August 16, 2001

Few Asian and Pacific Islanders in North Dakota Have Significant Economic Impact

Asian and Pacific Islanders owned 279 North Dakota nonfarm businesses in 1997, employing 797 persons and generating $63 million in business revenues.

According to the recent Economic Brief released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, in 1997 Asian and Pacific Islander firms accounted for 0.5 percent of all nonfarm businesses in North Dakota, 0.3 percent of the state’s employment and 0.2 percent of receipts. "We need to keep in mind that there were only 3,606 North Dakotans (or 0.6 percent) who identified themselves as Asian or Pacific Islander in the 2000 Census. Recognizing these few numbers, the Asian community is well represented in our business community," said Richard Rathge, director of the State Data Center.

Nearly two-thirds of Asian and Pacific Islander-owned firms operated as a service or retail trade. Another 11 percent were businesses in finance, manufacturing, and transportation, communication, and utilities. Approximately two-thirds of sales and receipts were concentrated in retail trade and services.

Asian and Pacific Islander-owned firms with paid employees accounted for 31.9 percent of the total number of Asian and Pacific Islander firms and 95.1 percent of gross sales and receipts.

The data presented in this months Economic Brief are from the 1997 Economic Census, Minority-Owned Business Enterprises report released in May 2001. The Economic Census is conducted every 5 years with 1997 data being the most current. The data for 1997 are not directly comparable to previous survey years because of several significant changes to the survey methodology. For more information on methodology, visit the following URL - http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/econ97.html .

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Source: Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, richard_rathge@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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