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Digest of Education Statistics
1997 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest

Table 410.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 1995-96

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    
                           |     1980-81    |     1985-86    |    1990-91     |    1991-92     |    1992-93     |    1993-94     |    1994-95     |    1995-96
    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 |419,590 | 100.0 |438,620 | 100.0 |449,704 | 100.0 |452,635 | 100.0 |453,787 | 100.0
                           |________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______
Africa ....................| 38,180 |  12.2 | 34,190 |   9.9 | 23,800 |   5.8 | 21,900 |   5.2 | 20,520 |   4.7 | 20,569 |   4.6 | 20,724 |   4.6 | 20,844 |   4.6
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Eastern Africa .........|  6,260 |   2.0 |  6,730 |   2.0 |  7,590 |   1.9 |  7,040 |   1.7 |  6,950 |   1.6 |  7,093 |   1.6 |  7,139 |   1.6 |  7,596 |   1.7
   Central Africa .........|  1,130 |   0.4 |  1,540 |   0.4 |  1,650 |   0.4 |  1,690 |   0.4 |  1,470 |   0.3 |  1,472 |   0.3 |  1,430 |   0.3 |  1,346 |   0.3
   North Africa ...........|  7,310 |   2.3 |  5,980 |   1.7 |  4,540 |   1.1 |  4,090 |   1.0 |  3,730 |   0.9 |  3,614 |   0.8 |  3,522 |   0.8 |  3,422 |   0.8
   Southern Africa ........|  1,480 |   0.5 |  2,360 |   0.7 |  2,840 |   0.7 |  2,660 |   0.6 |  2,560 |   0.6 |  2,563 |   0.6 |  2,672 |   0.6 |  2,657 |   0.6
   West Africa ............| 22,000 |   7.1 | 17,580 |   5.1 |  7,180 |   1.8 |  6,400 |   1.5 |  5,800 |   1.3 |  5,804 |   1.3 |  5,943 |   1.3 |  5,818 |   1.3
     Nigeria ..............| 17,350 |   5.6 | 13,710 |   4.0 |  3,710 |   0.9 |  3,160 |   0.8 |  2,490 |   0.6 |  2,285 |   0.5 |  2,147 |   0.5 |  2,093 |   0.5
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Europe ....................| 25,330 |   8.1 | 34,310 |  10.0 | 49,640 |  12.2 | 53,710 |  12.8 | 58,010 |  13.2 | 62,442 |  13.9 | 64,811 |  14.3 | 67,353 |  14.8
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Eastern Europe .........|  1,670 |   0.5 |  1,770 |   0.5 |  4,780 |   1.2 |  6,890 |   1.6 |  9,800 |   2.2 | 12,929 |   2.9 | 15,906 |   3.5 | 18,032 |   4.0
   Western Europe .........| 23,660 |   7.6 | 32,540 |   9.5 | 44,860 |  11.0 | 46,820 |  11.2 | 48,210 |  11.0 | 49,496 |  11.0 | 48,905 |  10.8 | 49,326 |  10.9
     France ...............|     ---|    ---|  3,680 |   1.1 |  5,630 |   1.4 |  5,580 |   1.3 |  5,660 |   1.3 |  5,976 |   1.3 |  5,843 |   1.3 |  5,710 |   1.3
     Germany, Federal      |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
      Republic of\1\.......|  3,310 |   1.1 |  4,730 |   1.4 |  7,000 |   1.7 |  7,570 |   1.8 |  7,880 |   1.8 |  8,508 |   1.9 |  8,592 |   1.9 |  9,017 |   2.0
     Greece ...............|  3,750 |   1.2 |  4,440 |   1.3 |  4,360 |   1.1 |  4,490 |   1.1 |  4,350 |   1.0 |  4,144 |   0.9 |  3,699 |   0.8 |  3,365 |   0.7
     Spain ................|     ---|    ---|  1,740 |   0.5 |  4,300 |   1.1 |  4,590 |   1.1 |  5,160 |   1.2 |  5,246 |   1.2 |  5,126 |   1.1 |  4,809 |   1.1
     United Kingdom .......|  4,440 |   1.4 |  5,940 |   1.7 |  7,300 |   1.8 |  7,470 |   1.8 |  7,630 |   1.7 |  7,828 |   1.7 |  7,786 |   1.7 |  7,799 |   1.7
