Puerto Rico	Asians in the Americas
General Overview  Brief Description  Demographic Resources  Sources Official Census  Foreign Affairs/Immigration  Municipal Registries  Parochial Records  Information/Research Resources, Dissertations and Scholars  Societies and Associations  Embassies  Miscellaneous

General Overview

ETHNIC GROUPS: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9% RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% LANGUAGE: Spanish, English

Visit the CIA World Factbook for more information on this country http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rq.html

Brief Description

Arrival of Asian Peoples:

"Also, arrived to the island Chinese, Italians, Corsicans, Lebanese, Germans, Scottish and Irish during the middle of the 19th Century." Source: http://www.aunmas.com/paises/puerto_rico/info/grupos.html (Spanish) Top of Page

Geographic and Labor Concentration:

Information not available. Top of Page

Demographic and Historical Information:

For the 2000 Census, these are the most recent numbers of the Asian population in Puerto Rico: Asian Total Population in Puerto Rico: 7,960 Asian Indian 4,789 Chinese 1,873 (not including Taiwanese) Taiwan 6 Filipino 394 Japanese 251 Korean 244 Vietnamese 195 Other Asian 214 (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysian, Pakistani, Ceylan, Thai) Data from Census 2000 tables in Spanish, found at the FactFinder section of the US Census website, http://www.census.gov Top of Page

Demographic Resources

Official Census:

Statistical agency and contact: Bureau of Census, San Juan (787) 728-4430 Oficina del Censo en Puerto Rico  http://www.prsdclead.gobierno.pr/ (in Spanish) Contact Info: Luz H. Olmeda Rivera, Director Area of Economic & Social Planning P.O. Box 41119, Minillas Station, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940-1119 phone: +1 787 722 20 70 fax: +1 787 722 67 83 Both offices work together to administer and analyze the results of the census. Census 2000 Data for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/tables/redist_pr.html This US Census site has the latest table of population by race/ethnicity for the US territory of Puerto Rico. The table includes statistics of Asians living in Puerto Rico (7, 960 or .2% of the total population) The Race Variable in Puerto Rico The variable of race on the census forms in Puerto Rico has an interesting history. Up to the 1950-60s, census field workers would do a head count of how many people of specific races lived in a house when visiting a household. This variable was not included on the census form. Then, from 1960-1990, the variable of race was not used at all because of a lack of incentive by the local government. Puerto Rico does not distribute electoral votes based on population since it does not vote for congressmen or president of the USA. In the census of 2000, the local government decided to use, on the census form, the variable of race as a self-identification for demographic purposes only. (Aida Nevares, personal communication 2001) Census categories and definitions relevant to Race and/or Ethnicity: [1] Census taken in Puerto Rico (1899-2000)   1899 Color, Nativity, Citizenship   1910 Color, Nativity, Place of Birth, Year of Immigration of Foreign Born, Citizenship   1920 Same as above   1930 Same as above. Year of Immigration was dropped.   1940 Same as above. New category: Place of Previous Residence.   1950 Race (color)- white & non whites (black and persons of mixed blood), Nativity (Native vs. Foreign Born). Citizenship was dropped.   1960 Place of Residence (Usual Place or Previous Place), Place of Birth (Foreign Country of Birth), Nativity (same as 1950), Citizenship brought back (only for Foreign Born, Naturalized and Alien). Race was dropped.   1970 Same as 1960   1980 Same as 1960   1990 Same as 1960   2000 Hispanic or Latin Origin, Race (as a self-identification option in the census form), Language spoken at home, Place of Birth, Nativity, Citizenship, Year of Entry, Migration (residency since 1995) National repository and contact: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña Archivo General de Puerto Rico Apartado 4184 San Juan, PR 00905-4184 Phone: (787) 722-2113 Top of Page

Foreign Affairs/Immigration:

Immigration Court, Guaynabo, PR http://www.usdoj.gov/eoir/sibpages/saj/sajmain.htm Border Patrol / Immigration & Naturalization Services (INS), Aguadilla (787) 882-3560 Immigration & Naturalization Services (INS), Guaynabo (787) 706-2343 Office of the District Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service GPO Box 365068 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-5068 Top of Page

Municipal Registries:

Registro de Propiedad (Register of Property) Sección 2 Apartado 2551 Ponce, PR 00733-2551 Registro Demográfico (Demographic Registry) http://www.salud.gov.pr/RD/DirecLocales.htm San Juan Office P O box 11854 San Juan PR 00910 Contact: Emnedies Dávila (787) 767-9120 ext 2105 or 2108, (787)763-9234 This site includes all the addresses for the main and municipal offices. Vital Records in Puerto Rico Vital records from 22 July 1931 to the present are available from the main registrar in San Juan. Similar records from 1885 to 1931 are available from the registrar in the municipality where the event occurred. Top of Page

Parochial Records:

Arquidiocesis de San Juan Iglesia Católica 201 San Jorge Santurce (787) 727-7373 Top of Page

Information/Research Resources, Dissertations and Scholars:

Information not available. Top of Page

Societies and Associations:

Information not available. Top of Page

Embassies:

Consulate of Philippines Consulado de Filipina Calle Flamboyan A 2 Garden Hills Chalet Guaynabo, PR 00966 Phone: 782-1806 Cónsul: Hon. Narmu L. Ortiz Consulate of Japan Edificio Banco Popular Piso 5 San Juan, PR 00901 Phone: 721-4667 Fax: 724-8365 Cónsul: Hon. Manuel San Juan, Jr. Consulate of the Kingdom of Thailand Consulado del Reino de Tailandia Ave. De Hostos 350 Hato Rey, PR 00917 Phone: 751-0151 Fax: 753-7276 Cónsul: Hon. Rolando J. Piernes Top of Page

Miscellaneous:

Puerto Rican Records at NARA http://users.aol.com/mrosado007/pr-nara.htm Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Government site (Departments and Agencies) http://www.prstar.net/agencias_gubernamentales.html Top of Page

Sources

[1] Ed. Doreen S. Goyer and Elaine Domschke. The Handbook of National Population Censuses. Westpost: Conn, Greenwood Press, 1983. Top of Page