Hmong American - Hmong Population Growth

Hmong Population Growth

Hmong in the United States of America have experienced a rapid population growth. This initially small group of people came from the mountains of China. The Chinese were in debt to the British at the time and were levying high taxes. The Hmong people rebelled against Chinese taxation but lost and moved south toward Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. There the Hmong people helped the Americans in the Vietnam War.

Before the Americans fled back to the US, leaving the Hmong behind, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) helped form a Hmong army. The CIA officials said that if the Americans were to lose the war they would relocate the Hmong people. A 1972 census showed there were about 250,000 Hmong people. Initially only 1,000 Hmong people were evacuated to the US. There are still a small number of Hmong people in refugee camps in Thailand today.

Hmong groups are mainly located in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California. In St. Paul about 2,000 Hmong people have their bachelor's degree, 150 have their master's degree, and 68 have received their doctoral degree.