Random Mode Keyboard shortcut: Command/Ctrl + Shift + R
thumbnail

Australian Immigration by Country

Try to name the top countries of birth for immigrants living in Australia.
As of 2020. Source.
Quiz by peskychocolatedevil
Rate:
Last updated: March 14, 2022
You have not attempted this quiz yet.
First submittedNovember 20, 2014
Times taken53,086
Average score75.0%
Rating4.51
4:00
Enter answer here:
0
 / 20 guessed
The quiz is paused. You have remaining.
Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
The average score is
Your high score is
Your fastest time is
Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
# Immigrants
Country
1,173,520
United Kingdom
758,470
China
721,050
India
564,840
New Zealand
310,050
Philippines
270,340
Vietnam
200,240
South Africa
177,840
Italy
177,460
Malaysia
146,950
Sri Lanka
# Immigrants
Country
131,830
Nepal
111,530
South Korea
111,030
Germany
110,160
United States
103,710
Greece
99,680
Iraq
97,220
Pakistan
96,460
Lebanon
92,400
Indonesia
87,690
Ireland
+11
Level 84
Oct 14, 2015
Wow wasn't expecting Croatia.
+21
Level 66
May 17, 2016
There are a lot of Croatians in Sydney and Melbourne. In 2006 when we played Croatia in the World Cup Finals, there were 6 players of Croatian descent in the Australian squad, and 3 guys who were born and raised in Australia in the Croatian squad. The first wave of Croatian migrants came after World War 2, along with large numbers of migrants from Italy and Greece. They were considered 'non-white', and it took a hard sell from the Labour government of the day to convince white anglo-saxon Australians to let them into the country.
+4
Level 86
Jan 31, 2019
I only knew Croatia because I've listened to too many true crime podcasts about Ivan Milat. I'm sure that he's not who the Croatian-Australian community wants to be known for, but he's certainly memorable.
+16
Level 77
Dec 29, 2016
Way too many New Zealanders living over in the 'West Island'. About time some of them came back to NZ I think.
+73
Level 76
Jan 2, 2017
Which, if they did, would lower the average IQ of both countries.
+2
Level 84
Jan 3, 2017
Zing!
+4
Level 73
Jan 26, 2017
Savage xD
+2
Level 51
Nov 17, 2017
You're right there, the average Australian wouldn't get that at all. (Yes, I am Australian) Nice one!
+3
Level 53
Apr 12, 2022
As an australian, this took me way too long to figure out...

So basically it took me about as long as you'd expect.

