Editing Hmong people (section)

==Diaspora==
{{Further|Integration of Hmong people into urban society}}

Linguistic data shows that the Hmong of the peninsula stem from the Miao of southern China as one among a set of ethnic groups belonging to the [[Hmong–Mien languages|Hmong–Mien]] language family.<ref>Ratliff and Niederer, in Tapp, Michaud, Culas and Lee, Hmong/Miao in Asia, Silkworm Press, 2004</ref> Linguistically and culturally speaking, the Hmong and the other sub-groups of the Miao have little in common.<ref>Tapp, N. 2001, Hmong in China. Brill{{page needed|date=January 2016}}</ref>

[[Vietnam]], where their presence is attested from the late 18th century onwards and characterized with both assimilation, cooperation and hostility, is likely to be the first [[Southeast Asia|Southeastern Eurasian]] country into which the Hmong migrated.<ref>Culas and Michaud, 2004, in Tapp, Michaud, Culas and Lee, Hmong/Miao in Asia. SIlkworm.</ref> At the 2019 national census, there were 1,393,547 Hmong living in Vietnam, the vast majority of them in the north of the country. The traditional trade in [[Taiwania|coffin wood]] with China and cultivation of the [[opium poppy]] – not prohibited in Vietnam until 1993 – long guaranteed a regular cash income. Today, [[cash crop]]ping is the main economic activity. As in China and Laos, Hmong participate to a certain degree in local and regional administration.<ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Bonnin |first1=Christine |title=Markets in the mountains: upland trade-scapes, trader livelihoods, and state development agendas in northern Vietnam |url=https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/s4655m46k }}</ref> In the late 1990s, several thousands of Hmong started moving to the [[Central Highlands, Vietnam|Central Highlands]] and some crossed the border into [[Cambodia]], constituting the first attested presence of Hmong settlers in that country.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

In 2015, the Hmong in Laos numbered 595,028.<ref name="Census2015">{{cite web|url=https://lao.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/PHC-ENG-FNAL-WEB_0.pdf|title=Results of Population and Housing Census 2015 |publisher=Lao Statistics Bureau |access-date=1 May 2020}}</ref> Hmong settlement there is nearly as ancient as in Vietnam.

After the 1975 Communist victory, thousands of Hmong from [[Laos]] had to seek refuge abroad (see Laos below). Approximately 30 percent of the Hmong have left, although the only concrete figure we have is that of 116,000 Hmong from Laos and Vietnam together seeking refuge in Thailand up to 1990.<ref>Culas and Michaud 2004</ref>

In 2002 the Hmong in Thailand numbered 151,080.

[[Myanmar]] most likely includes a modest number of Hmong (perhaps around 2,500) but no reliable census has been conducted there recently.<ref>Michaud et al. 2016</ref>

As result of [[refugee]] movements in the wake of the Indochina Wars (1946–1975), in particular, in Laos, the largest Hmong community to settle outside Asia went to the United States where approximately 100,000 individuals had already arrived by 1990. By the same date, 10,000 Hmong had migrated to France, including 1,400 in [[French Guiana]]; [[Canada]] admitted 900 individuals, while another 360 went to [[Australia]], 260 to [[China]], and 250 to [[Argentina]]. Over the following years and until the definitive closure of the last refugee camps in Thailand in 1998, additional numbers of Hmong have left Asia, but the definitive figures are still to be produced.<ref>Culas and Michaud 2004.</ref>

[[File:Hmong Girl in PhoCao HaGiang 2005.JPG|thumb|Hmong girl (aged 15) preparing wedding dress, Phố Cáo commune, Hà Giang province, Vietnam]]
Approximately 5% of the Hmong population currently lives outside of Asia, with the United States home to the largest Hmong diaspora community. The 2008 census counted 171,316 people solely of Hmong ancestry, and 221,948 persons of at least partial Hmong ancestry.<ref>2008 Southeast Asian American Data from the American Community Survey (Released Fall 2009)</ref> Other countries with significant populations include:<ref>Lemoine. "What is the number of the (H)mong in the world."</ref>
* [[France]]: 15,000
* [[Australia]]: 2,000
* [[French Guiana]]: 1,500
* [[Canada]]: 835
* [[Argentina]]: 600

