From 2025, one clue stands out fast. Indigenous communities span from remote Arctic coasts to major cities, and the totals vary sharply by place, from 3.2% of Australia’s population to 17.1% in Aotearoa New Zealand, while youth make up a far larger share in some countries than in others. The dataset behind these figures ties population, age, education, health, land, and work together, revealing where gaps widen and where progress actually shows up.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population reached 812,728 people, comprising 3.2% of the total Australian population and showing a 23% increase from 2016.
- As of the 2021 Census, Indigenous peoples in Canada numbered 1,807,250, or 5.0% of the total population, with First Nations at 1,048,405 (58%), Métis at 624,220 (34.5%), and Inuit at 70,545 (3.9%).
- The United States Native American and Alaska Native alone or in combination population was 9.7 million in 2020, representing 2.9% of the US population, up from 5.2 million in 2010.
- Australia's Indigenous unemployment rate is 13.8% (2023), more than double the 4.2% non-Indigenous rate.
- Canada's Indigenous employment rate is 60.4% for core working age (25-64, 2023), vs 76.5% non-Indigenous.
- US Native American unemployment is 8.3% (2023), vs 3.7% national.
- In Australia, only 40% of Indigenous adults completed Year 12 (2021), compared to 64% non-Indigenous.
- Canada's Indigenous high school completion rate is 64% for First Nations (25-34 years, 2021), vs 93% non-Indigenous.
- US Native American postsecondary enrollment is 24% (2021), but completion rate 14% for bachelor's.
- In Canada, Indigenous life expectancy at birth is 73.5 years for males and 78.1 for females (2019-2021), 5-6 years lower than non-Indigenous.
- Australia's Indigenous life expectancy is 71.9 years for males and 75.6 for females (2015-2017), 8.3 years below non-Indigenous.
- US Native Americans have a life expectancy of 71.8 years (2021), compared to 76.4 national average.
- In Australia, Indigenous land covers 53% of continent (404 million hectares, 2023).
- Canada's Indigenous reserves total 640,000 km² (6.3% of land, 2023).
- US tribal lands encompass 56 million acres (2.3% of US, 2023).
Across regions, Indigenous populations are growing and younger, but inequities in health, jobs, and education persist.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics28 stats
01
In 2021, Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population reached 812,728 people, comprising 3.2% of the total Australian population and showing a 23% increase from 2016.
02
As of the 2021 Census, Indigenous peoples in Canada numbered 1,807,250, or 5.0% of the total population, with First Nations at 1,048,405 (58%), Métis at 624,220 (34.5%), and Inuit at 70,545 (3.9%).
03
The United States Native American and Alaska Native alone or in combination population was 9.7 million in 2020, representing 2.9% of the US population, up from 5.2 million in 2010.
04
New Zealand's Māori population was 904,100 in 2023, making up 17.1% of the total population, with a median age of 29.8 years compared to 38.5 for non-Māori.
05
In Brazil, Indigenous peoples numbered approximately 1.7 million in 2022, with 897,000 living in Indigenous territories across 13.8% of the national territory.
06
Greenland's Inuit population constitutes 88% of the total 56,000 residents as of 2023, with most living in small coastal settlements.
07
In Mexico, Indigenous peoples represent 21.5% of the population (25.4 million in 2020), speaking 68 Indigenous languages.
08
In Colombia, Indigenous peoples number 2.2 million (4.4% of population in 2022), across 115 peoples in 702 territories.
09
Peru's Indigenous population is 26% (about 8.6 million in 2023), with 55 peoples, 47 languages, concentrated in Amazon (72%) and Andes (26%).
10
In the US, 78% of Native Americans live outside reservations (2020 Census), with urban populations concentrated in states like California (757,628).
11
Canada's Indigenous population growth rate was 9.4% from 2016-2021, twice the non-Indigenous rate of 4.9%.
12
Australia's Indigenous population median age is 24.0 years (2021), compared to 38.0 for non-Indigenous.
13
New Zealand Māori fertility rate is 2.2 births per woman (2023), higher than non-Māori 1.6.
14
Brazil's Indigenous population density averages 1.3 people/km² in territories, but urban Indigenous grew 70% from 2010-2022.
15
Mexico's Indigenous population has 7.4 million monolingual speakers of Indigenous languages (29% of Indigenous total).
