Native American Nations

Within the geographic boundaries of the United States there are more than 573 Indian tribes and Alaska Native groups that speak more than 250 languages. Each tribe has its own culture, history and identity. According to the 2000 census, there are more than 2.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. This page provides links to a series of sites which provide detailed information on Native Americans and Native governments.

General Resources

Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs – This notice publishes the current list of 567 Tribal entities recognized and eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) by virtue of their status as Indian Tribes. 08/11/2023

The Bureau of Indian Affairs posted the Tribal Leaders Directory.

The American Indian Heritage Foundation has a listing of American Indian Tribes recognized by the Federal Government (including addresses) by: Alaska / Hawaii, North West, South West, Northern Plains, Southern Plains, North East, and South East. National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)

The National Congress of American Indians has a listing of Tribal Government Contacts by: Alaska, Eastern Oklahoma, Great Plains, Midwest, Navajo Region, Northeast, Northwest, Pacific, Rocky Mountain, Southeast, Southern Plains, Southwest, and Western.

Native American Consultation Database (NACD) is an easy way to identify a current official contact for Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and corporations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. Names and addresses of tribal leaders are entered from the current Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Leaders Directory. Use the state tables compiled from Indian Land Cessions 1784-1894 as additional consultation resources.

The Library of Congress maintains a list of American Indian Tribes recognized by the Federal Government.

Wikipedia has a listing of the of the 566 Native American Tribal Entities which are recognized by the Federal Government.

U.S. Department of the Interior has published A Guide to Tracing American Indian & Alaska Native Ancestry for those people seeking to trace their native ancestry.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was founded in 1944 and is the oldest and largest tribal government organization in the United States. NCAI serves as a forum for consensus-based policy development among its membership of over 250 tribal governments from every region of the country. NCAI's mission is to inform the public and the federal government on tribal self-government, treaty rights, and a broad range of federal policy issues affecting tribal governments.

Native American Sites is an excellent resource maintained by Lisa Mitten (a librarian at the University of Pittsburgh).

American Indian Research and Policy Institute provides information and resources including Research, Publications, Projects, and Links.

Publications

When Men Murder Women is an annual analysis of national male on female homicide statistics in single victim/single offender situations. An updated publication is released each year from the Violence Policy Center. The report for 2003 came out in September. “Alaska is number one nationally in per capita domestic violence murder of women--again,” states Judy Cordell, Executive Director of AWAIC, the domestic violence shelter here in Anchorage. Visit the Alaska Center for Public Policy (ACPP) Blog for more information and statistics.

The American Indian Reservations and Indian Trust Areas, from the Economic Development Administration, is a compendium of information about the economic infrastructure of Indian Country. The material is arranged geographically, and is presented in small files based on location.

American Indians of the Pacific Northwest is a digital collection that integrates over 2,300 photographs and 7,700 pages of text relating to the American Indians in two cultural areas of the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Coast and Plateau. These resources illustrate many aspects of life and work, including housing, clothing, crafts, transportation, education, and employment. The materials are drawn from the extensive collections of at the University of Washington Libraries, the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane, and the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle.

According to the 2010 Census (Download Census Brief ), 5.2 million people in the United States identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. Out of this total, 2.9 million people identified as American Indian and Alaska Native alone. Almost half of the American Indian and Alaska Native population, or 2.3 million people, reported being American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races. The American Indian and Alaska Native in combination population experienced rapid growth, increasing by 39 percent since 2000. Map of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States.

Census 2000

• The American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2000
• Rankings and Comparisons Tables - Population change, comparisons with 1990, Race and Hispanic or Latino origin, and other topics for states, counties, and places
• Mapping Census 2000: The Geography of U.S. Diversity

Data in American FactFinder

• Demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics for AIAN Areas
• Tables showing population and other data for selected AIAN Tribes

American Community Survey

• Current Information for American Indians and Alaska Natives
• Endorsement by the National Congress of American Indians
• American Community Survey main page

Economic Data

• 1997 Surveys of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises AIAN Summary
• 1997 Economic Data by ZIP Code - Access data for AIAN areas by ZIP Code

Population Estimates and Projections

• 1999 County Population Estimates ranked by American Indian and Alaska Native Population
• Projected State Populations by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1995-2025

Maps

• Census 2000 American Indians and Alaska Natives Wall Map
• Census 2000 Governmental Unit Block Maps
• Census 2000 American Indian Tribal Census Tract Outline Maps

1990 Census

Characteristics of American Indians by Tribe and Language

Various data tables based on the 1990 Census

• Top 25 American Indian Tribes for the United States: 1980 and 1990
• Selected Social and Economic Characteristics for the 25 Largest American Indian Tribes: 1990
• American Indian Languages Spoken at Home by American Indian Persons 5 Years and Over in Households: 1990
• Selected Housing Characteristics of Occupied Housing Units With an American Indian Householder, by Tribe of Householder for the 25 Largest American Indian Tribes: 1990
• Map of Race and Hispanic Origin Population Density of the United States: 1990
• Population, Land area, and Poverty Data for American Indian and Alaska Native Areas

Census Briefs - Housing of American Indians on Reservations: 1990

• Plumbing
• Structural Characteristics
• Equipment and Fuels
• Phoneless in America