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Digest of Education Statistics
2002 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 415. Foreign students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States and outlying areas, by continent, region, and selected countries of origin: 1980-81 to 2000-01

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                           |     1980-81    |     1985-86    |    1990-91     |    1995-96     |    1997-98     |    1998-99     |    1999-2000   |2000-01
    Continent, region,     |________________|________________|________________|________________|________________|________________|________________|________________
        and country        | Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent| Number |Percent
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
             1             |   2    |   3   |   4    |   5   |   6    |   7   |   8    |   9   |   10   |  11   |   12   |  13   |   14   |  15   |   16   |  17
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
   Total ..................|311,880 | 100.0 |343,780 | 100.0 |407,530 | 100.0 |453,787 | 100.0 |481,280 | 100.0 |490,933 | 100.0 |514,723 | 100.0 |547,867 | 100.0
                           |________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
Africa ....................| 38,180 |  12.2 | 34,190 |   9.9 | 23,800 |   5.8 | 20,844 |   4.6 | 23,162 |   4.8 | 26,222 |   5.3 | 30,292 |   5.9 | 34,217 |   6.2
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Eastern Africa .........|  6,260 |   2.0 |  6,730 |   2.0 |  7,590 |   1.9 |  7,596 |   1.7 |  8,951 |   1.9 | 10,189 |   2.1 | 11,559 |   2.2 | 13,516 |   2.5
   Central Africa .........|  1,130 |   0.4 |  1,540 |   0.4 |  1,650 |   0.4 |  1,346 |   0.3 |  1,265 |   0.3 |  1,413 |   0.3 |  1,775 |   0.3 |  1,859 |   0.3
   North Africa ...........|  7,310 |   2.3 |  5,980 |   1.7 |  4,540 |   1.1 |  3,422 |   0.8 |  3,862 |   0.8 |  4,151 |   0.8 |  4,525 |   0.9 |  5,184 |   0.9
   Southern Africa ........|  1,480 |   0.5 |  2,360 |   0.7 |  2,840 |   0.7 |  2,657 |   0.6 |  2,608 |   0.5 |  2,956 |   0.6 |  3,247 |   0.6 |  3,304 |   0.6
   West Africa ............| 22,000 |   7.1 | 17,580 |   5.1 |  7,180 |   1.8 |  5,818 |   1.3 |  6,471 |   1.3 |  7,513 |   1.5 |  9,176 |   1.8 | 10,346 |   1.9
     Nigeria ..............| 17,350 |   5.6 | 13,710 |   4.0 |  3,710 |   0.9 |  2,093 |   0.5 |  2,436 |   0.5 |  2,876 |   0.6 |  3,602 |   0.7 |  3,820 |   0.7
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Asia ......................| 94,640 |  30.3 |156,830 |  45.6 |229,830 |  56.4 |259,893 |  57.3 |277,508 |  57.7 |275,076 |  56.0 |280,146 |  54.4 |302,058 |  55.1
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   East Asia ..............| 51,650 |  16.6 | 80,720 |  23.5 |146,020 |  35.8 |166,717 |  36.7 |178,256 |  37.0 |177,141 |  36.1 |180,146 |  35.0 |189,371 |  34.6
     China ................|  2,770 |   0.9 | 13,980 |   4.1 | 39,600 |   9.7 | 39,613 |   8.7 | 46,958 |   9.8 | 51,001 |  10.4 | 54,466 |  10.6 | 59,939 |  10.9
     Hong Kong ............|  9,660 |   3.1 | 10,710 |   3.1 | 12,630 |   3.1 | 12,018 |   2.6 |  9,665 |   2.0 |  8,735 |   1.8 |  7,545 |   1.5 |  7,627 |   1.4
     Japan ................| 13,500 |   4.3 | 13,360 |   3.9 | 36,610 |   9.0 | 45,531 |  10.0 | 47,073 |   9.8 | 46,406 |   9.5 | 46,872 |   9.1 | 46,497 |   8.5
     Korea, Republic of ...|  6,150 |   2.0 | 18,660 |   5.4 | 23,360 |   5.7 | 36,231 |   8.0 | 42,890 |   8.9 | 39,199 |   8.0 | 41,191 |   8.0 | 45,685 |   8.3
