The United States is a nation of immigrants… in that the majority of its citizens are not part of the native population of North America. In other words, because it was and remains a colonized land.
That aside, is the United States unique in receiving an extremely large number of new immigrants relative to its size? It turns out, No.
Lane Kenworthy, at Consider the Evidence, posted this figure, showing that the U.S. population does indeed include a substantial proportion of first generation immigrants (both legal and illegal), but it is not unique in that regard, nor does it carry the highest percentage:
It also fails to be true, as many anti-immigration people claim, that the U.S. accepts a uniquely large number of immigrants who need help once they arrive:
Comments 18
Jess — December 10, 2010
How were countries picked for inclusion in this figure?
T — December 10, 2010
Because of the large percentages in countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand, I don't think the following comment diminishes the impact of the statements above....
However, the European Union states are a tricky animal. An Italian moving to Germany is counted as an immigrant. But given the "open borders" of the E.U., it's not the same "sort" of immigrant when compared to, say, a Brazilian moving to Germany or a German moving to Brazil. There's obviously much more individual sovereignty, but the E.U. countries are more akin to someone moving between the states of the United States or the provinces of Canada.
Calvin — December 10, 2010
Additionally, the raw number of immigrants tell a different story. 25% of people being immigrants in the Australia comes out to be 5.5 million. In contrast, 15% of people being immigrants in the U.S. comes to be about 45 million.
In this sense, it is a nation of first-generation immigrants in terms of sheer number, if not in sheer proportion.
katerina — December 10, 2010
I'm a little confused about this. Most people in the US were born here, but of varying generations later than an immigrant. It's not the same thing as being a "native" population, but it's not the same thing as being an immigrant yourself either. It would stand that immigration is a lot lower now than at boom times of immigration, I would look at a graph like this and not be surprised how low the US falls on it at all, even if we're still getting a lot of immigration and most of us are not "natives".
tree — December 10, 2010
yes! australia wins! (unhelpful comment is unhelpful)
it's interesting to note how far down both graphs the UK is, given the strong anti-immigrant rhetoric that never seems to die.
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