FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2003


Mike Bergman                                                        CB03-42
Public Information Office
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                                                 Detailed tables 2001
                                                 Detailed tables 2000 revised
                                                 Quotes & radio sound bites
 

                      Foreign-Born Population Surpasses 32 Million,
                              Census Bureau Estimates



The Commerce Department's Census Bureau estimated today that the nation's 
foreign-born population last year numbered 32.5 million, accounting for 
11.5 percent of the total U.S. population.

Among the foreign-born population, 52 percent were born in Latin America, 
26 percent in Asia, 14 percent in Europe and the remaining 8 percent in 
other regions of the world, such as Africa and Oceania. (See attached 
chart.)

According to the report, The Foreign-Born Population in the United States,
March 2002, the foreign-born are a diverse group, with variable demographic,
social and economic characteristics depending on the region of birth. 

   Some highlights:

   - People from Central America and Mexico made up more than two-thirds
     of the foreign-born from Latin America. They were concentrated in the 
     West (55 percent) and the South (30 percent).

   - Among the foreign-born in 2002, nearly half had entered the United States
     since 1990. More than 1-in-3 foreign-born people were naturalized 
     U.S. citizens.

   - People born in Asia and Europe had poverty rates similar to those of
     the native population, while the poverty rates for people from 
     Central America were higher.

   - Foreign-born people are more likely to live in central cities of
     metropolitan areas 43 percent) than the native population (27 percent).

   - Relatively few foreign-born were less than 18 years of age (9 percent),
     compared with the native population (28 percent), because most of 
     the children of foreign-born parents are natives.

   - Slightly more than 1-in-4 foreign-born persons had a bachelor's
     degree or more education, not significantly different from the
     native populaiton. More than one-fifth of the foreign-born had less 
     than a ninth grade education, compared with about one-twentieth of 
     the native population

   - The percentage of foreign-born workers in managerial or professional 
     occupations ranged from a high of 40 percent for those from Asia 
     (not significantly different for those from Europe or "other 
     regions") to a low of about 7 percent for those from Central
     America.

Data in the report come from the Current Population Survey. Statistics
from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. 

Foreign-Born People by Region of Birth: 2002
(in percent)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March 2002