[[Hmong Americans|The Hmong population within the United States]] is centered in the [[Upper Midwest]] ([[Wisconsin]], [[Minnesota]]) and [[California]].<ref>Pfeifer, Mark (compiler). University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire{{cite web|url=http://www.uwec.edu/Econ/Research/Hmong/HPopulation.htm |title=Hmong Population Research Project – Population |access-date=7 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725181757/http://www.uwec.edu/Econ/Research/Hmong/HPopulation.htm |archive-date=25 July 2008 }} archived 25 July 2008 from [http://www.uwec.edu/Econ/research/hmong/HPopulation.htm the original] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822123712/http://www.uwec.edu/Econ/research/hmong/HPopulation.htm |date=22 August 2009 }}</ref>

===Vietnam===

Hmong people in [[Vietnam]] have been perceived differently by various modern political organizations and in different historical periods. Since the Hmong are an ethnic minority in Vietnam, their loyalty toward the Vietnamese state has been frequently questioned by the state. However, many Hmong in Vietnam are fiercely loyal, regardless of the current ideologies of the government;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/vietnam/articles/the-history-of-vietnams-hmong-community/|title=The History of Vietnam's Hmong Community|last=Pike|first=Matthew|website=Culture Trip|date=29 April 2018|access-date=20 January 2020}}</ref> the Hmong in [[Laos]] and [[Cambodia]] are the most supportive of active resistance. These tend to be Hmong Christians that have been targeted by all three Vietnamese governments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/hmong-catholics-keep-faith-in-vietnam-despite-hardship/83137|title=Hmong Catholics keep faith in Vietnam despite hardship - UCA News|website=ucanews.com}}</ref> The Hmong in Vietnam also receive cultural and political incentives from the government,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vietnamroyaltourism.com/Hmong-People-in-Vietnam.html|title=Hmong People in Vietnam|website=vietnamroyaltourism.com}}</ref> which led to the Vietnamese Hmong further diverging from the Laotian Hmong, since the latter are strongly anti-Vietnamese due to the Secret War and Communism.

===Laos===

There are 595,028 Hmong people in Laos. They mainly live in northern regions.

===Thailand===
[[File:Hmong-Ban Phaya Phipak62.JPG|thumb|Hmong girls in [[Thoeng District]], [[Thailand]]]]
{{see also|Wat Tham Krabok}}
The Hmong presence in Thailand dates back to the turn of the 20th century when families migrated from China through Laos and Burma, according to most authors. A relatively small population, they still formed dozens of villages and hamlets throughout the northern provinces. The Hmong were registered by the state as the Meo hill tribe. Then, more Hmong migrated from Laos to Thailand following the victory of the [[Pathet Lao]] in 1975. While some ended up in refugee camps, others settled in mountainous areas among more ancient [[Hill tribe (Thailand)|Hill Tribes]].<ref name="Baird 2013 120–151">{{cite book|last=Baird|first=Ian G.|title=The monks and the Hmong: The special relationship between the Chao Fa and the Tham Krabok Buddhist Temple in Saraburi Province, Thailand. In Vladimir Tikhonov and Torkel Brekke (eds.), Violent Buddhism – Buddhism and Militarism in Asia in the Twentieth Century|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|location=London|pages=120–151}}</ref>

===Americas===
{{Main|Hmong Americans}}{{see also|List of Hmong Americans|History of the Hmong in Merced, California|Hmong archives|Lao Veterans of America|Laos Memorial|The Center for Public Policy Analysis}}
Many Hmong refugees resettled in the United States after the [[Vietnam War]]. Beginning in December 1975, the first Hmong refugees arrived in the U.S., mainly from refugee camps in Thailand; however, only 3,466 were granted asylum under the [[Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act|Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1975]]. In May 1976, another 11,000 were allowed to enter the United States, and by 1978 some 30,000 Hmong people had emigrated. This first wave was made up predominantly of men directly associated with General Vang Pao's secret army. It was not until the passage of the [[Refugee Act of 1980]] that families were able to enter the U.S., becoming the second wave of Hmong immigrants. Hmong families scattered across all 50 states but most found their way to each other, building large communities in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, 260,073 Hmong people reside in the United States,<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/en.html|title=Census.gov|website=Census.gov}}</ref> the majority of whom live in California (91,224), then Minnesota (66,181), and Wisconsin (49,240), an increase from 186,310 in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |title=Census Bureau Homepage |publisher=Census.gov |date=25 May 2012 |access-date=8 June 2012}}</ref> 247,595 or 95.2% are Hmong alone, and the remaining 12,478 are mixed Hmong with some other ethnicity. The vast majority of part-Hmong are under 10&nbsp;years old.

