Demographics of Sydney - wikipedia Demographics of Sydney Map of the median age of Sydney residents by Postal Area in the 2011 census Sydney is Australia 's most populous city, and is also the most populous city in Oceania. In the 2016 census, 5,005,400 persons declared themselves as residents of the Sydney Statistical Division -- about one - fifth ( 19.41 % ) of Australia 's total population, giving an urban population density of 2037 people per square kilometre. Sydney is the most densely populated city in Australia. It 's also the busiest city in Australia. The median age of Sydney residents was 35 years, and households comprised an average of 2.7 members. Contents 1 History 2 Density 3 Ethnic groups 4 Religion 5 See also 6 References History See also : History of Sydney Sydney population by year 1796 2,953 1911 629,503 1954 1,863,217 1961 2,183,231 1971 2,807,828 1981 3,204,696 1991 3,672,855 3,881,136 4,128,272 2006 4,281,988 2011 4,627,345 2016 5,005,400 European settlement in Sydney began in 1788, and in 1800 Sydney had around 3,000 non-indigenous inhabitants. It took time for the city 's population to grow -- in 1851 its population was only 39,000, compared with 77,000 in Melbourne. The subsequent gold rushes in Victoria caused the population of Melbourne to increase rapidly, while the lesser gold rushes in New South Wales had a less profound effect on the population of Sydney. Sydney overtook Melbourne as Australia 's most populous city in the early twentieth century, and reached the million inhabitants milestone around 1925. The opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge helped pave the way for further urban development north of Sydney Harbour. Post-war immigration and a baby boom helped the population reach two million by 1962. Sydney remained Australia 's most populous city throughout the 20th Century, and is projected to retain this position for much of the 21st Century. At the June 2016 Australian census, Sydney 's population reached 5 million people. Density Sydney is particularly noted for its low population density, due to its history. Surrounded by land that was considered unowned by the city 's founders, early Sydney enjoyed relatively low land values. Coupled with successive governments ' willingness to release new land on the city 's outskirts for further development, this history has given Sydney a low - density self - image. Ethnic groups Significant overseas born populations Country of Birth Population ( 2011 ) United Kingdom 155,065 China 146,853 India 86,767 New Zealand 77,297 Vietnam 69,405 Philippines 61,122 Lebanon 54,215 South Korea 39,694 Italy 39,155 Hong Kong 36,804 South Africa 31,681 Fiji 29,598 Iraq 28,594 Greece 28,192 Indonesia 24,707 The principal ancestries of Greater Sydney 's residents ( as surveyed in 2011 ) are : 19.2 % English 19.0 % Australian 7.2 % Chinese 6.4 % Irish 4.7 % Scottish Census respondents could nominate up to two ancestries they identified themselves as belonging to. The principal countries of birth of Greater Sydney 's residents ( as surveyed in 2011 ) are : Australia ( 57.5 % ) China ( excludes SARs and Taiwan ) ( 3.8 % ) England ( 3.3 % ) India ( 2.2 % ) New Zealand ( 2.0 % ) Vietnam ( 1.8 % ) Aborigines were about 1.1 % of all Sydney residents. Sydney has a disproportionately large concentration of many of Australia 's migrant communities. The Lebanese, Fijian, Korean and Nepalese communities have been called `` large population groups ''. Well over half of Australia 's 25,000 - strong Nepalese community, for example, is concentrated in Sydney. Seven out of every ten Lebanese migrants in Australia live in Sydney. The Ghanaian community has been noted as being disproportionately visible in Sydney, with the number of Ghanaian churches being unusually large considering the relatively small number of Ghanaians in Australia. Each dot indicates 100 persons born in Britain ( dark blue ), Greece ( light blue ), China ( red ), India ( brown ), Vietnam ( yellow ), Philippines ( pink ), Italy ( light green ) and Lebanon ( dark green ). Based on 2006 Census The most common languages spoken at home are English ( the sole language of 60.8 % of the population ), Arabic ( spoken by 4.4 % ), Cantonese ( 3.4 % ), Mandarin ( 2.6 % ), Greek ( 2.2 % ) and Vietnamese ( 2.0 % ). Most common ancestries of Sydney urban area ( 2006 ) Population % Australian 999,000 27.4 English 840,118 23 Chinese 287,952 7.9 Irish 277,545 7.6 Scottish 202,938 5.6 Italian 157,765 4.3 Lebanese 125,257 3.4 Greek 106,003 2.9 Indian 90,944 2.5 German 86,721 2.4 Total population 3,641,424 Some suburbs are associated with particular ethnic groups. The adjacent image shows concentrations of persons born in different regions of the world residing in particular parts of Sydney. Religion Monks crossing a street in The Rocks At the 2006 Census, the most common responses for religion were Catholic ( 29.2 % ), Anglican ( 16.5 % ), Eastern Orthodox ( 4.8 % ) and Islam ( 4.4 % ). 14.1 % declared no religious affiliation. 10.4 % left the question blank, 3.7 % were Buddhists, 1.7 % were Hindu, 0.9 % were Jewish. The 2011 Census most common responses were Catholic, ( 28.3 % ), Anglican ( 14.7 % ), Islam ( 5.3 % ) and Eastern Orthodox ( 4.6 % ). 17.5 % declared no religion. In 2016, the most common responses for religion in Greater Sydney were Catholic 25.1 %, No Religion, so described 24.6 %, Anglican 12.0 %, Not stated 8.8 % and Islam 5.3 %. See also Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographic maps of Sydney. Demographics of Australia Immigration to Australia References ^ Jump up to : `` Sydney population hits 5 million ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` 3218.0 -- Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2014 -- 15 : Media Release Sydney on target to Take Five ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` National Regional Profile : Sydney ( Statistical Division ) ''. ABS.gov.au. Retrieved 13 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2032.0 - Census of Population and Housing : Australia in Profile -- A Regional Analysis, 2001 '', Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2004 - 01 - 16 Jump up ^ `` 3105.0. 65.001 - Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2006 ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2011. Table 1. Population by sex, states and territories, 31 December 1788 onwards Jump up ^ `` Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2008 ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` 3222.0 -- Population Projections, Australia, 2006 to 2101 ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4 September 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2011. Jump up ^ Forster 1995. Jump up ^ 1217.0. 55.001 - Glossary of Statistical Geography Terminology, 2003, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2003 ^ Jump up to : `` Where do migrants live ? ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 27 June 2014. ^ Jump up to : http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/UCL101001?opendocument&navpos=220 Jump up ^ `` People in Australia who were born in Nepal ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Jump up ^ `` People in Greater Sydney who were born in Nepal ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Jump up ^ `` Patriotic to a fault ''. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ^ Jump up to : Australian Bureau of Statistics ( 25 October 2007 ). `` Sydney ( Urban Centre / Locality ) ''. 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 November 2011. Map Jump up ^ `` Cat. No. 2068.0 - 2006 Census Tables ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` 2016 Census QuickStats Greater Sydney ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Government. 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017., Sydney History Timeline Geography Climate Demographics Economy Transportation Culture Architecture Skyscrapers Tourism Education Sports Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Sydney&oldid=805756757 '' Categories : Sydney Demographics of Australia by city Demographics of New South Wales Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia Edit links This page was last edited on 17 October 2017, at 12 : 52. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the most populous ethnic group in sydney australia
Answer: United Kingdom