Immigration from Africa surges since 1970 Total U.S. foreign-born population from Africa, in thousands 1970 1980 1990 2000 2015 Note: Africa includes North Africanand sub- Sa haran African countries as defined lby
African immigrants make up a small share of the nation’s immigrant population, but their overall numbers are growing – roughly doubling every decade since 1970, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
There were 2.1 million African immigrants living in the United States in 2015, up from 881,000 in 2000 and a substantial increase from 1970 when the U.S. was home to only 80,000 foreign-born Africans. They accounted for 4.8% of the U.S. immigrant population in 2015, up from 0.8% in 1970.
Immigration from Africa  | surges since 1970  | Total U.S. foreign-born population  | from Africa, in thousands  | 2,060  | 881  | 364  | 200  | 80  | 1970 1980 1990 2000 2015  | Note: Africa includes North Africanand sub-  | Sa haran African countries as defined lby  | IPUMS  | Source Pew Research Centeranalysis ofthe  | 2015 American Community Survey(1%  | IPUMS). Trend data based on U.S Censuses  | 1970- 2000.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 