In March 1991, the Asian and Pacific Islander population in the United States was just over 7 million —about 3 percent of America’s total. This isn’t a homogeneous group — this population includes groups who differ in their language, culture, and recency of immigration.

Most (95 percent) were Asian – Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese, for instance. About 5 percent were Pacific Islanders – Hawaiians, Samoans and Guamanians, for example. Several of the Asian groups, such as Chinese and Japanese, have been in this country for generations. Relatively few of the Pacific Islanders are foreign-born; of course, Hawaiians are native to the United States.

This Brief uses data collected by the March 1991 Current Population Survey to present a demographic and economic portrait of the Asian and Pacific Islander population as a whole. Comparisons are made with the White population. The design and size of the survey only allowed the collection and presentation of data for the total Asian and Pacific Islander population. The 1990 census provides extensive information on the individual groups.