Racial & Ethnic Groups

A national survey finds that Latinos from ages 16 to 25 are satisfied with their lives and optimistic about their futures. They value education, hard work and career success. But they are more likely than other youths to drop out of school, live in poverty and become teen parents.

A Pew Hispanic Center report based on a new nationwide survey of Latino youths and on analyses of government data examines the values, attitudes, experiences and self-identity of this generation as it comes of age in America.

Five demographic profiles of Hispanic populations in the U.S. by country of origin -- Guatemalan, Colombian, Honduran, Ecuadorian and Peruvian -- have been added to the profiles of the five largest Hispanic populations -- Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, and Dominican -- posted earlier in the year by the Pew Hispanic Center.

Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) Latino young adults ages 16 to 25 say that a college education is important for success in life, yet only about half that number-48%-say that they themselves plan to get a college degree.

Young Latino adults in the United States are more likely to be in school or the work force now than their counterparts were in previous generations.

It may surprise anyone who has been following the charges of racism that have flared up during the debate over President Obama's health care proposals, but the American public doesn't see race as the source of the strongest social conflict in the country today.

More than eight-in-ten Hispanics self-identify themselves as being either of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran or Dominican origin. The characteristics of each group -- including the share that is foreign born, citizen (by birth or naturalization) and proficient in English -- is examined in five fact sheets.

More than half of Americans - 56% - have accessed the internet wirelessly on some device, such as a laptop, cell phone, MP3 player, or game console.

The public has generally been supportive of affirmative action programs, but is decidedly opposed to the idea of providing preferential treatment to minorities.

The question of who's Hispanic -- and who isn't -- turns out to be pretty complicated.