CB02-FF.10
June 20, 2002
Quotes and radio sound bites
The Fourth of July 2002
Fireworks
$121.6 million
U.S. imports of fireworks from China in 2001, the bulk of total U.S. fireworks
imports ($128.9 million) that year.
U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, amounted to $18.0 million, with Japan
purchasing more than any other single country ($7.0 million). http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/
Flags
$51.7 million
The dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2001; just over half
of this amount ($29.7 million) was for U.S. flags made in China. The bulk of
these flags were imported in October, the first full month following Sept.
11, when $34.8 million worth were brought into the country. http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/
$511,000
Dollar value of exports of U.S. flags in 2001. Mexico was the leading customer,
purchasing $162,900 worth. http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/
The Fourth of July Cookout
As with many holidays, the 4th of July celebration includes food,
drink and the realization of how fortunate we are as a nation. As of 1999,
66 million Americans said they had taken part in a barbeque during the previous
year and 32 million in a picnic. It's probably safe to assume a good number
of these events took place on the Fourth. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-12.html
Though we do not have a fixed menu for the celebration of the Fourth, you can almost count on traditional favorites, such as hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken, ribs, garden salads, potato salad, chips and watermelon. Following is a summary of where these foods are produced:
- The beef on your backyard grill could have come from Texas. It was the leading state in the production of cattle and calves, accounting for 7.5 billion lbs. of the nation's total production of 42.8 billion lbs. in 2000.
- Your hot dogs and ribs may have originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State had a total inventory of 14.9 million hogs and pigs as of March 1, 2002 -- about one-fourth of the nation's total.
- The chicken on your barbecue grill may have come from one of the top six broiler-producing states: Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi and Texas. The value of production in each of these states exceeded $1 billion in 2001. These states combined for well over half of the nation's broiler production.
- The lettuce in your salad or on your hamburger probably was grown in California, which accounted for nearly three-quarters of the value of this product in 2001.
- The fresh tomatoes in your salad or the ketchup on your hamburger or hot dog most likely come from Florida or California, which combined for nearly two-thirds of U.S. tomato production in 2001.
- Your side dish of baked beans or pork and beans may very well come from North Dakota or Nebraska, which, combined, produced nearly half of the dry, edible beans in 2001.
- As to the potatoes in your products such as potato salad or those used in making your potato chips, Idaho and Washington combined for one-half of potato production in 2001.
- For dessert, some mouth-watering watermelon might really hit the spot. Five states -- California, Florida, Georgia, Texas and Arizona -- combined for almost three-quarters of the value of watermelon production in 2001. http://www.usda.gov/nass/
Coming to America
56 million
The number of foreign-born and first-generation U.S. residents in 2000, the
highest level in U.S. history. This group represented a ratio of 1-in-5 residents.
The foreign-born population alone was estimated at 28 million, or 1-in-10
U.S. residents. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-18.html
- Naturalized citizens represented 37 percent of the nation's foreign-born
population in 2000. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-18.html
- Six states had estimated foreign-born populations of 1 million or more in
2000: California
(8.8 million), New York (3.6 million), Florida (2.8 million), Texas (2.4 million), New Jersey
(1.2 million) and Illinois (1.2 million). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-18.html
- In 2000, one-half of the foreign-born population was from Latin America. More than one-quarter of the foreign-born alone were from Mexico. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-18.html
Patriotic-Sounding Places
30 Parks
64 million You may or may not be able to picnic there, but a visit to a national historical
site is a particularly fitting way to celebrate our nation's heritage on its
226th birthday. During 1999, 73 million people visited a national
historical site and 24 million a national monument. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-12.html
"The British are coming! The British are coming!" These days, this cry applies
to tourists rather than "redcoats." During FY 1999, 3.6 million tourists from
the United Kingdom visited the United States, more than from any country except
Japan. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-12.html
$50 billion
Number of places nationwide with "Liberty" in their name. According to Census
2000, the most populous one was Liberty, Mo. (26,232). Iowa has more of these
places than any other state: four (Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty
and West Liberty).
Number of visitors in 1999 to our nation's national parks -- a particularly
scenic locale for a July 4th picnic. In FY 2000 (July 1, 1999 -- June
30, 2000) there were 787 million visitors to another nice picnic venue -- a state
park or recreation area. Those in California (99 million), New York (59 million)
and Ohio (55 million) recorded the highest number of visitors. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02-12.html
Britain and France
$82 billion
Dollar volume of trade in 2001 between the United States and the United Kingdom,
making the U.K., our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today. http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/
Value of combined imports from and exports to France in 2001. France, our
key ally during the American Revolution, currently is our nation's ninth-leading
trading partner. http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/
The preceding facts come from the U.S. import and export trade reports,
Census 2000, the Statistical Abstract of the United States, the Current Population
Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics
Service. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.
Previous 2002 Census Bureau Facts for Features: African American History Month
(February), Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), Women's History Month (March), St. Patrick's
Day (March 17), Census Bureau Centennial (March 6), Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month (May), Older Americans Month (May), Mother's Day (May 12) and Father's
Day (June 16). Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's
Public Information Office
(tel [301] 457-3030; fax [301] 457-3670; e-mail: pio@census.gov).