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Latin America .............| 49,810 |  16.0 | 45,480 |  13.2 | 47,580 |  11.7 | 43,200 |  10.3 | 43,250 |   9.9 | 45,246 |  10.1 | 47,239 |  10.4 | 47,253 |  10.4
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   Caribbean ..............| 10,650 |   3.4 | 11,100 |   3.2 | 12,610 |   3.1 | 11,120 |   2.7 | 10,270 |   2.3 | 10,672 |   2.4 | 11,286 |   2.5 | 10,737 |   2.4
   Central America ........| 12,970 |   4.2 | 12,740 |   3.7 | 15,950 |   3.9 | 12,820 |   3.1 | 13,460 |   3.1 | 13,886 |   3.1 | 14,923 |   3.3 | 14,220 |   3.1
     Mexico ...............|  6,730 |   2.2 |  5,460 |   1.6 |  6,740 |   1.7 |  6,650 |   1.6 |  7,580 |   1.7 |  8,021 |   1.8 |  9,003 |   2.0 |  8,687 |   1.9
   South America ..........| 26,190 |   8.4 | 21,640 |   6.3 | 19,020 |   4.7 | 19,250 |   4.6 | 19,530 |   4.5 | 20,708 |   4.6 | 21,030 |   4.6 | 22,296 |   4.9
     Brazil ...............|     ---|    ---|  2,840 |   0.8 |  3,900 |   1.0 |  4,260 |   1.0 |  4,540 |   1.0 |  4,977 |   1.1 |  5,017 |   1.1 |  5,497 |   1.2
     Colombia .............|     ---|    ---|  4,010 |   1.2 |  3,180 |   0.8 |  2,930 |   0.7 |  2,850 |   0.6 |  3,077 |   0.7 |  3,208 |   0.7 |  3,462 |   0.8
     Venezuela ..........  | 11,750 |   3.8 |  7,040 |   2.0 |  2,890 |   0.7 |  3,130 |   0.7 |  3,440 |   0.8 |  3,742 |   0.8 |  4,092 |   0.9 |  4,456 |   1.0
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Middle East ...............| 84,710 |  27.2 | 52,720 |  15.3 | 33,420 |   8.2 | 31,210 |   7.4 | 30,240 |   6.9 | 29,509 |   6.6 | 30,246 |   6.7 | 30,563 |   6.7
     Iran .................| 47,550 |  15.2 | 14,210 |   4.1 |  6,260 |   1.5 |  4,930 |   1.2 |  4,090 |   0.9 |  3,621 |   0.8 |  2,896 |   0.6 |  2,628 |   0.6
     Jordan ...............|  6,140 |   2.0 |  6,590 |   1.9 |  4,320 |   1.1 |  3,700 |   0.9 |  3,260 |   0.7 |  2,826 |   0.6 |  2,431 |   0.5 |  2,222 |   0.5
     Lebanon ..............|  6,770 |   2.2 |  7,090 |   2.1 |  3,900 |   1.0 |  3,080 |   0.7 |  2,540 |   0.6 |  2,165 |   0.5 |  1,835 |   0.4 |  1,554 |   0.3
     Saudi Arabia .........| 10,440 |   3.3 |  6,900 |   2.0 |  3,590 |   0.9 |  3,550 |   0.8 |  3,750 |   0.9 |  3,721 |   0.8 |  4,075 |   0.9 |  4,191 |   0.9
     Turkey ...............|     ---|    ---|  2,460 |   0.7 |  4,080 |   1.0 |  4,560 |   1.1 |  4,980 |   1.1 |  5,474 |   1.2 |  6,716 |   1.5 |  7,678 |   1.7
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
North America\2\ ..........| 14,790 |   4.7 | 16,030 |   4.7 | 18,950 |   4.6 | 19,780 |   4.7 | 21,550 |   4.9 | 23,288 |   5.2 | 23,394 |   5.2 | 23,644 |   5.2
     Canada ...............| 14,320 |   4.6 | 15,410 |   4.5 | 18,350 |   4.5 | 19,190 |   4.6 | 20,970 |   4.8 | 22,655 |   5.0 | 22,747 |   5.0 | 23,005 |   5.1
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Oceania .................. |  4,180 |   1.3 |  4,030 |   1.2 |  4,230 |   1.0 |  3,870 |   0.9 |  4,300 |   1.0 |  3,857 |   0.9 |  4,327 |   1.0 |  4,202 |   0.9
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
South and East Asia .......| 94,640 |  30.3 |156,830 |  45.6 |229,830 |  56.4 |245,810 |  58.6 |260,670 |  59.4 |264,693 |  58.9 |261,789 |  57.8 |259,893 |  57.3
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
   East Asia ..............| 51,650 |  16.6 | 80,720 |  23.5 |146,020 |  35.8 |158,490 |  37.8 |168,410 |  38.4 |171,279 |  38.1 |168,190 |  37.2 |166,717 |  36.7
