Taiwanese aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8000 years before Chinese immigration began in the 17th century. The Taiwanese Aborigines are Austronesian peoples, with linguistic and genetic ties to other Austronesian ethnic groups, such as peoples of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar and Oceania. Of the approximately 26 known languages of the Taiwanese Aborigines, at least ten are extinct, and others are to some degree endangered. These languages are of unique significance, since most historical linguists consider Taiwan to be the original homeland of the Austronesian language family. Most contemporary Taiwanese Aborigines reside in the mountains and the cities. In 2006, their total population was around 458,000 (approximately 2 percent of Taiwan’s population).