Tasmania's population is predominantly descended from the people
of the British Isles. This is rather natural, since it was the
British who colonised the island in the early 1800's. In the
2001 census, 97.6% of the population claimed their ancestry as
either Australian, English, or Irish. Tasmania is not as
ethnically diverse as the big cities of Australia (Sydney and
Melbourne), but has sizeable ethnic communities. Of non-native
Tasmanians, 47% were born in the UK. The next-most likely
countries of origin are New Zealand, the Netherlands, Germany,
and Italy. These countries plus native Australians account for
nearly 97% of the population. [Back to People of Tasmania
questions] Last reviewed 2006-08-06 12:44:23