Nation : Latino Population Up Sharply
Fueled in large part by immigration, especially from Central America, the nation’s Latino population grew to 20.1 million people in March, 1989, the Census Bureau said today--5 1/2 million more than in 1980.
“This is our first estimate of over 20 million,” said Jorge Del Pinal, chief of the Ethnic and Hispanic Statistics Branch at the bureau. “It’s up from about 14.5 million in 1980.”
Latinos constitute 8.2% of the U.S. population and are the fastest growing large population group. The bureau said immigration was a major factor in the increase, accounting for about half of the growth.
About two-thirds of the Latinos in the United States live in just three states. California leads with 34%, followed by Texas at 21% and New York with 10%.
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