This digest uses recent statistics, including Census 2000 data, to synthesize information on Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) children and families. The APIA population is diverse, and APIA groups vary widely in language, religion, beliefs, and health practices. The percentage of foreign born differs widely among APIA groups. The U.S. west is home to nearly half of all APIAs. Nearly one-third of APIAs reside in California, and over two-thirds of Hawaii's population consists of APIAs. Many first-generation APIAs established their own communities within American cities. Local services developed in these communities allowed APIAs of a single ethnicity to learn English and transition into a new life, with cultural and linguistic support benefiting families who remained in the communities. Educational completion rates differ widely among APIA groups. As a group, APIAs share no common language. Nearly two-thirds speak a non-English language at home. Support for English language learning and translation services is limited for APIAs. In 1997, the overall median income of APIA families and non-Hispanic whites was comparable, though there was great economic diversity among APIA groups. Employment and unemployment rates of APIAs in 1999 were equivalent to those of non-Hispanic whites, with APIAs more concentrated in managerial and professional specialty occupations than non-Hispanic whites. (SM)