The following data is taken from the just-published Indigenous Peoples of North America: A Concise Anthropological Overview by Robert J. Muckle.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ INDEX
Number of federally recognized North American Indigenous people: 2.6 million
Number of people in North America that claim Indigenous North American ancestry: 6 million
Number of Indigenous people worldwide: 370 million
Number of federally recognized Indigenous groups (tribes and nations) in North America: > 1,000
Countries that initially opposed the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People: Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand
Number of North American Indigenous people’s skeletons collected prior to 1990: > 150,000
Number of funerary artifacts collected prior to 1990: > 2 million
Minimum number of years people have been in North America: 14,000
Estimated population of Indigenous people at AD 1500: 4-5 million
Earliest evidence of contact between North Americans and Europeans: 1,000 years ago, Norse (Vikings)
Region with the highest population density at AD 1500: California
Regions with the lowest population densities at AD 1500: Arctic and Subarctic
Number of distinct North American Indigenous languages at AD 1500: c. 400
Number of distinct North American Indigenous languages today: c. 200
Number of plant species used as food by North American Indigenous people: 1,500
Animals domesticated by North American Indigenous people prior to the arrival of Europeans: dogs, turkeys
Major crops farmed by North American Indigenous people prior to arrival of Europeans: corn, beans
Average loss of population to Indigenous groups resulting from contact with Europeans: 80 percent
Principal cause of population loss to Indigenous people following contact with Europeans: disease
Number of organizations advocating the abolition of Indigenous-themed mascots, logos, and nicknames: > 100
Major areas of contemporary research involving North American Indigenous peoples and anthropologists: identity, language, revitalization, politics, traditional ecological knowledge, and economic development
Indigenous 
Peoples of North America: A Concise Anthropological Overview was designed for those who want a fundamental knowledge of the Indigenous peoples of North America, variously known as Indians, Native Americans, First Nations, Aboriginal, and by other labels. The book was conceived primarily as a core textbook for undergraduate anthropology courses, as well as a basic reference for those with an interest in the Indigenous peoples of North America, be they academic, professional, or lay audiences.
There are several core things that all readers will hopefully understand and retain, including (i) “Indigenous” is an umbrella term being increasingly used, especially in a global context, but terms such as Indian, Native American, and Aboriginal retain specific meaning; (ii) the archaeological record of North America is vast, spanning at least 14,000 years, containing hundreds of thousands of archaeological sites and millions of artifacts; (iii) prior to the arrival of Europeans, North America was populated by extremely diverse peoples, with millions of people speaking hundreds of different languages and expressing considerable diversity in economic, social, and ideological systems; (iv) the colonialization of North America by Europeans was devastating to Indigenous peoples and cultures; (v) Indigenous peoples have been remarkably resilient; and (vi) the development of North American anthropology has been intricately intertwined with Indigenous peoples.
—Robert J. Muckle, Capilano University
Note: If you are scheduled to teach a course that would benefit from having this book on the required reading list, please email requests@utphighereducation.com to request an examination copy. We would be more than happy to give you the opportunity to review this excellent text for yourself!
