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AUGUST 31, 2000

Native Americans and Alaska Natives make up about 2.3 million of the US population, according to the Census Bureau, with California, Oklahoma, and Arizona having the largest Native presence.

The Census Bureau on Wednesday released its estimates on the population of the nation. From July 1, 1990, to July 1, 1999, the Native population increased some 15.5 percent.

California tops the nation in terms of Native population, with 313,642 American Indian and Alaska Natives in the state, representing almost 1 percent of the state's total population.

Also, for the first time in over 100 years, whites are not a majority in California.

Oklahoma comes in second, with an estimated Native population of 262,581, or almost 8 percent of the state's population. Arizona rounds out the top three, with an estimated 261,168, or 5.5 percent, of the state identifying themselves as Native.

Alaska, however, takes the number one spot as the state the largest percentage of the population being Native. An estimated 16.4 percent of the state is Native.

New Mexico comes in second, with 9.5 percent of the population being Native. South Dakota rounds out the top three, with an estimated 8.2 percent.

The government this year mounted a huge effort to try to get all Native Americans counted. Partnerships with tribal governments and Native organizations helped get the message out to Indian Country this year.

Also, for the first time, respondents were asked to name their enrolled or principal tribe.

For more information on state rankings and percentages of Native population by state, you can view Census data by state.

Relevant Links:
The Census Bureau - www.census.gov

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