     Taiwan ...............| 19,460 |   6.2 | 23,770 |   6.9 | 33,530 |   8.2 | 32,702 |   7.2 | 30,855 |   6.4 | 31,043 |   6.3 | 29,234 |   5.7 | 28,566 |   5.2
   South and Central Asia .| 14,540 |   4.7 | 25,800 |   7.5 | 42,370 |  10.4 | 45,401 |  10.0 | 47,761 |   9.9 | 52,602 |  10.7 | 58,148 |  11.3 | 71,765 |  13.1
     India ................|  9,250 |   3.0 | 16,070 |   4.7 | 28,860 |   7.1 | 31,743 |   7.0 | 33,818 |   7.0 | 37,482 |   7.6 | 42,337 |   8.2 | 54,664 |  10.0
     Pakistan .............|  2,990 |   1.0 |  5,440 |   1.6 |  7,730 |   1.9 |  6,427 |   1.4 |  5,821 |   1.2 |  5,905 |   1.2 |  6,107 |   1.2 |  6,948 |   1.3
   South East Asia ........| 28,450 |   9.1 | 50,310 |  14.6 | 41,440 |  10.2 | 47,774 |  10.5 | 51,491 |  10.7 | 45,333 |   9.2 | 41,852 |   8.1 | 40,916 |   7.5
     Indonesia ............|  3,250 |   1.0 |  8,210 |   2.4 |  9,520 |   2.3 | 12,820 |   2.8 | 13,282 |   2.8 | 12,142 |   2.5 | 11,300 |   2.2 | 11,625 |   2.1
     Malaysia .............|  6,010 |   1.9 | 23,020 |   6.7 | 13,610 |   3.3 | 14,015 |   3.1 | 14,597 |   3.0 | 11,557 |   2.4 |  9,074 |   1.8 |  7,795 |   1.4
     Philippines ..........|    --- |   --- |  3,920 |   1.1 |  4,270 |   1.0 |  3,127 |   0.7 |  2,801 |   0.6 |  2,864 |   0.6 |  3,143 |   0.6 |  3,139 |   0.6
     Singapore ............|    --- |   --- |  3,930 |   1.1 |  4,500 |   1.1 |  4,098 |   0.9 |  3,843 |   0.8 |  4,030 |   0.8 |  4,250 |   0.8 |  4,166 |   0.8
     Thailand .............|  6,550 |   2.1 |  6,940 |   2.0 |  7,090 |   1.7 | 12,165 |   2.7 | 15,090 |   3.1 | 12,489 |   2.5 | 10,983 |   2.1 | 11,187 |   2.0
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Europe ....................| 25,330 |   8.1 | 34,310 |  10.0 | 49,640 |  12.2 | 67,358 |  14.8 | 71,616 |  14.9 | 73,809 |  15.0 | 78,485 |  15.2 | 80,584 |  14.7
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Eastern Europe .........|  1,670 |   0.5 |  1,770 |   0.5 |  4,780 |   1.2 | 18,032 |   4.0 | 21,314 |   4.4 | 23,131 |   4.7 | 25,731 |   5.0 | 27,674 |   5.1
   Western Europe .........| 23,660 |   7.6 | 32,540 |   9.5 | 44,860 |  11.0 | 49,326 |  10.9 | 50,301 |  10.5 | 50,674 |  10.3 | 52,754 |  10.2 | 52,910 |   9.7
     France ...............|    --- |   --- |  3,680 |   1.1 |  5,630 |   1.4 |  5,710 |   1.3 |  5,992 |   1.2 |  6,241 |   1.3 |  6,877 |   1.3 |  7,273 |   1.3
     Germany\1\ ...........|  3,310 |   1.1 |  4,730 |   1.4 |  7,000 |   1.7 |  9,017 |   2.0 |  9,309 |   1.9 |  9,568 |   1.9 |  9,800 |   1.9 | 10,128 |   1.8
     Greece ...............|  3,750 |   1.2 |  4,440 |   1.3 |  4,360 |   1.1 |  3,365 |   0.7 |  3,065 |   0.6 |  2,847 |   0.6 |  2,782 |   0.5 |  2,768 |   0.5
     Spain ................|    --- |   --- |  1,740 |   0.5 |  4,300 |   1.1 |  4,809 |   1.1 |  4,371 |   0.9 |  4,195 |   0.9 |  4,337 |   0.8 |  4,156 |   0.8
     United Kingdom .......|  4,440 |   1.4 |  5,940 |   1.7 |  7,300 |   1.8 |  7,799 |   1.7 |  7,534 |   1.6 |  7,765 |   1.6 |  7,990 |   1.6 |  8,139 |   1.5
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Latin America .............| 49,810 |  16.0 | 45,480 |  13.2 | 47,580 |  11.7 | 47,253 |  10.4 | 51,368 |  10.7 | 55,436 |  11.3 | 62,098 |  12.1 | 63,634 |  11.6
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Caribbean ..............| 10,650 |   3.4 | 11,100 |   3.2 | 12,610 |   3.1 | 10,737 |   2.4 | 10,855 |   2.3 | 11,884 |   2.4 | 13,828 |   2.7 | 14,423 |   2.6
