The following statistical table is designed to provide a context for historical shipping movements between Australasia and the North East Pacific region from the mid 19th century up to World War II. Recent population figures are also provided for comparison. I hope to be able to add similar tables for shipping entries and clearances, exports and imports for more frequent dates in the period to 1920 but lack access to North American statistics at the state and provincial level.

 

Consent is granted for reproduction of the table by teaching institutions and museums for educational and display purposes with acknowledgement to R.J. Lowe, Wellington, N.Z. Please consult regarding any other use besides strictly personal use.

 

 

Population of Australasia and the North-East Pacific maritime region, 1850-2000

 

 

American states

1850

1880

1900

1920

1940

2000

Other

1851

1881

1901

1921

1941

2001

 

(000)

(000)

(000)

(000)

(000)

(000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alaska

-

33

64

55

73

627

British Columbia

55

49

179

525

818

3,908

Washington

1

75

518

1,357

1,736

5,894

Oregon

12

175

414

783

1,090

3,421

California

93

865

1,485

3,427

6,907

33,872

Hawaii

84

58

154

256

423

1,212

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N.E. Pacific region

245

1,255

2,813

6,402

11,049

48,933

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queensland

9

214

498

756

 

3,655

New South Wales

179

750

1,355

2,100

 

6,372

Victoria

77

862

1,201

1,531

 

4,645

Tasmania

70

116

172

214

 

457

South Australia

64

277

358

495

 

1,467

Western Australia

5

30

184

333

 

1,851

Northern Territory

-

3

5

4

 

211

Australian Capital Territory

-

-

-

3

 

312

subtotal Australia

403

2,250

3,774

5,436

7,078

18,972

New Zealand

97

534

816

1,272

1,641

3,821

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australasia

500

2,784

4,590

6,707

8,718

22,793

 

 

Notes:

 

1941 Australia and New Zealand figures are official estimates for 1940 as there were no close censuses.

Alaska was part of the Russian Empire in 1850. The 1940 Alaska figure is for 1939.

The 1880 Hawaiian figure is for 1878.

Aborigines included in Australian figures only in 2001.

Before 1881 Northern Territory included in South Australia figures.

Before 1921 Australian Capital Territory included in New South Wales figures.

New Zealand figures include Māori in all years. 1851 Māori population taken as 70,000 interpolated from Pool's estimates.

The 1861 New Zealand figure is for 1858.

 

 

Sources:

 

USA to 1940 from Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970, Bicentennial Edition, Part 1, Bureau of the Census, 1975

Hawaii pre 1900 from http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/db02/01/010102.pdf

US states 2000 from http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts.html

British Columbia to 1941 from Historical Statistics of Canada, M.C. Urquhart and K.A.H Buckley, Cambridge University Press and Macmillan Company of Canada, 1965, p. 14.

British Columbia 2001 from http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/cen01/c2001bc.htm

 

 

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