Fastest-Growing Populations

• Asian-Americans maintained their position as the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S. from the 1980 to 1990 census period to the 1990 to 2000 census period. From 1990 to 2000, the number of Asian-Americans in the U.S. grew by more than 63 percent. Over the same time period, the Hispanic population was up nearly 40 percent, while the black population was up more than 15 percent.
  
  

Largest Asian Ethnicities

• The Chinese outnumbered all other Asian ethnicities in the United States in 2000. Filipinos followed, with Asian-Indians third, Koreans fourth, Vietnamese fifth and Japanese sixth. The top 10 were rounded out by Cambodians, Pakistanis, Laotians and Hmongs. It is worth noting that 2000 was the first year census respondents were able to report more than one ethnicity.
  
  

Fastest-Growing Asian Ethnicities

• Bangladeshis saw the largest increase in their 1990 population -- a growth of 350 percent -- largely because Bangladeshis are a small group to begin with. The next fastest-growing ethnic groups between 1990 and 2000 were the Pakistanis and Asian-Indians. The Japanese were the only Asian ethnic group that reported a decline during those years.
  
  

Asians by Geographical Area

• The Los Angeles metropolitan area had more Asian-Americans -- nearly 1.8 million, as of 2000 -- than any other city. New York City and San Francisco rounded out the top three, followed by Honolulu, Washington, D.C./Baltimore and Chicago.