The Population Estimates Program produces monthly national population estimates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin for the United States. These estimates cover four different populations: resident population, resident population plus Armed Forces overseas, civilian population, and civilian noninstitutional population. All reference dates in the monthly national estimates refer to the first of the month.

NOTE: All population figures for the year 2000 shown here (including April 1, 2000) are based on the 1990 Census; they do not reflect Census 2000 counts.

The Population Estimates Program produces quarterly native and foreign-born resident population estimates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin for the United States. These estimates cover the period from April 1, 1990 to July 1, 1999. Nativity estimates are revised annually back to the previous census date.

Please note that the definitions of native and foreign-born resident populations affect all comparisons made between the two populations. Foreign-born residents are those people born outside the United States to non-citizen parents, while native residents are those people born inside the United States or born abroad to United States citizen parents.

One notable difference between the two populations concern children. Any child born to foreign-born parents after entering the United States, by definition, becomes part of the native population. The foreign-born child population, therefore, is quite small, while the native child population (and the overall native population) are inflated by births to foreign-born parents after migrating to the United States.

Also note that Hispanics are classified as an ethnicity, not as a race. People of Hispanic origin, therefore, may be of any race. The racial and Hispanic origin classification used for the national nativity population estimates adheres to the guidelines in Federal Statistical Directive No. 15, issued by the Office of Management and Budget.

These population estimate files contain quarterly national resident population estimates in the following detail: single year of age (0 to 100-plus), sex, race (White; Black; American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut; Asian and Pacific Islander), and Hispanic origin.