Visible minorities are persons who are not of the majority race in a given population. For example, in Canada, visible minorities are defined as "persons, other than Aboriginals who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." A race is a distinct population of humans distinguished in some way from other humans. ... Indigenous peoples are: Peoples living in an area prior to colonization by a state Peoples living in an area within a nation-state, prior to the formation of a nation-state, but who do not identify with the dominant nation. ... Caucasian is originally a geographical term, meaning relative or pertaining to the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe and West Asia. ...

The term is commonly used in Canada and is a classification used by Statistics Canada in connection with that country's multiculturalism policies. It is also used in the United Kingdom, but is rarely used in the United States and other parts of the world. Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government bureau commissioned with gathering and analysing statistics about Canada. ... Multiculturalism is a policy, that emphasizes the unique characteristics of different cultures in the world, especially as they relate to one another in receiving nations. ...

Visible minorities in Canada

Nearly four million Canadians identified themselves as a visible minority in the 2001 Census, accounting for 13.4% of the total population. This was an increase from 1996 when the proportion was 11.2%, and a major increase over 1991 (9.4%) and 1981 (4.7%). The increase represents a significant shift in Canada's demographics since the advent of that country's multiculturalism policies. Demographics comprises selected characteristics of a population (age and income distribution and trends, mobility, educational attainment, home ownership and employment status, for instance) for purposes of social studies. ...

Of the provinces, British Columbia had the highest proportion of visible minorities, representing 21.6% of its population, followed by Ontario at 19.1%. People of Chinese origin are Canada’s largest visible minority group, with a population of more than one million. In 2001, they made up 3.5% of the country’s population, followed by South Asians (3%) and Blacks (2.2%). Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th)  - Land 925,186 km²  - Water 19,549 km² (2. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ... Map of South Asia. ... The term Blacks is often used in the West to denote race for persons whose progenitors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to West and sub-Saharan Africa. ...

External links

• Statistics Canada – Visible minority population, by census metropolitan areas (2001 Census) (http://www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/defdemo53a.htm)
• Statistics Canada – Population and Demography (http://www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/popula.htm)