16
Bolivia's Indigenous urban population rose to 47% by 2022 from 32% in 2001.
17
Colombia's Indigenous women represent 51.3% of Indigenous population (2022).
18
Peru's Amazon Indigenous population is 1.8 million (2023), 72% of national Indigenous.
19
US Native American youth (under 18) are 32% of the total Native population (2020).
20
Canada's First Nations on-reserve population is 44% of First Nations total (2021).
21
Australia's remote Indigenous population is 17% (143,000 in 2021).
22
New Zealand Māori in Auckland number 227,000 (25% of Māori population, 2023).
23
Brazil's Yanomami territory has 27,000 Indigenous (2022), largest single group.
24
Greenland Inuit median age is 34 years (2023), younger than Danish average.
25
Mexico's Maya Indigenous are 1.5 million (2020), largest group.
26
Bolivia's Aymara population is 2.2 million (18% of total pop, 2022).
27
Colombia's Wayuu are 450,000 (20% of Indigenous, 2022).
28
Peru's Quechua speakers are 4.4 million (2023).
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
The numbers whisper a story of enduring vibrancy and change, revealing populations that are not only recovering but also shifting into new landscapes, all while fighting to hold the cultural core that these very statistics can never fully capture.
02 · Category
Economic30 stats
01
Australia's Indigenous unemployment rate is 13.8% (2023), more than double the 4.2% non-Indigenous rate.
02
Canada's Indigenous employment rate is 60.4% for core working age (25-64, 2023), vs 76.5% non-Indigenous.
03
US Native American unemployment is 8.3% (2023), vs 3.7% national.
04
New Zealand Māori unemployment is 7.9% (Q1 2024), vs 4.0% overall.
05
Brazil's Indigenous labor force participation is 52% (2019), with 40% in agriculture.
06
Greenland Inuit median income is 250,000 DKK annually (2022), 20% below Danish Greenlanders.
07
Mexico Indigenous poverty rate is 74.3% (2022), vs 36.3% national.
08
Bolivia's Indigenous household income average is 1,200 BOB/month (2021), half national.
09
Colombia Indigenous extreme poverty rate is 42% (2022), vs 12.2% national.
10
Peru's Indigenous monetary poverty is 42.1% (2022), vs 27.5% national.
11
US Native American median household income is $53,200(2022), 70% of $75,149 national.
12
Canada First Nations median income on-reserve is $35,000(2020), vs $50,000 off-reserve.
13
Australia's Indigenous weekly personal income median is $500(2021), vs $805 non-Indigenous.
14
New Zealand Māori median hourly wage is $28.50(2023), vs $32 overall.
15
Brazil Indigenous informal employment is 65% (2019).
16
Greenland fishery employment is 25% of Inuit workforce (2022).
17
Mexico Indigenous remittances received average $2,500/year (2022).
18
Bolivia Aymara entrepreneurship rate is 22% (2021).
19
Colombia Indigenous microenterprise ownership is 35% of households (2022).
20
Peru Indigenous artisan economy contributes 5% to regional GDP in Andes (2022).
21
US tribal gaming revenue is $39 billion annually (2023), employing 700,000.
22
Canada Indigenous business ownership grew 45% to 53,000 (2023).
23
Australia Indigenous business count is 15,000 (2023), generating $5 billion.
24
New Zealand Māori asset base is $70 billion (2023).
25
Brazil Indigenous ecotourism generates R$1.2 billion/year (2022).
26
Greenland tourism employs 10% of Inuit (pre-COVID 2019).
27
Mexico Indigenous cooperatives number 2,500, with 500,000 members (2022).
28
Bolivia Indigenous mining cooperatives produce 20% of national silver (2021).
29
Colombia Indigenous coffee production is 15% of national total (2022).
30
Peru Indigenous fisheries contribute 12% to national fish exports (2022).
Interpretation
Economic Interpretation
While the data paints a harsh, universal picture of systemic economic disparity, it also reveals a powerful undercurrent of resilience and self-determination that is actively building wealth and sovereignty from the ground up.
03 · Category
Education30 stats
01
In Australia, only 40% of Indigenous adults completed Year 12 (2021), compared to 64% non-Indigenous.
02
Canada's Indigenous high school completion rate is 64% for First Nations (25-34 years, 2021), vs 93% non-Indigenous.
