Parramatta. Indian nationals on the increase

The increasing number of Indian restaurants, retail outlets and training establishments in the Parramatta area is indicative of the significant boost in the number of Indian nationals living in the city. In the 2001 census, 3346 Indians resided in Parramatta. By the 2006 census, the number had increased to 7088, a dramatic increase of 111.8 per cent. Approximately 58.7 per cent live in the area focussing on the CBD (1457), Harris Park (1173), Westmead (1107) and the suburb of Parramatta, excluding the CBD, (1030). In the Parramatta local government area, Chinese nationals topped the list of people from non-English speaking backgrounds (nEsb) followed by Indian nationals. Harris Park had the highest percentage (62.2 per cent) of people from nEsb. The total number of people in the city from nEsb in 2001 was 44,064. In 2006, this figure increased by 18.5 per cent to 52,206, representing 34.9 per cent of the city’s population of 149,534, according to Parramatta City Council’s Community Profile.