Study Estimates 93% Population Loss Among Indigenous Australians in First 73 Years of Colonization
A groundbreaking study published in Science Direct has challenged long-held assumptions about Australia's pre-colonial population and the devastating demographic consequences of European settlement. Researchers now estimate that around 2.22 million Indigenous Australians lived on the continent before colonization began—significantly higher than previous estimates that ranged from roughly 300,000 to one million people.
The study's most striking finding concerns the rapidity of population decline. Researchers estimate that approximately 93% of this population was lost within just 73 years following first contact with European settlers. This figure represents what the authors describe as a demographic catastrophe on a scale that fundamentally reshapes our understanding of Australian colonial history.
The researchers utilized a novel methodology combining archaeological data, paleoclimate records, and demographic modeling to arrive at their estimates. The study notes that the population loss was likely driven by a combination of factors including violence, forced displacement, and introduced diseases against which Indigenous populations had no immunity.
The findings highlight the magnitude of human cost associated with European colonization of Australia, providing what the researchers describe as a more complete picture of the demographic upheaval that occurred during this period.