The 12-page brief, titled The Arab Population: 2000 [PDF], is one in a series that analyzes Census 2000 data. The brief provides national, regional and state information on the total Arab population, as well as on the three largest Arab groups: Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian. County- and selected place-level data also are provided for the total Arab population.

Tables in the brief show 2000 and 1990 totals with numeric and percentage changes for the Arab population and specific Arab groups at the national level; 2000 and 1990 totals for the Arab population and 2000 totals for the three largest Arab groups at the national, regional and state (includes the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) levels; and 2000 totals for the Arab population in selected cities, consisting of:

• the 10 largest cities;

• the 10 cities with the largest Arab populations; and

• the 10 cities of 100,000 population or more with the highest percentages of Arab ancestry.

Also included is a thematic map of the United States that shows proportions of people who reported Arab ancestry by county.

For the purpose of this report, most people with ancestries originating from Arabic-speaking countries or areas of the world were categorized as Arab. For example, a person was included in the Arab ancestry category if he or she reported Arab, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, North African, Palestinian or Syrian as an ancestry. The Census 2000 questionnaire allowed respondents to report as many as two ancestries. If either response was an Arab group, the person was counted as being Arab, in addition to being counted in the other ancestry reported.

This is the first report the U.S. Census Bureau has produced on the population of Arab ancestry. In 1997, the Office of Management and Budget revised the standards for the classification of federal data on race and ethnicity, noting the lack of consensus about the definition of an Arab ethnic category and suggesting that further research be done to improve data for this population group. This report contributes to ongoing research about people in the United States who identify as being of Arab ancestry and reflects the Census Bureau’s consultation and collaboration with experts in the Arab-American community.

The data contained in the report are based on responses from a sample of households who received the census long form. Nationally, about 1-in-6 households were included in the sample; because they are sample data, they are subject to sampling and nonsampling errors.

-X-