By Jim Ludwick
Journal Staff Writer
Eleven percent of the people in Albuquerque are foreign-born, according to a new census report that underscores the diversity of the community.
That doesn't include people who were born abroad of American parents, or who were bsorn in Puerto Rico or U.S. island areas.
"We are a diverse community," Mayor Martin Chávez said Wednesday when asked about the numbers. "I think it's marvelous that our culture is informed by a worldwide cultural set."
Statewide, 9 percent are foreign-born, compared with roughly 12 percent nationally.
In Albuquerque, foreign-born residents have come from all over the world. Mexico accounts for the largest portion, but more than 23,000 people— nearly 5 percent of the city's population— were born in Asia, Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, South America and elsewhere.
About 6.5 percent of the residents of Albuquerque were born in Mexico— nearly 32,000 people. About 9,800 arrived in the country since the beginning of 2000. About 11,600 arrived during the 1990s.
Of people at least 5 years old in Albuquerque, Spanish is spoken in the homes of 25 percent. Nationally, the figure is 2.6 percent.
New Mexico ranks first in the United States for the percentage of foreign-born residents who came from Mexico: 71 percent, compared with 31 percent nationally. When They Arrived
Here's when foreign-born residents of Albuquerque arrived in the United States, according to a new census report. The figures do not include people who were born of American parents abroad, or people who were born in Puerto Rico or U.S. island areas.
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