SOCIOLOGY

Investigative Report on

Changes in Australian Society: Population Aspect

Abstract

The Australian population has gone through many changes for many decades. Australia's population has quadrupled since 1914, all because of immigration. The current policy, unlike the White Australia policy in 1973, focuses on greater harmony between cultures and races. This report discusses different aspect of change in population of Australia. It finds out that this country suffers from an aging population, with a huge amount of retirees and also many Australians living abroad. It is recommended that due to multicultural population, the country should take initiative to increase harmony among them and also use the aging population in beneficial manners by incorporating them into constructive activities.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

1.1 Issue1

1.2 Aim1

2.0 Back ground Information1

3.0 Discussion1

3.1 Australia's population: immigrants and indigenous groups2

3.2 Ageing population2

3.3 Multiculturalism3

3.4 Sea Change4

4.0 Conclusion4

5.0 Recommendations4

References6

Changes in Australian Society: Population Aspect

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Issue

This report discusses the change in Australian society regarding its population.

1.2 Aim

The aim of this report is to unfold the transformation of Australian society with the course of the time.

2.0 Back ground Information

Change in population is about the alterations in the characteristics of human beings of a society. The population of Australia has been increased by 5 times since the start of twentieth century and it reached to 19.16 million from 3.77 million in the year 2000. The maximum growth in population took place subsequent to World War II and the lowest growth was observed in 1930s. These people who migrated to Australia brought with them skills, education personal cultural values and their personal commitment to families. They played a great part in making what Australia is today and transforming it to the modern one (The Australian collaboration, 2012, pp. 1-4).

3.0 Discussion

Other than little changes in the population growth such as immigration and the ratio of births to deaths, the other two most important trends in Australian population related to the demographic and immigration are its rapid aging and second is that it is becoming extremely multicultural.

3.1 Australia's population: immigrants and indigenous groups

With a population density of 2.4 people per square kilometre Australia is very sparsely populated. About 90% of the 20.5 million population lives in cities - particularly focused on the south-eastern coast, on the island of Tasmania and in the greater Perth. Inland, however, it is virtually deserted. The population of Australia is made at the present time from people of European (92%), Asian (7%) and indigenous (2.1%) Breeding together:

85% are of British or Irish descent

15% are Western or Eastern European descent

1.3 million Australians are of German descent

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders belong to the indigenous population, they represent only a small portion of the total Australian population represents prior to European settlement. A large proportion of Australia's population belongs to the Christian denomination. 26.6% are Roman Catholic, and 20.7% to the Anglican Church. About 20% go to another Christian religion. To Buddhism or Islam profess each 2.0% of the population. 15.3% of Australians have no religious affiliation, ...