   Central America ........| 12,970 |   4.2 | 12,740 |   3.7 | 15,950 |   3.9 | 14,220 |   3.1 | 15,211 |   3.2 | 15,455 |   3.1 | 16,854 |   3.3 | 16,764 |   3.1
     Mexico ...............|  6,730 |   2.2 |  5,460 |   1.6 |  6,740 |   1.7 |  8,687 |   1.9 |  9,559 |   2.0 |  9,641 |   2.0 | 10,607 |   2.1 | 10,670 |   1.9
   South America ..........| 26,190 |   8.4 | 21,640 |   6.3 | 19,020 |   4.7 | 22,296 |   4.9 | 25,302 |   5.3 | 28,097 |   5.7 | 31,416 |   6.1 | 32,447 |   5.9
     Brazil ...............|    --- |   --- |  2,840 |   0.8 |  3,900 |   1.0 |  5,497 |   1.2 |  6,982 |   1.5 |  8,052 |   1.6 |  8,600 |   1.7 |  8,846 |   1.6
     Colombia .............|    --- |   --- |  4,010 |   1.2 |  3,180 |   0.8 |  3,462 |   0.8 |  4,345 |   0.9 |  5,041 |   1.0 |  6,277 |   1.2 |  6,765 |   1.2
     Venezuela ............| 11,750 |   3.8 |  7,040 |   2.0 |  2,890 |   0.7 |  4,456 |   1.0 |  4,731 |   1.0 |  5,133 |   1.0 |  5,125 |   1.0 |  5,217 |   1.0
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Middle East ...............| 84,710 |  27.2 | 52,720 |  15.3 | 33,420 |   8.2 | 30,563 |   6.7 | 30,962 |   6.4 | 32,836 |   6.7 | 34,897 |   6.8 | 36,858 |   6.7
     Iran .................| 47,550 |  15.2 | 14,210 |   4.1 |  6,260 |   1.5 |  2,628 |   0.6 |  1,863 |   0.4 |  1,660 |   0.3 |  1,885 |   0.4 |  1,844 |   0.3
     Jordan ...............|  6,140 |   2.0 |  6,590 |   1.9 |  4,320 |   1.1 |  2,222 |   0.5 |  2,027 |   0.4 |  2,039 |   0.4 |  2,074 |   0.4 |  2,187 |   0.4
     Lebanon ..............|  6,770 |   2.2 |  7,090 |   2.1 |  3,900 |   1.0 |  1,554 |   0.3 |  1,321 |   0.3 |  1,315 |   0.3 |  1,582 |   0.3 |  2,005 |   0.4
     Saudi Arabia .........| 10,440 |   3.3 |  6,900 |   2.0 |  3,590 |   0.9 |  4,191 |   0.9 |  4,571 |   0.9 |  4,931 |   1.0 |  5,156 |   1.0 |  5,273 |   1.0
     Turkey ...............|    --- |   --- |  2,460 |   0.7 |  4,080 |   1.0 |  7,678 |   1.7 |  9,081 |   1.9 |  9,377 |   1.9 | 10,100 |   2.0 | 10,983 |   2.0
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
North America\2\ ..........| 14,790 |   4.7 | 16,030 |   4.7 | 18,950 |   4.6 | 23,644 |   5.2 | 22,613 |   4.7 | 23,302 |   4.7 | 24,128 |   4.7 | 25,888 |   4.7
     Canada ...............| 14,320 |   4.6 | 15,410 |   4.5 | 18,350 |   4.5 | 23,005 |   5.1 | 22,051 |   4.6 | 22,746 |   4.6 | 23,544 |   4.6 | 25,279 |   4.6
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Oceania ...................|  4,180 |   1.3 |  4,030 |   1.2 |  4,230 |   1.0 |  4,202 |   0.9 |  3,893 |   0.8 |  4,228 |   0.9 |  4,676 |   0.9 |  4,624 |   0.8
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Stateless\3\ ..............|    240 |   0.1 |    190 |   0.1 |     80 |     # |     30 |     # |    159 |     # |     28 |     # |      7 |     # |     10 |     #
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______

---Not available.
# Rounds to 0.0.

\1\Data for 1980-81 and 1985-96 are for West Germany (federal Republic of Germany before unification).
\2\Excludes Mexico and Central America, which are included with Latin America.
\3\Home country unknown or undeclared.

NOTE: Totals and subtotals include other countries not shown separately. Data are for "nonimmigrants," i.e., students who have not migrated to this country. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: Institute of International Education, "Open Doors," various years. (Latest edition copyright @ 2001 by the Institute of International Education. All rights reserved.) (This table was prepared July 2002.)


2002 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest