In 1997, 6.8 million of the nation’s foreign-born residents were born in Asia, up from 5.0 million in 1990. The increase represented a continuation of this population’s rapid growth since 1970, when it numbered about 800,000. The total tripled in the 1970s, then doubled in the 1980s.

Asian-born residents comprised 27 percent of the country’s foreign-born population in 1997, not significantly different from 1990 when they comprised 26 percent. Their share doubled from 9 percent in 1970 to 19 percent in 1980.