THE OVERSEAS CHINESE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA SECTION OC-7 WORLDWIDE OVERSEAS CHINESE POPULATION FIGURES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000300310001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 28, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 1, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02771 R000300310001-1
THE OVERSEAS CHINESE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
SECTION OC-7:
WORLDWIDE OVERSEAS CHINESE POPULATION FIGURES
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February 1954
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FEB 2 5 1S,4
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief: FE Division
ATTENTION
25X1A8a
SUBJECT : Memorandum Report
Worldwide Overseas Chinese Population Figures
REFERENCES 25X1A8a
W
(b) Your request #808-1 dated 10 February 195
1. In response to your request we have prepared a list of popu-
lation figures for overseas Chinese communities throughout the world.
These figures are based on the most recent information available to
this office; however,., they must be used with special consideration
of date and source of information and of the definition used for over-
seas Chinese. These qualifications are outlined in the introduction
To--the list.
2. Data for the attached lists has been gathered from year-
books intelligence reports and- research studies.
25X1A8a
25X1A8a
25X1A9a
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 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02771 R000300310001-1
THE OVERSEAS CHINESE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Section OC-7;
W(tLDWIDE OVERSEAS CHINESE POPULATION FIGURES
25X1A8a
Prepared by 25X1A9a
Prepared for
25X1A8a
Case Number
Date completed: 19 February 1954
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 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02771 R000300310001-1
FEB 2 5 1954
WORLDWIDE OVERSEAS CHINESE POPULATION FIGURES
The attached lists are based on the latest information available on the
size of Chinese communities beyond the borders of mainland China and the island
of Formosa. These overseas Chinese groups are, for the most part, immigrants
from, or descendents of immigrants from, the two southeastern Chinese provinces
of Kwangtung and Fukien. The only major group not originating in one of these
two provinces is a group of about $0,000-60,000 from the province of Yunnan,
living in Burma.
Marcy of the figures listed in the table are taken from official census
records or other registrations. Many others are, because of the lack of such
official data, estimates based on incomplete evidence but believed to be
reasonably accurate.
Certain qualifications must be borne in mind, however, in the interpre-
tation or acceptance of these figures&
1. Reliability of source of information. Two of the major sources
utilized, sources 2 and 3, are reports issued by the Chinese Nationalist
Government on Formosa and seem to be somewhat exaggerated in comparison
with other evidence. In the past, Formosa statistics have not proven
always reliable. Source 1 cites statements of delegates to the Overseas
Chinese Conference held in Taipei in October 1952 and also may be boast-
ful exaggeration of the magnitude of their support.
2. Age and availability of information. It should be noted that
some of the information presented is several years old; in two cases
it is no more recent than 1938. This is because many countries have
not taken an official census for many years (e.g., the last official
census of Indonesia was in 1930; in Burma, 1931). Wherever possible,
estimates based on trends and observations have been used. For some
countries, in particular those behind the Iron Curtain, to obtain or
qwfflff~
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verify information is difficult. In most overseas Chinese communities
the rate of natural increase has been about two to three per cent per
annum. Extrapolations based on this rate must, however, be tempered with
information on trends of migration.
3. Definition of subject. One of the major reasons population
estimates vary widely, or differ widely from official figures, is the
problem of defining the subject. In some countries, persons of foreign
ancestry who have become citizens are no longer considered to be mem-
bers of the alien community. Some countries have special rules regarding
the treatment of progerV of mixed, alien-native marriages. This is an
important factor in computing the overseas Chinese because until about
1920 few women emigrated from China and the men usually married native
women. In some countries a set rule delineates alien from non-alien
population on the basis of percentage of alien blood or the number of
generations born in the country. Because of the varying rules, many
existing simultaneously within the same country, or the absence of any
rules in some cases, it is difficult to properly evaluate the infor-
mation available. The guide preferred by many is the test of how the
individual considers himself: If he dresses as a Chinese and maintains
his Chinese customs and language, he is an overseas Chinese. If he
has become assimilated to the local population in most ways, then he
is not., There is no way, however, of ascertaining which rules have
been used in each country.
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Country
Number of
Overseas
Chinese
Year
Source
Remarks
1.
