Census in Schools Educator Update, June 2007

From our friends at the Census Bureau:

Welcome to the Census in Schools Educator Update - providing you with the latest news from the U.S. Census Bureau. In This Issue:

1. Minority Population Tops 100 Million
2. Hurricane Season and Census Facts
3. Hurricane Data and Emergency Preparedness
4. Historical Data and Coastal Area Teaching Suggestion
5. Facts for Features
6. Contact Us

1. Minority Population Tops 100 Million
The nation’s minority population reached 100.7 million on July 1, 2006,according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates by race, Hispanic origin, sex, and age. California had a minority population of 20.7 million on July 1, 2006, 21 percent of the nation’s total; while Texas had a minority population of 12.2 million, 12 percent of the total. For a historical perspective, the total U.S. population reached 100 million in 1915. Last October, the Census Bureau reported that the overall population had topped 300 million.

Other highlights include:

Hispanic
The Hispanic population has remained the largest minority group with 44.3 million people. Hispanics accounted for almost half (1.4 million) of the national population growth of 2.9 million between July 2005 and July 2006.
Black
The second largest minority group is the black population at 40.2 million,achieving an increase of 1.3 percent, or 522,000 people, between 2005 and 2006.
Asian
The Asian population saw an increase to 14.9 million. After Hispanics,Asians are the second fastest growing minority population, with a 3.2 percent increase between 2005 and 2006.
American Indian and Alaska Native
The American Indian and Alaska Native population rose by 1 percent to 4.5 million from 2005.
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander The Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander population hit the one million mark in 2006, with a 1.7 percent increase since 2005.

For more information, visit here.

2. Hurricane Season and Census Facts

The north Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and lasts through November. The U.S. Census Bureau produces timely local data that are critical to emergency planning, preparedness, and recovery efforts. The following facts spotlight the number of people living in areas that could be most affected by these acts of nature.

In Harm’s Way

34.9 million - Estimated July 1, 2006, population most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes: the coastal portion of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas. Twelve percent of the nation’s population lived in these areas.
24.8 million - Number of people added to the Atlantic and Gulf coastal areas from North Carolina to Texas between 1950 and 2006. Florida alone was responsible for the bulk of this increase (almost 15 million).
Florida -17.6 million - Estimated 2006 coastal population of Florida, accounting for half of the coastal population of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas. Among the Sunshine State’s coastal population, 10.5 million lived along the Atlantic and 7.1 million along the Gulf.
352 people per square mile - The 2006 population density of Florida’s coastal areas, which leads the entire area between North Carolina and Texas in coastal population density.

Hurricanes Past
38,000 - Population of Galveston, Texas, at the time of the city’s "Great Storm" on Sept. 8, 1900, that killed more than 8,000 people. At that time, Galveston, Dallas and Houston had similar populations.
223,388 - Estimated population of New Orleans on July 1, 2006 — less than one year after Hurricane Katrina struck. The city’s population was down
50.6 percent from a year earlier.

3. Hurricane Data and Emergency Preparedness

Interested in characteristics (economy, housing, people, maps) of areas impacted by hurricanes Rita, Wilma and Katrina in 2006? Visit the Census Bureau home page and click on Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness.

The Census Bureau helps local leaders use census data to prepare for and recover from emergencies in their communities. Special population estimates provide a before and after look at the population of the impacted area and before and after characteristics of the population and housing.

4. Historical Data and Coastal Area Teaching Suggestion

The Census Bureau Web site contains many links that teachers can use to develop ideas for lessons. One area of the site provides historical census population and housing counts for the United States, states, regions and divisions, metropolitan areas, large cities, and coastal regions. Teachers and students can mine data, evaluate information, and apply ideas by comparing and contrasting, mapping, graphing, and charting information.

Using the chart on the attached PDF, create a line graph showing the Atlantic and Gulf Area coastal populations between 1960 and 2005 and the total U.S. population for the same years. Describe the rate of change of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast population compared with the total U.S. population.

Twelve percent of the U.S. population currently resides in the coastal counties from North Carolina to Texas. Use the chart to calculate the percentage that resided in these coastal counties from 1960 to 2005.
Describe how the portion of the U.S. population residing in these areas has changed.

The table above shows how many states have coastal counties. Click on graphic and "open link".

To visit the historical section of the Census Bureau’s Web site go to www.census.gov, click on "People and Households" and click on Historical Census Data.

5. Facts for Features

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26) — In observance of the 17th anniversary of the enactment of this ground breaking law, statistical information from the Census Bureau’s demographic subject areas about people with disabilities.

To see the latest facts, visit here

6. Contact Us

If you have questions or comments about Census in Schools, please call Kim Crews or Vicki Glasier at 301-763-3626 or e-mail: pio.census.in.schools@census.gov.