The line graph illustrates the proportion of Australian residents who were born overseas, broken down into three regions – the United Kingdom, Asia, and other countries – over a 35-year period from 1976 to 2011.
Overall, while the total percentage of foreign-born Australians experienced some fluctuations, it showed an upward trend by the end of the period. The proportion of migrants from the U.K. consistently declined, whereas Asia and other regions rose considerably, with Asia surpassing the U.K. in later years.
In 1976, around 14% of Australians were born in the U.K., compared to 11% from other countries and only 3% from Asia. Both the U.K. and “other” regions declined by 1986, falling to approximately 10% and 8% respectively. The U.K. figure continued its steady downward trajectory, reaching just 5% in 2011. By contrast, the proportion from other countries rebounded slightly after 1986, ending at 13%.
Asia, however, followed the opposite trend, rising sharply and overtaking the U.K. after 1991. By 2011, 15% of Australians had Asian origins, making it the largest single contributor among the three regions. Looking at the total, the overall share of foreign-born Australians dipped to 28% in 1986, remained stable for several years, and then grew steadily to peak at about 32% in 2011.