     China ................|  2,770 |   0.9 | 13,980 |   4.1 | 39,600 |   9.7 | 42,940 |  10.2 | 45,130 |  10.3 | 44,381 |   9.9 | 39,403 |   8.7 | 39,613 |   8.7
     Hong Kong ............|  9,660 |   3.1 | 10,710 |   3.1 | 12,630 |   3.1 | 13,190 |   3.1 | 14,020 |   3.2 | 13,752 |   3.1 | 12,935 |   2.9 | 12,018 |   2.6
     Japan ................| 13,500 |   4.3 | 13,360 |   3.9 | 36,610 |   9.0 | 40,700 |   9.7 | 42,840 |   9.8 | 43,770 |   9.7 | 45,276 |  10.0 | 45,531 |  10.0
     Korea, Republic of ...|  6,150 |   2.0 | 18,660 |   5.4 | 23,360 |   5.7 | 25,720 |   6.1 | 28,520 |   6.5 | 31,076 |   6.9 | 33,599 |   7.4 | 36,231 |   8.0
     Taiwan ...............| 19,460 |   6.2 | 23,770 |   6.9 | 33,530 |   8.2 | 35,550 |   8.5 | 37,430 |   8.5 | 37,581 |   8.4 | 36,407 |   8.0 | 32,702 |   7.2
   South Central Asia .....| 14,540 |   4.7 | 25,800 |   7.5 | 42,370 |  10.4 | 46,810 |  11.2 | 50,430 |  11.5 | 48,941 |  10.9 | 47,836 |  10.6 | 45,401 |  10.0
     India ................|  9,250 |   3.0 | 16,070 |   4.7 | 28,860 |   7.1 | 32,530 |   7.8 | 35,950 |   8.2 | 34,796 |   7.7 | 33,537 |   7.4 | 31,743 |   7.0
     Pakistan .............|  2,990 |   1.0 |  5,440 |   1.6 |  7,730 |   1.9 |  8,120 |   1.9 |  8,020 |   1.8 |  7,299 |   1.6 |  6,989 |   1.5 |  6,427 |   1.4
   South East Asia ........| 28,450 |   9.1 | 50,310 |  14.6 | 41,440 |  10.2 | 40,510 |   9.7 | 41,830 |   9.5 | 44,461 |   9.9 | 45,763 |  10.1 | 47,774 |  10.5
     Indonesia ............|  3,250 |   1.0 |  8,210 |   2.4 |  9,520 |   2.3 | 10,250 |   2.4 | 10,920 |   2.5 | 11,744 |   2.6 | 11,872 |   2.6 | 12,820 |   2.8
     Malaysia .............|  6,010 |   1.9 | 23,020 |   6.7 | 13,610 |   3.3 | 12,650 |   3.0 | 12,660 |   2.9 | 13,718 |   3.1 | 13,617 |   3.0 | 14,015 |   3.1
     Philippines ..........|     ---|    ---|  3,920 |   1.1 |  4,270 |   1.0 |  3,950 |   0.9 |  3,700 |   0.8 |  3,528 |   0.8 |  3,472 |   0.8 |  3,127 |   0.7
     Singapore ............|     ---|    ---|  3,930 |   1.1 |  4,500 |   1.1 |  4,760 |   1.1 |  4,860 |   1.1 |  4,823 |   1.1 |  4,473 |   1.0 |  4,098 |   0.9
     Thailand .............|  6,550 |   2.1 |  6,940 |   2.0 |  7,090 |   1.7 |  7,690 |   1.8 |  8,630 |   2.0 |  9,537 |   2.1 | 10,889 |   2.4 | 12,165 |   2.7
                           |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |
Stateless\3\ ..............|    240 |   0.1 |    190 |   0.1 |     80 |  (\4\)|    120 |  (\4\)|     80 |  (\4\)|    100 | (\4\) |    105 | (\4\) |     30 | (\4\)
___________________________|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______|________|_______

\1\1990-91 and later years data are for Germany, which includes the former Federal Republic of Germany and the former Democratic Republic of Germany.

\2\Excludes Mexico and Central America, which are included with Latin America.

\3\Home country unknown or undeclared.

\4\Less than .05 percent.

---Data not available.

NOTE.--Data are for "nonimmigrants," i.e., students who have not migrated to this country. Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: Institute of International Education, "Open Doors", various years; and unpublished data. (Latest edition copyright @1995 by the Institute of International Education. All rights reserved.) (This table was prepared April 1997.)



1997 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest