FROM THE ARCHIVE

State of the Navajo Nation

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JULY 19, 2000

The state of the Navajo Nation are the subject of a report and statistics released by the tribe this week.

The Department of Water Resources says Navajo residents spend nearly 37 times as much per acre-foot as typical suburban water users in this region. The lack of reliable and affordable water resources contribute to health problems of the tribe.

The purpose of the report was to address water issues on the three-state reservation.

Another set of numbers underscores the economic state of the nation. Among the statistics released by the tribe:

• More than 50 percent of Navajo families live below federal poverty levels compared with less than 13 percent of general population
• Unemployment is 58 percent, comapred to 5 percent nationwide
• The median income $11,885 per year in 1997, while the US was $30,000
• The average per capita income was $5,600, compared to $22,000 for the state of Arizona

The results are quoted in the July 18 edition of The Gallup Independent.

Relevant Links:
The Navajo Nation - www.navajo.org
The Gallup Independent - www.cia-g.com/~gallpind