The total number of international adoptions fell by 7 percent in 2012, after falling 15 percent in 2011 and 13 percent in 2010. The numbers for 2012 are the lowest since 1994 and are likely to continue to fall in light of recent political developments in Russia.
According to the State Department, international adoptions totaled 8,668 in 2012, down from 9,320 in 2011, 11,059 in 2010. International adoptions reached an all-time high in 2004 with 22,884 completed in that year.
China continued to have the highest number of international adoptions with 2,589. Ethiopia was the second highest with 1,568, and Russia was third with 748 adoptions.
The top ten countries for 2012 were:
- China – 2,589
- Ethiopia – 1,568
- Russia – 748
- South Korea – 627
- Ukraine – 395
- Democratic Republic of Congo – 240
- Uganda – 238
- Nigeria – 197
- Colombia – 195
- Taiwan – 177
To compare these numbers to previous years, look back to last year’s blog post. You can read the report at the State Department website. To read NPR’s or the New York Times’ take on the trends and numbers, visit their sites.
