U.S. Population Present Situations of U.S. Population The U.S.—the most populous of today's developed countries—bas one of the highest population growth rates of the industrialized nations: about one percent annually. This adds some 2.5 million people every year—equivalent to a new city the size of San Diego—which is by far the largest numerical increase of any developed country. By the end of 1994, the U.S. population had climbed to 262 million, up from 203 million in 1970. The change stands in sharp contrast with Europe which today adds less than a million people per year to a population of about 728 million and Japan's addition of 0.3 million to a total of 125 million. Immigration now contributes roughly a third of the annual U.S. increase, although natural increase, or births minus deaths, remains substantial at about 1.7 million per year. This is in part the consequence of a younger age distribution resulting from the post-war baby boom (1946-1964), but U.S. fertility (生育力) has also been among the highest of the industrialized countries. The U.S. TFR ( the total fertility rate, defined as the average number of children women will bear in their lifetime) remained at about 1.8 from the mid-1970s to the latter 1980s, when it began rising to 2.1 in 1991. The U.S. TFR has since receded slightly, dropping to about 2.0 in 1993. The relatively high U.S. fertility is one of this country's most striking demographic (人口统计学的) features. Should the present rate persist, the country would remain at or near the replacement level to avoid population decline as in Europe. Although fertility levels do vary among ethnic groups, the TFR for U.S. non-Hispanic white women in 1992 was nonetheless 1.8 for blacks, it was 2.4 Asian and Pacific Islanders, 1.9 American Indians, 2.2 and Hispanics 3.0. National Trends The U.S. population is undergoing at least two major shifts: a significant change in its geographic distribution and a similarly important change in ethnic composition. Immigration— accounting for a third of the present annual growth—is also an undeniable factor. The stream of immigrants into the U.S. is highly directed towards but six of the 50 states (California, with 261,000 legal immigrants in 1993 New York 151,000 Texas 67,000 Florida 61,000 New Jersey 50,000 and Illinois 47,000). Within these, moreover, the flow is concentrated within but a few metropolitan areas. Shifts in Geographic Distribution The balance of population is shifting rapidly to the South and West. The Northeast and Midwest have experienced a continuous loss of population to the South and West by migration from other areas of the U.S. These two 'sun-belt' regions have also received a higher influx of immigrants. From 1990 to 1993, the Northeast and Midwest experienced a net loss of 367,000 residents through migration to other parts of the country while gaining 260,000 immigrants from abroad. The South gained 471,000 migrants from the balance of the U.S. and another 180,000 from outside the country. The West actually lost population because of migration to other regions, because of the numerical dominance of the state of California in the region. It is likely that the loss of jobs in California in defense-related employment was responsible for this unexpected mm of events. The South and West received no fewer than 500,000 net immigrants from abroad, just over half of which were to California alone. Changes in Ethnic Composition One-fourth of the present population of the U.S. is now composed of racial minorities, which are defined as anyone who is not white and non-Hispanic. In the next 50 years that fraction will grow to nearly half the total, according to recent projections. The Hispanic population is projected (预测) by the Census Bureau to rise from 22.5 million in 1990 to just under 90 million by 2050, due to the combination of immigration