+48
Level 67
Jan 26, 2017
Thought there might be some Austrians, who got lost.
+3
Level 68
Jan 27, 2017
LOL
+2
Level 77
Jan 26, 2017
I'm surprised by the amount of dutch. I'm first gen Aussie but half dutch and I only know of my own family and a scattering of others. My other half is Russian and they are everywhere in Sydney yet they don't make the list. Very surprised. Was it something to do with statistics from the USSR not working for this quiz? Or refugees? My mum was a Russian refugee but born in Germany so that would confuse things.
+6
Level 82
Jan 26, 2017
The first Europeans in Australia were Dutch, in 1606.
+41
Level 82
Jan 26, 2017
I doubt they are still alive though.
+1
Level 55
Jan 27, 2017
^ You're probably right.
+2
Level 82
Jan 28, 2017
Probably not. But I was just saying they were there first. Also, once an ethnic community is established somewhere it will usually continue to attract more immigrants of the same ethnicity into perpetuity. One Dutchman settles in Sydney in 1700... his wife and two brothers come over in 1720... his two brothers go home to get married and bring back their wives in 1730... their wives each sponsor parents, cousins, nieces and nephews to come over... friends of said nephews stay in correspondence with those who moved and decide to join later, bringing members of their family with them, and so on and so on until there is a mix of people who were born there and new arrivals, as well.
+7
Level 50
Aug 10, 2018
I thought the Dutch left Australia, after having settled there briefly. After that it wasn't inhabited by Europeans until the English arrived.
+3
Level 82
Jun 20, 2019
After reading up on it some, apparently in spite of being called New Holland for a couple hundred years the Dutch never made an attempt to colonize Australia, deeming it an unsuitable place to live. When the English first established a permanent presence there it was in New South Wales, while the rest of the island was still called New Holland. Dutch immigration got a big boost during WW2 when people came over from the Dutch East Indies (part of Indonesia).
+3
Level 78
May 1, 2021
They weren't wrong. Basically everything on that hot, dry continent will kill you if given the chance. The Dutch are also used to a constant threat of flooding due to being at or below sea-level; they didn't know what to do with a land that didn't have that issue.
+1
Level 69
Oct 19, 2021
Maybe because they were looking at the west coast? I really don't like that generalisation of Australia
+5
Level 79
Mar 14, 2022
"Basically everything on that hot, dry continent will kill you if given the chance". When was the last time you heard of a koala or a wombat having killed anyone?
+3
Level 78
Apr 12, 2022
@blizzrd33 haven't you heard of drop bears?
+1
Level 79
Apr 12, 2022
Yes, although not too concerned because I'm not a tourist.
+3
Level 56
Dec 2, 2021
I'm an Australian and I haven't met anyone with Russian ancestry but I have met plenty of people with Dutch ancestry. Maybe it just depends on where you live. I live in a small town in Queensland but most Australian Russians seem to live in the cities especially Sydney and Melbourne so if you live around there you might've met more since there is a larger concentration of them.
+3
Level 33
Jan 26, 2017
I am pretty sure Bangladesh and Nepal should be here.
+1
Level 40
Jan 26, 2017
Bangladesh was one of the first ones I tried. I was SURE it would be there. Weird.
+2
Level 71
May 1, 2021
Extremely close actually, with 77,000 people. And considering how fast Bangladeshi communities are growing in other English-speaking countries (like the US and Canada), I wouldn't be surprised if they make the list soon.
+1
Level 61
May 9, 2021
nepalese is literally taught at my local public school, so I'm surprised as well
+1
Level 50
Aug 13, 2022
Nepal is here now, but not Bangladesh…
+5
Level 47
Jan 26, 2017
What I don't understand is I made this quiz 2 years ago using more recent data from the actual 2011 census (as opposed to the 2010 estimates this quiz uses) and the quizmaster decides to feature this one instead. Just...Sigh.
+1
Level 84
Mar 14, 2022
If you look at the quiz details, this quiz appears to have first been submitted in 2014.
+1
Level 41
Jan 26, 2017
Likewise with the Dutch! Would say that I know/have encountered people from all of these different places before in Aus, but would never have picked the Netherlands. Wonder where they're all hiding!
+1
Level 82
Jan 26, 2017
I guessed them early on because I was aware of the early history of Australia which included Dutch exploration. But I don't know if that actually has anything to do with why there are many Dutch there now. Only ones I missed were Ireland and Lebanon.
+4
Level 70
Jan 27, 2017
My guess would be that this is the result of a Dutch emigration wave after WW2. Lots of Dutch went to New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the US.
+2
Level 67
Jan 26, 2017
18/20, but being an Aussie helps. How the hell did I miss Lebanon?!
+1
Level 68
Jan 27, 2017
My first guess!
+1
Level 58
Jan 26, 2017
Ireland came out of nowhere
+1
Level 84
Mar 14, 2022
The Irish love the sun. :-)
+1
Level 41
Jan 26, 2017
AHHHHHHHH! Forgot the UK!
+1
Level 35
Feb 18, 2018
As a massive rugby league fan I am ashamed that I forgot Lebanon seen as most of the Lebanese national team are made up of Australians of Lebanese descent...
+4
Level 82
Apr 16, 2018
Fiji has gotta have the largest number relative to its population. It’s roughly the equivalent to there being 100 million Chinese here.
+2
Level 50
Jun 8, 2019
how did i forget south africa? My dads from there and im from melbourne
+1
Level 49
Sep 23, 2020
19/20, only missed Sri Lanka
+1
Level 79
Mar 30, 2021
Lebanon with 5 seconds to spare!
+6
Level 82
Mar 30, 2021
I'm guessing those that missed Lebanon (two thirds) are not Australian. It's hard to miss the presence of the Lebanese immigrant community in Australia - particularly in Sydney, but in other major cities too.
+1
Level 76
Mar 31, 2021
I guessed their neighbor and then just forgot about the whole region. Oh well..
+2
Level 59
May 1, 2021
I was typing in Sri Lanka when my time ran out! Surprised so many missed Lebanon.
+7
Level 78
May 1, 2021
In Germany we have this stereotype. Every girl who finishes high school is called Lisa and goes to Australia for a few months to "find herself" (or at least some buddies to get drunk with) and "gain life experience" (for her resume). Then when Lisa comes back it's so hard for her to switch back to German and her speech is riddled with English expressions. Looks like many of them stay in Australia.
+4
Level 72
Mar 27, 2022
And they marry Bruce.
+1
Level 30
May 1, 2021
No Iraq?
+1
Level 52
May 1, 2021
About 100,000 by ancestry in the 2019 census, so presumably fewer than that actually born there.
+1
Level 84
Mar 14, 2022
On the list now!
+3
Level 45
May 2, 2021
No Serbia? There's more then 100k Serbs living in Australia.
+1
Level 41
Sep 23, 2021
According to these figures, China should be second on the list....
+1
Level 28
Dec 27, 2021
would've never guessed greece
+1
Level 72
Mar 27, 2022
Really? Despite all those tennis players? :)
+2
Level 66
Apr 12, 2022
I have no Greek heritage, but when I was five I could swear in Greek. At least a third of the kids in my class spoke Greek at home.
+2
Level 39
Jan 15, 2022
there is about 200k polish people in australia tho (including me)
+3
Level 84
Mar 14, 2022
Are they immigrants though? The difference being "of Polish heritage" and "actually born in Poland then moved to Australia".
+2
Level 79
Mar 14, 2022
Exactly, this is the only reason Ireland is in 20th position. If total number of immigrants was the basis for the quiz, Ireland would probably be in the top 5.
+1
Level 67
Mar 14, 2022
You need to add Macau to the Chinese number too (758,470)
+1
Level 67
Mar 14, 2022
and if you add all these, the UK number becomes 1,173,520