03
US Native American postsecondary enrollment is 24% (2021), but completion rate 14% for bachelor's.
04
New Zealand Māori Year 13 attainment is 52% (2022), vs 68% non-Māori.
05
Brazil's Indigenous literacy rate is 75% for ages 15+ (2019), vs 93% national.
06
Greenland Inuit upper secondary completion is 45% (2022), low due to language barriers.
07
Mexico's Indigenous youth (15-24) illiteracy is 22% (2020), vs 4% non-Indigenous.
08
Bolivia Indigenous primary school completion is 85% (2021), but secondary 35%.
09
Colombia's Indigenous average schooling years is 5.3 (2022), vs 10.3 national.
10
Peru's Indigenous rural primary net enrollment is 92% (2022), but secondary 65%.
11
US Native American dropout rate from high school is 9.3% (2020).
12
Canada Inuit postsecondary attainment is 14% (2021), lowest among Indigenous groups.
13
Australia's Indigenous early childhood education attendance is 82% (2023).
14
New Zealand Māori tertiary qualification rate is 24% (2023).
15
Brazil Indigenous university enrollment is 1.2% of total Indigenous youth (2022).
16
Greenland student-teacher ratio in primary is 10:1 (2022).
17
Mexico Indigenous bilingual education coverage is 25% (2020).
18
Bolivia Quechua speakers' secondary completion is 28% (2021).
19
Colombia Indigenous universities number 12, serving 5,000 students (2022).
20
Peru Indigenous teachers represent 12% of total (2022).
21
US tribal colleges enroll 15,000 students annually (2023).
22
Canada's Indigenous-controlled schools number 400 (2023).
23
Australia Indigenous vocational training completion is 72% (2022).
24
New Zealand kura kaupapa Māori schools have 6,000 students (2023).
25
Brazil Indigenous school attendance 6-14 years is 94% (2019).
26
Greenland illiteracy rate among adults is 10% (2022).
27
Mexico Indigenous higher education enrollment is 8% (2020).
28
Bolivia Indigenous girls' secondary enrollment gap is 15% vs boys (2021).
29
Colombia Indigenous dropout rate primary-secondary transition is 30% (2022).
30
Peru rural Indigenous girls' tertiary enrollment is 18% (2022).
Interpretation
Education Interpretation
From the classrooms of Australia to the Arctic schools of Greenland, these statistics form a sobering global chorus revealing how persistent educational inequity remains the colonial curriculum's most enduring, and infuriating, final exam.
More related reading
04 · Category
Health30 stats
01
In Canada, Indigenous life expectancy at birth is 73.5 years for males and 78.1 for females (2019-2021), 5-6 years lower than non-Indigenous.
02
Australia's Indigenous life expectancy is 71.9 years for males and 75.6 for females (2015-2017), 8.3 years below non-Indigenous.
03
US Native Americans have a life expectancy of 71.8 years (2021), compared to 76.4 national average.
04
New Zealand Māori life expectancy is 73.4 years for males and 77.1 for females (2017-2019), 7 years less than non-Māori.
05
Brazil's Indigenous infant mortality rate is 18.9 per 1,000 live births (2019), double the national 12.4.
06
In Greenland, suicide rates among Inuit youth (15-24) are 81 per 100,000 (2019), world's highest.
07
Mexico's Indigenous maternal mortality ratio is 60.8 per 100,000 (2020), vs 27.5 national.
08
Bolivia Indigenous diabetes prevalence is 12.5% (2021), higher than 9.2% national.
09
Colombia's Indigenous under-5 mortality is 25 per 1,000 (2020), vs 13 national.
10
Peru Amazon Indigenous TB incidence is 150 per 100,000 (2022), triple national rate.
11
US Native American diabetes rate is 13.0% (2018), vs 9.2% non-Hispanic white.
12
Canada First Nations suicide rate is 44 per 100,000 (2019), 3x non-Indigenous.
13
Australia Indigenous youth suicide rate (10-24) is 39 per 100,000 (2021), 5x non-Indigenous.
14
New Zealand Māori obesity rate is 43% (2020-21), vs 29% non-Māori.
15
Brazil Indigenous COVID-19 mortality rate was 1,200 per 100,000 (2022), higher than national 900.
