A snapshot of Indigenous Australians reveals a young population, with a high birthrate and low incomes.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics yearbook for 2004 has focussed on the Indigenous population.

The yearbook is a compilation of surveys released during the past 12 months.

It shows 39 per cent of Indigenous people are under 15 compared to 20 per cent of the rest of the population.

And the birthrate is 2.1 babies per woman compared to 1.7 in the general population.

Indigenous incomes are well below average with unemployment at 20 per cent, although city dwellers do better than those in regional areas.

Indigenous Australians make up 20 per cent of the prison population, but there are some signs that is declining and high school retention rates have begun to improve over the last five years.

And age standardised rates for high risk alcohol consumption are no different for Indigenous Australians compared to the rest of the population.