NEAR EAST AND AFRICA
India
20,000
1952
J
Official 1947 figure is
13,964. /,
Pakistan
63
1953
31
Ceylon
300
1945
.
Afghanistan
28
1947
W.,
Turkey
1,830
1953
/
Includes 1,800 refugees
from Sinkiang.
Iran
4
1951
3/
Arabia
Iraq
6,100
1
1938
1952
F/
Egypt
73
1952
_
J
Union of South Africa
5,000
1952
Official figure for 1952
is 4.9179. 31,
Portuguese East Africa
1,354
1952
British East Africa
380
1952
2/, 3/
Southern Rhodesia
Madagascar
166
5,358
1952
1952
J, 3
Reunion
3,800
1952
/,
Mauritius
16,000
1952
/,
Belgian Congo
10
1952
/
2.
WESTERN AND SOUTHERN EUROPE
Sweden
24
8
194
3
J
Norway
3
.
1947
'~
2
Denmark
900
1950
,1
France
3,300
1952
In 1948 a figure of
17,000 was reported.
This figure may be more
accurate.
Germany
800
1952
No breakdown is given
for East and West zones
Austria
30
1952
71
Belgium
118
1952
Netherlands
2,017
1947
/, 3/
Spain
44
1940
2/.,
Portugal
73
1952
Switzerland
11
1948
Greece
1
1952
Italy
260
1952
United Kingdom
2,546
1941
Maltese Islands
11,000
--
Source gives no date
3a
EASTERN EUROPE AND THE SOVIET UNION
Soviet Union 1,236 1948
Czechoslovakia 96 1947
Poland 88 1947
-3-
A press report states,
however, that there are
about 2,500 in Gdansk
and Szczecin. V
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County
4.
WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Number of
Overseas
Chinese Year Source Remarks
United States
118,400
1951
Canada
45,000
1952
Mexico
12,000
1951
Guatemala
3,100
1951
J
Honduras
300
1951
Salvador
250
1953
'61
Nicaragua
2,500
1952
Costa Rica
850
1952
Panama
2,100
1952
Cuba
23,765
1952
Haiti
207
1953
Dominican Republic
573
1952
Jamaica
13,000
1951
2/: 31
Trinidad
3,100
1951
Venezuela
1,399
1952
Colombia
917
1951
Ecuador
717
In 1948 the population
was 3,700.
Peru
Bolivia
15,530
78
1952
1952
3/
Chile
1, 018
1952
1
In 1947 the population
was 2,375? y
Argentina
250
1952
31
Uruguay
120
1952
Brazil
1,000
1952
Martinique
41
1953
Guiana
3,648
1947
1~ 1
May include Surinam;
see below.
Surinam
7,000
1953
s 2J
See Guiana.
Dutch West Indies
1,002
1948
May include Surinam.
5. FAR EAST AND OCEANIA
Indonesia
000
000
2
1953
10
Thailand
Burma
Malaya (inch
Singapore)
,
,
3,000,000
300,000
3,012,L15
1952
1954
1953
,
61.
12'.
31
Philippines
230,000
1950
13 .
Vietnam
1,000,000
1952
i/
Cambodia
2
..928
17
1953
Laos
794
1
0
1953
/
Borneo
67,452
1948
5
Brunei
8,313
1947
Sarawak
145,119
1947
Timor (Port.)
3,500
1938
2 j, 31
Hong Kong
2,000,000
1951
$3
Macao
260,000
1951
2, Y/
South Korea
17,962
1952
1
Pre-Korean war total for all
Japan
44,000
1952
15
Korea was 70,290. 1
Some estimates range as
high as 78,000, but
these seem unlikely.
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Count
Number of
Overseas
Chinese
Year
Source
Remarks
5.
FAR EAST AND OCEANIA
(continued)
Australia
13,130
1953
3
New Zealand
7,000
1952
New Guinea
2,600
1953
Fiji Islands
2,105
1946
Samoan Islands
301
1952
1940 population was
7,198. 1
Society Islands
7,055
1952
3
Hawaii
30,286
1946
3
May be included in
figures for the US.
Totals (based on first column):
Near East and Africa
60,457
V,Teptern and Southern Europe
10,12?
Eastern Europe and the USSR
1,420
Western Hemisphere
257j,865
Far East and Oceania
12,379,957
12,709,826
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