The number of businesses owned by American Indians and Alaska Natives grew 17.7 percent between 2002-2007, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

Native businesses generated $34.4 billion in receipts in 2007, a 28 percent increase from 2002. They employed 184,416 people, a decrease of 3.6 percent from 2002.

“The data released today provides the only source of population-wide, regularly collected information on businesses owned privately by individual American Indians and Alaska Natives,” Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Census Bureau deputy director, said in a press release. “It's important to look at the progress of these businesses owned by individual American Indians and Alaska Natives to ensure they have access to the same entrepreneurial opportunities as other groups.”

California was home to the largest number of Native businesses with 45,629, according to the report. Oklahoma was second, with 21,194, followed by Texas, with 19,057.

The report does not count businesses owned by tribes or by Alaska Native corporations.

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Survey: Growth seen in firms owned by Alaska Native and American Indians, but jobs lacking (AP 3/15)