African Australian

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African Australian
Total population
248,605 (by country of birth, 2006) ^[1]
Regions with significant populations
All capital cities predominately Melbourne, Sydney and Perth
Languages
English, Afrikaans, Arabic, Dinka, Swahili
Religions
Predominantly Christianity, Islam
Related ethnic groups
White South African, African American, Black British, Black Canadian, African Caribbean, African European.

Immigration from Africa to Australia is only a recent phenomenon, with Europe and Asia traditionally being the largest sources of migration to Australia. In 2005-06 permanent settler arrivals to Australia included 4,000 South Africans and 3,800 Sudanese, constituting the sixth and seventh largest sources of migrants respectively^[2].

There is no clear definition of what constitutes being an "African Australian" (or "Afro-Australian"). The Australian Bureau of Statistics records people according to their birthplace and their self-described ancestry, although aggregated data for Africa is split between "Sub-Saharan" and "North Africa and the Middle East"^[3]

Historical archives suggest that convicts transported to Australia included Afro-Caribbeans^[4]. However immigration from Africa to Australia remained limited until the 1990s.

Most Africans in Australia come from South Africa and are largely of Afrikaner and British descent. Other South Africans emigrate courtesy of skilled migration programs. Opportunities in Australia, as well as push factors such as rising crime, unemployment and complications arising from the Black Economic Empowerment policies in their home country, have prompted many South Africans to migrate. Earlier Australia had taken in Zimbabwe migrants who left under following the end of white minority rule^[5]

Recent conflicts in various parts of Africa, particularly around the Horn of Africa, have prompted people to migrate through humanitarian programs.

Australia also has taken in refugees who left due to conflicts that emerged in the 1990s, such as in Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Congo and Rwanda.

[edit] Demographics

At the 2006 Census 248,605 residents declared that they were born in Africa^[6]

**Major countries of birth of African Australians (2006 Census)**
Country	Population	Main city
South Africa	104,128	Sydney (27.3%)
Egypt	33,497	Sydney (48.5%)
Zimbabwe	20,157	Perth (24.7%)
Sudan	19,049	Melbourne (31.0%)
Mauritius	18,175	Melbourne (48.6%)
Kenya	9,940	Perth (26.9%)
Ethiopia	5,633	Melbourne (53.9%)
Somalia	4,316	Melbourne (60.1%)
Zambia	4,082	Perth (30.7%)
Ghana	2,771	Sydney (51.0%)

While most Africans reside in the largest cities, there are pockets of refugee Africans who have been resettled in country areas, such as Shepparton andTamworth. In Sydney South Africans have taken to living in Bondi and St Ives^{[citation needed]}.