The chart illustrates the distribution of migrants to Australia based on their original regions in two years: 1987 and 1997.
Overall, European migrants made up the largest proportion in both years. Notably, there was a significant increase in the number of migrants from Northeast Asia, while substantial decreases were observed in Europe and the rest of Asia.
In 1987, European migrants comprised the majority in Australia, accounting for approximately 33%. This was followed by migrants from the rest of Asia and Oceania, which constituted around 24% and 17%, respectively. Both the Middle East and Africa and Northeast Asia displayed a similar pattern, at exactly 15%. The smallest proportion came from Northeast South America, which accounted for a relatively low 6%.
By 1997, notable changes in the migration patterns had occurred. Although Europe remained the largest source of migrants, its share decreased to 27%. Additionally, the percentage of migrants from the rest of Asia fell to 13%, marking the most significant decline. In contrast, the number of migrants from Northeast Asia rose substantially to nearly 25%, making it the second-highest group. Finally, North and South America continued to contribute the smallest share, with only 5%.