Immigration to AustraliaIntroductionAustralia is often described as one of the 'classic immigration countries'. The concept of a “nation of immigrants” is central to Australian identity. Australia is a unique country, and it has a long history of population growth due to immigration. Australia is a young country and is not yet fully developed. It is commonly called “the land of opportunities”. This article will discuss the history of immigration, the history of immigration policy, the economic, social and cultural impacts, as well as the population impacts of immigration to Australia. History-Immigration in Australia The history of immigration in Australia began before 1770. The first human inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines. The word Aboriginal is derived from Latin and means “from the beginning”. This is not the name that the aborigines gave themselves; they prefer Koori, and the name Aboriginal was given to indigenous Australians by Europeans. How they arrived in Australia around 60,000 years ago remains a mystery, but they may have walked there and sailed from Asia. They are dark-skinned people belonging to the Australoid group. The Aborigines were nomadic hunter-gatherers. They wandered from place to place, collecting fruits, nuts and yams, which they ate. They were hunters who used spears and boomerangs to kill animals. “There were around 300,000 Aboriginal people in around 250 tribal groups before the first white settlers arrived in Australia.” (http://www.ozramp.net) Each group had its own territory, traditions, beliefs and language. Aborigines were the first Australians, the first human inhabitants of Australia. The first meeting with the settlers was called the "First... middle of paper...... The History of Immigration to Australia Website, http://www.ozramp.netFact sheet on the Australian Immigration - Key Immigration Facts Website: August 2001http://www.immi.govHow many Australians can our environment support? Website http://www.science.orgImmigration for the Education of Students Website: http://www.migrationint.comRuddock, Philip MP, 2001. “Current Migration Program to Raise Australian Living Standards”: Website .http://minister.immi.govC.Bean, 'Open or Closed Bounties: Immigration and Australia's Population in the 21stcentury, 20-21 May 1996. Assaf, Joseph, 'Australian Immigration', 1995. Department of Immigration and of Ethnic Affairs, 1996, fact sheet 33: Immigration -KeyStatistics Canberra, DIEA.Bureau of Immigration and Population Research, 1993, 'Asia Pacific Migration toAustralia' IBRP Bulletin No. 10, p.. 53.