Saturday, November 21, 2009

The Mix: Asian Population of the USA



















After this post, I'll give demographics a rest for at least a little while. All sorts of other demographic variables are still in the pipeline, however.

Overall, the population of the USA has jumped to about 308 million, of which more than 80% of Americans reside in urbanized areas (one of many very bad signs for the bumptious Republican Party, incidentally, in the long run).


Add another 100 million people or so by 2050. Keep in mind that in 1800, there were about 5.2 million people in the entire USA of that era. As of 2006, there were an estimated 13.1 million Asian Americans, with high concentrations in or adjoining major cities.

There are significant places called "Chinatown" in the USA (as in the rest of the world) -- in New York City, San Francsco, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and -- more recently developed -- Houston. Some Chinatowns have also packed up their bags and dispersed -- like Detroit's former Chinatown. And let's not forget the burgeoning of Little Saigons around the country. Each Chinatown and Little Saigon almost invariably features good eateries and all sorts of dry goods shops and centers, and fun people watching.














There are so many different people from Asia to consider. India alone accounts for a sizeable group, with more in the pipeline (India's population today is estimated at about 1,166,080,000, nearly four times that of the USA). Let's not forget Pakistan, and on down the line.

Dear readers, diversity is reality. Dig the new breed -- Papa's gotta brand new bag.

Today's Rune: Possessions.

6 comments:

the walking man said...

What I find interesting is how Michigan ranks in all of these previous posts as one of the most ethnically diverse places in the nation. To me it is curious how there can be so much diversity and still so much antipathy in the population.

JR's Thumbprints said...

A rare demographic in the prison systems: Asians. I've encountered a handful in eighteen years of employment.

Charles Gramlich said...

I believe our heaviest Asian population here is Vietnamese. Not absolutely sure though. We have some very good Chinese restruants.

Johnny Yen said...

I've really enjoyed these posts. Indeed, we have both a Chinatown and a Little Saigon here in Chicago. In Chicago, the Little Saigon is just a few blocks from my school, in the Uptown neighborhood.

JR-- we had a big problem here in Chicago with Vietnamese gangs. Unlike our large Chinese, Japanese and Korean populations, they didn't have a pre-existing economic and social network when they started arriving in large numbers in the 1970's. Many turned to gangs, and were, indeed, some of the most ferocious and feared gangs. I imagine more than a few members found their way into the Illinois penal system.

Distributorcap said...

hye erik

i got tons of this data at work (since that is what we do a lot of - demographic breakdowns) - if you want some let me know

i find this stuff fascinating

jodi said...

Erik, great info. I was amazed by the Asian population when I visited SFO. So fashion forward!