Marketing to Native Americans / American Indians / First Nation people

In July 2002, the Native American/American Indian population was at 4.3 million, up from Census 1990 figures of 2 million.  The Native American/ American Indian population has been growing more rapidly than the total population, and  is expected to continue to do so.  Contrary to stereotypes, most Native Americans, about 60% of the population, live in urban areas of the country. 

Also contrary to stereotypes, while First Nation people are lumped together externally as "Native American," this term refers to hundreds of different tribes with their own cultures and history.  According to the US Census, 3.1 million people claimed membership in a specific tribe.  American Indian tribes with more than 50,000 members include the Cherokee, Navajo, Choctaw, Blackfeet, Chippewa, Muscogee (Creek), Apache, and Lumbee. Cherokee is the largest, with a population of 697,400 who are Cherokee alone or in combination with one or more other races or tribes.  Tlingit is the largest Alaska native tribe, with 17,200 members. Other Alaska native tribes with 5,000 or more members are Alaskan Athabascan, Eskimo, and Yup’ik.

The Selig Center, Georgia Business   has noted that although this group comprises less than one percent of the nation's population Native Americans will control almost $41 billion in disposable income.  This group's buying power will be up from $19.3 billion in 1990, a 111% increase over twelve years.