplace
The major countries of birth of Australian Muslims are:
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Fact sheet: Australian Muslims
Total number of Muslims in Australia: 281 578
Proportion of the Australian population who are Muslim: 1.5%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2001 Census.
1. Birthplace
The major countries of birth of Australian Muslims are:
1. Australia: 36% 2. Lebanon: 10% 3. Turkey: 8% 4. Afghanistan: 3.5% 5. Bosnia-Herzegovina: 3.5% 6. Pakistan: 3.2% 7. Indonesia: 2.9% 8. Iraq: 2.8% 9. Bangladesh: 2.7% 10. Iran: 2.3% 11. Fiji: 2.0%
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, Unpublished data.
2. Ancestry
- Around 30% of Australian-born Muslims claim Lebanese ancestry.
- Around 18% claim Turkish ancestry.
Australian Muslims are not all Arabs
Australian Muslims are a diverse group. While the largest proportion are Australian-born, a further:
- 28% of Australian Muslims were born in the Middle East or North Africa.
- 16% were born in Asia.
- 9% were born in Europe.
- 4% were born in Africa (excluding North Africa).
- 3% were born in Oceania (excluding Australia);
Australian Arabs are not all Muslim
A large proportion of Australians born in predominantly Muslim countries are not Muslim themselves.
| Country of birth | No. born overseas | No. who are Muslim | Proportion who are Muslim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon | 71 349 | 29 321 | 41% |
| Turkey | 29 821 | 23 479 | 79% |
| Afghanistan | 11 296 | 9 923 | 88% |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 23 848 | 9 892 | 42% |
| Pakistan | 11 875 | 9 238 | 78% |
| Indonesia | 47 158 | 8 087 | 17% |
| Iraq | 24 832 | 7 749 | 31% |
| Bangladesh | 9 077 | 7 596 | 84% |
| Iran | 18 789 | 6 353 | 34% |
| Fiji | 44 261 | 5 772 | 13% |
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, Unpublished data.
3. Distribution
Figure 1: Australian Muslim population by state and territory
Source: ABS, 2001 Census. Click here for text only version.
| State/territory | Proportion of all Australian Muslims | Proportion of total state or territory population |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 50% | 2.2% |
| Victoria | 33% | 2.0% |
| Western Australia | 7% | 1.1% |
| Queensland | 5% | 0.4% |
| South Australia | 3% | 0.5% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 1% | 1.1% |
| Northern Territory | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Tasmania | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Total | 100% | 1.5% |
Source: ABS, 2001 Census.
4. Age and Sex
Of all Australian Muslims, 148 442 (53%) were male and 133 132 (47%) were female (compared with 49% male and 51% female for the Australian population as a whole). Compared with non-Muslim Australians, Australian Muslims have a higher proportion of young people and proportionately fewer people between the working ages of 25-64 or aged 65 and over.
| Age 0-4 | 5-14 | 15-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Muslims | 10.6% | 20.2% | 18.7% | 18.2% | 15.3% | 9.5% | 4.8% | 2.8% |
| Non-Muslim Australians | 6.6% | 14.2% | 13.7% | 14.5% | 15.3% | 13.7% | 9.4% | 12.6% |
Source: ABS, 2001 Census, Unpublished data.
Developed by the Race Discrimination Unit, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, March 2003.
ABS data used with permission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