16
Greenland alcohol-related deaths among Inuit are 25% of total mortality (2020).
17
Mexico Indigenous hypertension prevalence is 28% (2020), vs 22% non-Indigenous.
18
Bolivia rural Indigenous stunting rate in children under 5 is 32% (2021).
19
Colombia Indigenous malnutrition rate is 15% in children (2022).
20
Peru Indigenous anemia in children 6-35 months is 43% (2022).
21
In Australia, Indigenous adults with high blood pressure is 34% (2018-19), vs 22% non-Indigenous.
22
Canada's Indigenous cancer incidence rate is 20% higher than non-Indigenous (2021).
23
US Native American heart disease death rate is 180 per 100,000 (2021), 20% above average.
24
New Zealand Māori smoking rate is 20.9% (2021), vs 6.8% Pacific.
25
Brazil Indigenous child vaccination coverage is 72% for DTP3 (2022), below 85% national.
26
Greenland HIV prevalence among Inuit is 0.3% (2023).
27
Mexico Indigenous access to health services is 68% (2020), vs 85% national.
28
Bolivia Indigenous chronic kidney disease rate is 8% (2021).
29
Colombia Indigenous mental health service access is 25% (2022).
30
Peru Indigenous COVID vaccination rate lagged at 65% fully dosed by mid-2022.
Interpretation
Health Interpretation
From Canada to Australia and across the Americas, the persistent, jarring deficit in Indigenous health outcomes paints a grim and unified portrait of the enduring cost of colonial disruption and systemic neglect.
05 · Category
Land Rights30 stats
01
In Australia, Indigenous land covers 53% of continent (404 million hectares, 2023).
02
Canada's Indigenous reserves total 640,000 km² (6.3% of land, 2023).
03
US tribal lands encompass 56 million acres (2.3% of US, 2023).
04
New Zealand Māori land is 6 million hectares (16% of NZ, 2023).
05
Brazil's Indigenous territories cover 13.2% of country (118 million ha, 2023).
06
Greenland Inuit communal lands are entire island under self-rule (2.16 million km²).
07
Mexico recognizes 6,300 Indigenous territories covering 40 million ha (2023).
08
Bolivia's Indigenous territories are 22 million ha (20% of land, 2023).
09
Colombia has 702 Indigenous reservations (44 million ha, 38% of country, 2023).
10
Peru's Indigenous titled lands are 22 million ha (17%, 2023).
11
Australia native title determinations cover 35% of land mass (2023).
12
Canada treaty lands cover 4% additionally to reserves (2023).
13
US reservations hold 334 reservations for 574 tribes (2023).
14
New Zealand Treaty of Waitangi settlements returned 3 million ha since 1990.
15
Brazil 305 Indigenous lands demarcated, 246 ratified (2023).
16
Greenland Home Rule Act grants land rights over 80% subsistence areas.
17
Mexico agrarian communities for Indigenous: 3,300 ejidos (2023).
18
Bolivia TIOC (Tipnis) spans 1.2 million ha for 64 communities.
19
Colombia resguardos house 50% of Indigenous population (2023).
20
Peru 52 titled Indigenous communities in Loreto region alone (10,000 ha).
21
Australia's Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) total 85, covering 67 million ha (2023).
22
Canada modern treaties settle 600,000 km² (2023).
23
US Alaska Native corporations manage 44 million acres.
24
New Zealand Māori fisheries quota is 36% of total (2023).
25
Brazil Yanomami territory 9.6 million ha invaded by 20,000 miners (2023).
26
Greenland protected areas cover 40% of land for Inuit hunting rights.
27
Mexico 68 Indigenous sacred sites protected (2023).
28
Bolivia 21 TIOCs cover 20 million ha (2023).
29
Colombia Nasa territory 200,000 ha with 30,000 people.
30
Peru Awajún territory 1.1 million ha (2023).
Interpretation
Land Rights Interpretation
While these statistics vary widely in scale and significance, together they chart a global ledger showing that where Indigenous land rights are recognized, they remain both a foundational percentage of the map and a disproportionately vital fraction of the world's cultural and ecological integrity.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Indigenous Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/indigenous-statistics
MLA
Leah Kessler. "Indigenous Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/indigenous-statistics.
Chicago
Leah Kessler. 2026. "Indigenous Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/indigenous-statistics.
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