A comparison of the numbers of children adopted by U.S. citizens over the past three years shows new and interesting trends. While the top 3 remain the same (China, Russia, and Guatemala), Russia is showing a slight decline while China and Guatemala programs continue to grow. And for the first time since the transition from 1991 to 1992, the total number for all countries has decreased... not much (156), but it's a move we haven't seen in many years.

The fastest growing program is Ethiopia, jumping from 289 in 2004 to 441 in 2005, an increase of 52.6%.

Take a look at a comparison... more

Trends in international adoptions by US citizens and residents are frequently reported but what about the wider world view?

I've been reading about adoption in other countries - what it's like for someone, say, in Norway, to adopt. Do you know that the waiting time can be around 3 to 4 years? That the investigative process (their version of homestudy) can last a year or more? And Norway isn't the only country with much more rigorous and lengthy assessment and adoption processes.

Globally, there are about a half million international adoptees. In the 1980s, annual worldwide international adoptions numbered around 18,000 - and today that has increased to over 40,000.. counting... more