Australian Race

or Australoid race, a branch of the larger equatorial (Negro-Australoid) race. The aborigines of Australia belong to this race; they are characterized by dark skin color, a broad nose, thick lips, and prognathism, which make them similar to the Negroid race. In contrast to the Negroes of Africa, the Australian race is characterized by wavy hair and highly developed tertiary hair covering. The Veddas of Ceylon (the Ceylon-Sunda race) and the south Indian (Dravidian) races are most similar to the Australian race. In very ancient times, the Australoid anthropological type was widely distributed in southern Asia and Southeast Asia.