Asians are one of the fastest-growing minority populations groups in the United States.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of the total population of 304-million (as of July 1, 2008), 13.5-million people (4.5 percent of the total) described themselves as Asian. A total of 15.5-million people (5.1 percent of total) described themselves as Asian or part-Asian.

Between 2000 and 2008, the Asian-American population grew up 26.8 percent, or more than thrice the 7.8 percent growth rate of the nation as a whole.

The Western region of the U.S. has by far the largest number of Asians, accounting for about 10 percent of the total population. The Midwest and South have the lowest proportion (under 5 percent).

However, the growth rate of Asians in the South has surged by 43.5 percent since 2000, and by 29.8 percent in the Midwest (faster than the corresponding rates in the Northeast and the West).

By far, California had the largest Asian population of any state (nearly 5.1 million), with New York (1.4-million) at a distance second.

Hawaii is the only state in the union where Asians form a majority of the population (54 percent).

Here are the five counties in the U.S. with the largest number of Asian residents.

4. Queens County, NY 529,000
One of the largest and most densely-populated counties in the U.S., the borough of Queens has witnessed an explosive growth in its Asian population over the past two or three decades. From Koreans in Flushing to Bangladeshis in Jackson Heights, Asians have made a tremendous footprint in Queens. Eattoblog
3. Orange County, Calif. 529,000
Traditionally a stronghold of conservative Republicans, Orange County is a wealthy suburban enclave south of Los Angeles famous for Disneyland. The county has large numbers of Vietnamese, Koreans and Chinese. Sukhee Kang, the mayor of Irvine, is the first Korean-American mayor of a major American city. Creative Commons
2. Santa Clara County, Calif.582,000
The epicenter of Silicon Valley and high-tech millionaires, Santa Clara County is located south of San Francisco and is roughly one-quarter Asian, including East Indians. Containing the burgeoning city of San Jose, Santa Clara county is also one wealthiest areas of the country. Creative Commons
1. Los Angeles County, Calif. 1.4-million
Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, is not only the most populous county in the U.S., but is probably the most ethnically diverse urban center in the country. With a population in excess of 10-million, L.A. County boasts the largest Asian populace in the nation, including significant numbers of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Pacific Islanders Creative Common
California New York California New York