Asian American and Pacific Islander - Primer

According to the Census Bureau, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing minority group, and also the most diverse.

AAPIs represent a vast array of cultures and hundreds of languages and dialects. Asian Americans refer to Americans with origins from one or more of the 28 Asian nations. Pacific Islanders refer Native Hawaiians and other natives living in the US protectorates of Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, or Americans with origins from one or more of the 19 Pacific island nations. (Note that Native Hawaiians and individuals born in the US protectorates are considered native-born.)

Today, there are approximately 12 million AAPIs living in the US, or about 5% of the total population. By 2020, the AAPI population is projected to reach 20 million, and by 2050, approximately one out of every 10 Americans will be of Asian or Pacific Islander descent (38 million).

Up to 70% of AAPIs are recent (first generation) immigrants and/or refugees. The Philippines, China, and Vietnam were among the 10 leading countries of birth of America's foreign-born population. An estimated 40-50% of AAPIs are limited-English proficient.

Source taken from US Enrivinmental Protection Agency.

http://www.epa.gov/aapi/primer.htm