In terms of cities and towns, the largest Hmong-American community is in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] (29,662), followed by [[Fresno, California|Fresno]] (24,328), [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] (16,676), [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] (10,245), and [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] (7,512).<ref name="wwwcensusgov" />

There are smaller Hmong communities scattered across the United States, including those in Minnesota ([[Rochester, Minnesota|Rochester]], [[Mankato]], [[Duluth]]); Michigan ([[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] and [[Warren, Michigan|Warren]]); [[Anchorage, Alaska]]; [[Denver, Colorado]]; [[Portland, Oregon]]; Washington; North Carolina ([[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Morganton, North Carolina|Morganton]]); South Carolina ([[Spartanburg]]); Georgia ([[Auburn, Georgia|Auburn]], [[Duluth, Georgia|Duluth]], [[Monroe, Georgia|Monroe]], [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], and [[Winder, Georgia|Winder]]); Florida ([[Tampa Bay]]); California ([[Merced, California|Merced]]); Wisconsin ([[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin|Eau Claire]], [[Appleton, Wisconsin|Appleton]], [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]], [[Milwaukee]], [[Oshkosh, Wisconsin|Oshkosh]], [[La Crosse, Wisconsin|La Crosse]], [[Sheboygan, Wisconsin|Sheboygan]], [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin|Manitowoc]], and [[Wausau, Wisconsin|Wausau]]); [[Aurora, Illinois]]; [[Kansas City, Kansas]]; [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]]; [[Missoula, Montana]]; [[Des Moines, Iowa]]; [[Springfield, Missouri]]; [[Arkansas]], [[Fitchburg, Massachusetts]],<ref name="wwwcensusgov" /> and [[Providence, Rhode Island]].<ref name="ProJoHmong">{{cite news|title=Rhode Island's Hmong-Lao community to mark 40 years of resettlement|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20160508/rhode-islands-hmong-lao-community-to-mark-40-years-of-resettlement|access-date=19 September 2017|newspaper=The Providence Journal|date=8 May 2016}}</ref>

[[Sunisa Lee|Sunisa "Suni" Lee]] of [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]] is a notable Hmong-American; she is a three time Olympic medalist in artistic gymnastics. In the [[2020 Summer Olympics]], Lee won silver in the women's artistic team all-around, followed by gold in the women's artistic individual all-around and bronze in the women's uneven bars. With these results, Sunisa made history as both the first Hmong-American to compete in the Olympics in any sport and the first Hmong-American to win an Olympic medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wpr.org/hmong-community-rejoices-sunisa-lee-becomes-first-hmong-american-gold-medalist|title=Hmong Community Rejoices As Sunisa Lee Becomes First Hmong American Gold Medalist|website=Wisconsin Public Radio|date=29 July 2021|author=Rob Mentzer}}</ref>

Canada's small Hmong population is mostly concentrated within the province of [[Ontario]]. [[Kitchener, Ontario]] has 515 residents of Hmong descent, and has a Hmong church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3530013&Data=Count&SearchText=kitchener&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1|title=2011 National Household Survey Profile – Census subdivision|publisher=[[Statistics Canada]]|date=8 May 2013}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=IX8kipA3v6gC&dq=kitchener+ontario+hmong&pg=PA95 The Hmong, 1987–1995: A Selected and Annotated Bibliography], ''Diane Publishing''</ref>

There is also a small community of several thousand Hmong who migrated to [[French Guiana]] in the late 1970s and early 1980s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hmongcenter.org/hmoninfrengu.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901225550/http://www.hmongcenter.org/hmoninfrengu.html |archive-date=1 September 2007 |title=Info about the Hmong in French Guyana – KaYing Yang, Hmong Cultural Center, 1994 |date=1 September 2007 |access-date=8 June 2012}}</ref> that can be mainly found in the Hmong villages of [[Javouhey]] (1200 individuals) and [[Cacao, French Guiana|Cacao]] (950 individuals).

The Hmong immigrant population of [[Detroit]] is a central focus of the 2008 film [[Gran Torino]], though that city does not have a significant Hmong population.