Jersey

Guernsey

Isle of Man(e)

Gibraltar

Cayman Islands

Falkland Is

St Helena

Virgin Is, Brit

Pitcairn Is

Anguilla

+1
Level ∞
Mar 15, 2022
Updated, thanks.
+1
Level 73
Apr 12, 2022
Pitcairn Island, haha, there is about 50 people.
+1
Level 35
Apr 12, 2022
croatia?
+1
Level 79
Apr 12, 2022
Most current figure is 55,820 residents born in Croatia, currently #30. You could always read the source data if you could be bothered.
+2
Level 41
Apr 12, 2022
this is wrong. there is 150.000 turkish immigrant in australia. where is turkey?
+4
Level ∞
Apr 12, 2022
Turkey is mostly in Asia, but a small part extends into Europe.
+1
Level 79
Apr 12, 2022
Oh ah, nice zing!

There are less than 50,000 residents in Australia who were born in Turkey according to every census since at least 1996. You might be thinking about residents of Turkish descent (i.e. whose parents or grandparents were born in Turkey) but that's not the same thing.

+1
Level 68
Feb 19, 2023
Really didn't expect Lebanon. thought they'd primarily go to the US
+1
Level 42
May 27, 2023
Why, though? Australia (Sydney in particular) has some of the largest Lebanese populations outside Lebanon (plus 3 of my 4 neighbours are Lebanese, too).
+1
Level 75
May 10, 2023
Bruh how Lebanon, Nepal, and Sri Lanka?? Literally tried Lebanon as a joke but it actually is one of them
+1
Level 57
Jan 8, 2024
There's a huge Lebanese contingent in Sydney and Melbourne, while Nepal is the fastest growing minority in the country. There are many Sri Lankan people living in Australia's cities too.