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Trends in International Adoption - 2004 to 2008

International Adoption is just one of many ways in which parents can adopt a child. Children from all over the globe are waiting for their forever families and the statistics below show that Americans are responding to their plight. Unlike the United States, many countries don't have a domestic social system which allows children without a family to live in a home environment. Children in these countries are often placed in group homes or orphanages where they stay until their family finds them or until they've become old enough to live and support themselves on their own. "Institutionalization damages children in ways that last a lifetime," said Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO of Joint Council on International Children's Services. "Virtually all major child welfare professional agree that institutionalization is the least favorable settings for children."

The number of children adopted internationally in the U.S. is estimated by the number of orphan (IR-3/IR-4 or IH-3/IH-4) visas that have been issued, as reported by The State Department. Yearly, The DoS publishes these totals on their web site for the public to view.

As laws change in the United States as well as in the country in which the children adopted internationally originate, the number of children who come to the U.S. for international adoption will fluctuate. However, the fact remains, over the course of the last four years, China, Russia and Guatemala have been the three counties in which the most children have become U.S. Citizens through International Adoption.

*NOTE: All statistics given correspond with the U.S. Government fiscal year, which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. For example: Adoption statistics for 2008 = Number of adoptions from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008.

Below is a total number of international adoption visas issued by The State Department in their respective year. For a break down of the originating countries, scroll down below.

ANNUAL TOTAL OF ADOPTIONS FROM 2003-2008


2008: 17,438
2007: 19,613
2006: 20,679
2005: 22,739
2004: 22,884
2003: 21,616




Changes in the top 20 can be seen in this table:

FY 2008

FY 2007

FY 2006

FY 2005

FY 2004

1

Guatemala
4,123

China
5,453

China
6,493

China
7,906

China
7,044

2

China
3,909

Guatemala
4,728

Guatemala
4,135

Russia
4,639

Russia
5,865

3

Russia
1,861

Russia
2,310

Russia
3,706

Guatemala
3,783

Guatemala
3,264

4

Ethiopia
1,725

Ethiopia
1,255

South Korea
1,376

South Korea
1,630

South Korea
1,716

5

South Korea
1,065

South Korea
939

Ethiopia
732

Ukraine
821

Kazakhstan
826

6

Vietnam
751

Vietnam
828

Kazakhstan
587

Kazakhstan
755

Ukraine
723

7

Ukraine
457

Ukraine
606

Ukraine
460

Ethiopia
441

India
406

8

Kazakhstan
380

Kazakhstan
540

Liberia
353

India
323

Haiti
356

9

India
307

India
416

Colombia
344

Colombia
291

Ethiopia
289

10

Colombia
306

Liberia
314

India
320

Philippines
271

Colombia
287

11

Haiti
302

Colombia
310

Haiti
309

Haiti
234

Belarus
202

12

Philippines
291

Philippines
265

Philippines
245

Liberia
183

Philippines
196

13

Taiwan
267

Haiti
190

Taiwan
187

Taiwan
141

Bulgaria
110

14

Liberia
249

Taiwan
184

Vietnam
163

Mexico
88

Poland
102

15

Nigeria
148

Mexico
89

Mexico
70

Poland
73

Mexico
89

16

Mexico
103

Poland
84

Poland
67

Thailand
72

Liberia
86

17

Ghana
101

Thailand
67

Brazil
66

Brazil
66

Nepal
73

18

Kyrgyzstan
78

Kyrgyzstan
61

Nepal
66

Nigeria
65

Nigeria
71

19

Poland
77

Brazil
55

Nigeria
62

Jamaica
63

Brazil
69

20

Thailand
59

Uganda
54

Thailand
56

Nepal
62

Thailand
69

Credits: The U.S. Department of State

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