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Population
- Of the approximately 2.4 million Native Americans (American Indians and
Alaska Natives) 1.5 million live on or near reservation or in Alaska Native
Villages;
- Native American populations are considerably younger that the general
population of the United States, all races combined;
− Average native American age is 24.2 years; −
Average of all races combined is 32.9 years;
- The 1990 census count was approximately 1.95 million Native Americans.
− In 1994, approximately 2.2 million were estimated to
live in the in the United States. −
In 2000 estimates total 2.4 million; − The projected
population for the year 2050 is 4.3 million for the United States alone;
The Native American population in the United
States is increasing at a great rate than the general population as a
whole. The Native American birth rate for 1991 - 1993 of 26.6 births
per 1,000 population was 67% greater than the United States overall (1992
birth rate for the United States was 15.9 births per 1,000). The
Native American population increased 72% between 1970 and 1980, and 38%
between 1980 and 1990.
Tribes and Reservations
- There are approximately 562 Federally-recognized tribes and Alaska
Native governments in the United States.
- There are approximately 320 Indian reservations in the United
States and 250 Alaska Native villages which are part of the Federally
recognized Native American population.
Native Americans have been
victimized in the past. Most Native Americans in the United
States today remember the victimization, the broken promises, the
discrimination and attempts at extermination, and the lack of
understanding of themselves as people with a unique culture. As
a result, they need to reconcile themselves with the non-Native
American people and government and vice versa, but in that process
retain their identities as unique peoples.
The future of Native Americans looks bleak. Politically, the United
States Congress has been considering legislation that would eradicate
tribal government's sovereignty which will return tribes to the social
status of 70 or more years ago; e.g., recreational entities, social
clubs, and further damage identities of individual Indians and tribal
groups.
Poverty and Unemployment
- The largest single direct health care giver in the world is the
United States through the Indian Health Service of the Department of
Health and Human Services;
− 1/3 of
all Native Americans living in the United States live in poverty;
− In 1989/90 31.6% of Native Americans lived below the poverty
level in contrast to 13.1% for the United States as a whole. −
Unemployment ranges from 40% to 70% on reservations. In 1990,
16.2% of Indian males aged 16 and older, residing in current
reservation states, were unemployed, compared with 6.4% for the
United States, all races, male population. For females, these
percentages were 13.4 and 6.2, respectively. When the
population is broken down by reservation, there are greater levels
of unemployment dependent upon the reservation, its isolation from
the general population, the need for specific skills, and the like.
Education
- Education levels are below national averages; however, more
than 2/3 graduate from high school and college as a result of
newly designed education programs that meet the unique needs of
Indian children and youth;
− As of 1980, in the
age group 25 years old and over, 56% were high school or college
graduates;
− As of 1990, that
percentage jumped to 66% in the same age group; but
− Was 9% less in
educational attainment when compared to the rest of the United
States population (All Races) which stood at 75% in 1990.
Social Issues
- Suicide is the second leading
cause of death for Native American and Alaska Native Youths
− The
leading cause of death for youth is accidents and #3 is homicide;
− Suicide is No.8
in the top 10 of all leading causes of death for Native American
of all ages;
- Adolescent suicide is
approximately 3 times higher than the national average of
12/100,000 population in the age group 15-24 year olds;
- Crime is rising
exponentially, however, homicides within the Native American
population are less that the national average for all races
but twice that of whites.
- Gangs have even come to many
reservations;
- Physical and sexual abuse is
generally thought to be higher than the national
average, though no definitive studies have been done
that prove this assumption;
- Alcoholism is 5.6 times higher
among native Americans than the rest of the population
of the United States.
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