ABSTRACT
More than 500 years ago, a Hispanic influence was first felt in the New World of the Americas. The Spanish Empire spread the language and culture of Spain to nearly all of South America, most of Central America, and the southern third of North America. Today, at the brink of the twenty-first century, Hispanic influence is being felt in the United States in a new and vibrant way. This influence comes about primarily through the demographic impact of Hispanics—that is, the number and composition of their population, their migration, and their growth. This chapter presents a demographic portrait of the Hispanic population.
