Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders come from more than 37 Asian countries and ethnic groups, each with distinct cultures and civilizations.
There are more than 12 million Asian Americans living in the United States.
It is estimated that by 2020, the AAPI population is projected to reach 20 million, and by 2050, approximately one (1) out of every 10 Americans will be of Asian or Pacific Islander descent.
Asian Americans speak over 100 Asian and Pacific Islander languages and dialects.
The major Asian American groups 'ethnic heritage originates from:
- THE ASIAN REGIONS:
- East Asia: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Okinawan, Taiwanese
- Southeast Asia: Bornean, Bruneian, Burmese, Cambodian, Celebesian, Filipino, Hmong, Javanese, Indonesian, Laotian, Malaysian, Montagnard, Singaporean, Thai, Vietnamese
- South Asia: Afghan, Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Indian, Maldivian, Nepalese, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Tibetan
- THE PACIFIC ISLANDS:
- Polynesia: Cook Islander, Maori, Native Hawaiian, Niuean, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Tokelauan, Tuvaluan
- Micronesia: Carolinian, Chamorro, Chuukese, Guamanian, I-Kiribati, Kosraen, Mariana Islander, Marshallese, Nauruan, Palauan, Pohnpeian, Saipanese, Trukese, Yapese
- Melanesia: New Caledonian, Ni-Vanuatu, Papua New Guinean, Solomon Islander
