High Alert

Australia’s Indigenous population estimated at 2.2m before ‘demographic catastrophe’ of colonisation

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: The Guardian
Australia’s Indigenous population estimated at 2.2m before ‘demographic catastrophe’ of colonisationWorldPing
Image via The Guardian.

What happened

Study finds earlier numbers were underestimated, suggesting impact of diseases and massacres were much greater than previously thought Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pe…

Key facts

  • Reported by The Guardian and published Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:00:31 UTC.

Why it matters

International stories like this one shape diplomacy, travel, energy supply and security decisions well beyond the country involved, which is why WorldPing tracks every update on it in one place.

What to watch next

  • Official statements or denials from the governments named
  • Whether other major newsrooms confirm the same details
  • Any follow-up decision, vote or deadline tied to the event

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. Video shows Indian-origin woman, friend 'laughing' moment before NYC train hit them

  2. Indigenous leader Raoni receives palliative care in Brazil after cancer diagnosis

  3. Australia’s Indigenous population estimated at 2.2m before ‘demographic catastrophe’ of colonisation

Sources

The original report was published by The Guardian. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at The Guardian

Related WorldPing coverage