Burmese American
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| Burmese American |
|---|
| Total population |
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30,000 |
| Regions with significant populations |
| California, New York, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois |
| Languages |
| English, Burmese |
| Religions |
| Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism |
Burmese Americans, or Myanmarese Americans, are Americans of Burmese descent. The term encompasses people of all ethnic groups living in the present-day Myanmar (formerly Burma).[1] Burmese Americans are a subgroup of Asian Americans.
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[edit] History in the United States
A large percentage of expatriates from Myanmar arrived in the United States between the late 1960s and mid 1980s. Many Burmese--primarily of Anglo-Burmese, Indian and Chinese origins--began to emigrate abroad after Gen. Ne Win established military rule in 1962. Some of the Burmese immigrated to the United States after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished the previously existing quota on Asian immigrants.[2] A second influx occurred during the late 1980s and early 1990s after the national uprising in 1988. Many Burmese (including the indigenous Burmese) left Burma in large numbers in search of better opportunities.
The Burmese in far smaller numbers continue to immigrate to the United States today mainly through family sponsorships and the "green card lottery". Thousands of Burmese each year apply to a Diversity Visa Program (colloquially known as "OP" in Burmese), a lottery-based program that grants random visas to people wishing to reside in the United States.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 16,720 persons of Burmese descent resided in the United States. That number is estimated to have risen to at least 50,000 today because of the large number of Burmese people seeking political asylum. The actual number, however, may be even larger. (Note that a significant number of Burmese Chinese and Burmese Indians who immigrated to the United States for socio-economic factors tend to identify themselves as Chinese or South Asian rather than Burmese. Additionally, the Anglo-Burmese and Anglo-Indians from Burma, mostly now settled in Southern California and Georgia, usually classify themselves as 'other' for racial purposes.)[citation needed]
Various Burmese exile groups have set up shop in the United States. One prominent group is the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (
), which is an exile government headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.
[edit] Communities
Most Burmese Americans live in metropolitan areas with large immigrant populations. The Big Four metropolitan areas with sizable Burmese populations are Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, and Washington DC. Other areas of significance include Indiana where many Burmese refugees have resided, Illinois and Florida.
- Los Angeles -- San Gabriel Valley, especially San Gabriel and Rosemead
- Bay Area, San Francisco, California, San Jose, California
- New York City -- mostly Queens and Brooklyn, Northern New Jersey
- Washington DC -- Northern Virginia and Maryland
- Indiana -- Fort Wayne
- Chicago
[edit] Culture
As most Burmese are Buddhists, many Burmese Buddhist monasteries, most of which also serve as community centers, have sprouted across most major cities in the United States. A few ethnic Mon and Rakhine monasteries serve their respective ethnic populations. Burmese Christian churches consisting mainly of ethnic Karen, Chin and Kachin congregations can also be found in large metropolitan areas.
English is the primary language for most Burmese Americans, albeit with varying levels of fluency depending on the level of education and the years lived in the country. Burmese is still widely spoken or understood as most Burmese Americans are recent immigrants or first generation children of those immigrants. Still, the command of spoken Burmese among the American-born Burmese is basic to poor, and that of written Burmese is close to none. Some older Burmese of Chinese origin speak Chinese (typically, Mandarin, Minnan, or Cantonese); likewise some of South-Asian origin speak some Indic language (usually Hindi/Urdu).
[edit] Sources
- ^ Lin Zhan (2003). Asian Americans: Vulnerable Populations, Model Interventions, and Clarifying Agendas. Jones & Bartlett. ISBN 0763722413.
- ^ http://www.historicaldocuments.com/ImmigrationActof1965.htm
[edit] Notable Burmese Americans
- Wendy Law Yone
- Natalise
- Thant Myint-U
[edit] See also
- Demographics of Myanmar
- Asian Americans
- National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
- Canadian Friends of Burma
- US Campaign for Burma
- Free Burma Coalition
- Burmese monasteries
[edit] External links
- The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965
- Burmese American Professionals Society
- Burmese-American's own companies in USA
- Burmese American Democratic Alliance
- Burmese American Women's Alliance
- US Census 2000 foreign born population by country
- http://burmeseamerican.com/
- Unconventional Commentaries on Karen people of Burma
- The first Burmese Language News Paper in United States
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