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INFERTILITY   ADOPTION   POST-ADOPTION   FAMILY TREE   Adoption Resource Central    Heart of Adoption Articles to inspire   COUNTRY NEWS The latest from specific countries   You can order Family Helper publications   Robin's GLOSSARY of adoption terms		2005 stats: second year of decline in intercountry adoptions BY ROBIN HILBORN, Family Helper editor
		(Aug. 17, 2006)   In 2005 Canadians adopted 1,871 children from abroad. 973 of those children (52%) were Chinese, since China is once again the most popular country for Canadians adopting internationally. Although this is the second year of decline in the number of international adoptions -- down from 2,180 in 2003 and 1,955 in 2004 -- it is too early to say that adoptions are headed below the ten-year trend. Intercountry adoptions to Canada have in fact been stable for a decade; it's normal for the numbers to vary up and down between about 1,800 and 2,200 a year: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) released the international adoption statistics for 2005 to the Adoption Council of Canada on Aug. 17, 2006. Here are the top 25 countries in 2005, compared to 2004 and 2003: International Adoptions in Canada, Top 25 Countries   2005 2004 2003 China 973 1,001 1,112 Haiti 115 159 150 United States 102 79 74 South Korea 97 97 73 Russia 88 106 92 Philippines 70 62 58 India 41 37 10 Ukraine 39 16 23 Ethiopia 31 34 14 Taiwan 30 15 26 Jamaica 22 23 43 Thailand 21 40 38 Colombia 18 38 37 Pakistan 17 7 9 Ghana 15 12 11 Congo, Dem. Rep. 11 8 x Bulgaria 10 10 11 Liberia 10 10 x Cambodia 10 14 23 Hong Kong 8 x x Guyana 8 14 19 Nigeria 6 x x Brazil 6 x x El Salvador 5 x x St. Vincent 5 x x Other Countries 113 183 297 Total 1,871 1,955 2,180 x = From 0 to 4 [number suppressed by CIC to protect privacy] As expected, China retained the lead in intercountry adoptions. Haiti held on to second place despite a 28% decline due to unrest in that country (which is continuing in 2006). The United States is a close third, and may rise to second place in 2006, based on its increase of 29% in 2005. Six countries appear in the top 25 for the first time: Brazil, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Liberia, Nigeria, St. Vincent. Six countries from 2004 didn't make the top 25 in 2005 (brackets give the figure for 2004): Belarus (32), Armenia (10), South Africa (8), Poland (6), Georgia (6), Moldova (6). ______________________________________ For the complete international adoption statistics for 2005, see Adoption Council of Canada, International Adoptions Down in 2005. The ACC report includes breakdowns by province, by age and sex of the child, and by Census Metropolitan Area. For the status of adoption in specific countries, see Country News. ______________________________________ You may reproduce this item with the credit: "From Family Helper, www.familyhelper.net"