Human cargo
From the 16th century a number of European countries shipped convicted criminals to places where labour was needed. Convicts helped to colonise and build strategic posts for the home nation’s economic benefit. Transportation relieved the home country of unwanted people and also acted as a deterrent to further crime.
France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Russia and Argentina all transported criminals to dedicated penal colonies. However the scale of British transportation to Australia was far greater than that of any other nation in terms of the numbers sent, the duration of the journey and the area settled.
Britain sent 166,000 convict men, women and children to Australia between 1788 and 1868. The 24,500-kilometre journey from the United Kingdom to Australia took -four to eight months. More than 960 ships conveyed convicts to Australia. Most landed their human cargo in Sydney or Hobart. A small percentage of convicts were shipped direct from Britain's other colonies such as India, Canada and Mauritius. As marked on this map, Britain also transported convicts to other places at other times.
France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Russia and Argentina all transported criminals to dedicated penal colonies. However the scale of British transportation to Australia was far greater than that of any other nation in terms of the numbers sent, the duration of the journey and the area settled.
Britain sent 166,000 convict men, women and children to Australia between 1788 and 1868. The 24,500-kilometre journey from the United Kingdom to Australia took -four to eight months. More than 960 ships conveyed convicts to Australia. Most landed their human cargo in Sydney or Hobart. A small percentage of convicts were shipped direct from Britain's other colonies such as India, Canada and Mauritius. As marked on this map, Britain also transported convicts to other places at other times.