Monthly Archives: October 2020

UPDATED November 27, 2022 (Please see information below under "Other things to consider")

The city of Orlando, located in the Central Florida region of the United States and known as “the City Beautiful”, is ranked as America’s 23rd most-populous city.  The Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2.6 million people and is home to several theme parks including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios.  Orlando’s theme parks, natural attractions, and year-round warm weather make it one of the most-visited cities in the world.  The city receives over 75 million visitors per year, including 6.5 million international visitors.  Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida, which has one of the largest student bodies in the country and includes students from Thailand.  The Orlando metropolitan area is composed of various cities and towns including Sanford, St. Cloud, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Apopka, and Kissimmee—a city just south of Orlando that has a Thai Buddhist temple (Wat Florida Dhammaram).

UPDATED November 27, 2022 (Please see information below under "Other things to consider")

The city of Tampa, located in the West Central region of Florida on the Gulf Coast, is one of the three principal cities (the other two being St. Petersburg and Clearwater) that make up the Tampa Bay Area.  The Tampa Bay Area is the 18th-largest metropolis in the United States and has a population of 3.1 million people.  The metro area includes the counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Citrus, and Manatee, along with the towns of Brandon, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Largo, Tarpon Springs, and Bradenton.  Although the Asian immigrant population in Tampa is not huge, their numbers have been growing the past two decades due to the expansion of technology-focused companies in the area.  There is a growing population of immigrants from Vietnam and Thailand that have come to Tampa to study and open small businesses.  Tampa has a Thai Buddhist temple that offers religious services and a Sunday market selling authentic Thai foods and other items.

UPDATED November 27, 2022 (Please see information below under "Other things to consider")

The Greater Miami Area is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States and has a population of 6.2 million people.  The metropolitan area is located in the South Florida region of the U.S. state of Florida and is composed of Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County.  Its main cities include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, West Palm Beach, Hialeah, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, and Boca Raton.  This is a diverse community where 40% of the population was born in another country. While this diversity does not include a large population of Asian immigrants, there are a few thousand Thai people living throughout South Florida.  Miami has a Thai Buddhist temple and a Thai Trade Center (an organization sponsored by the Thai government facilitating trade between Thailand and the U.S.).  South Florida’s climate is similar to Thailand’s climate, allowing farmers in the area to grow Thai tropical fruits and vegetables.

UPDATED November 27, 2022 (Please see information below under "Other things to consider")

Charlotte is the 23rd-most populous city in the United States and is the most populous city in the state of North Carolina.  Known as the Queen City, this metropolis of 2.6 million people has been one of the country’s fastest-growing cities the past two decades.  Charlotte’s youthful population, low cost of living, and geographical location in America’s Sun Belt, have made it an attractive destination for business investment and corporate relocation.  The Charlotte metropolitan area is a sixteen-county region that stretches into the state of South Carolina and includes the towns of Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Indian Trail, Mooresville, Monroe, Salisbury, Matthews, Cornelius, Mint Hill, Statesville, Shelby, Rock Hill (SC), and Fort Mill (SC).  While the Thai immigrant community in Charlotte is small, there are still plenty of excellent Thai restaurants and Asian markets throughout the metropolitan area.  

UPDATED November 27, 2022 (Please see information below under "Other things to consider")

Atlanta has a population of over 6 million people, making it the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States.  Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, which is the 8th most populous of the 50 states.  The city and surrounding area—known as the Atlanta metropolitan area—is also the commercial capital of the Southeast United States and has the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country, including Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, Delta Airlines, UPS, Newell Brands, WestRock, and NCR Corporation.  Although the Thai immigrant population in Atlanta is small compared to other groups, the overall Asian population has skyrocketed the past two decades as the city has been transformed into a major international metropolis.  Thai citizens can be found at many of the colleges and universities throughout the state of Georgia and at the dozens of excellent Thai restaurants and small businesses in Atlanta.

San Diego is America’s 17th-most populous city and is the third-most populous urban area in the state of California.  This metropolis of 3.3 million residents shares a 15-mile border with Mexico, where just to the other side sits Tijuana—Mexico’s sixth-most populous city.  About 200,000 people cross the border each day, making this one of the busiest land borders in the world.  San Diego is well known for its mild Mediterranean climate, which some consider to be the best in the U.S.  The San Diego metropolitan area includes cities such as Carlsbad, Chula Vista, El Cajon, San Marcos, Santee, La Mesa, National City, Oceanside, Vista, and Encinitas.  The Nigerian immigrant population in San Diego is not huge, so if you are an American wanting to get more insight into this country before your travels, there are lots of great websites to gather information like Lost in Lagos, Alabosi, Nairaland, IROKOtv, Nairametrics, and Vanguard.

Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States and is an important global city that attracts visitors from all over the world.  The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area—which includes the District of Columbia and parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia—is America’s sixth-largest metropolis and has a population of 6.3 million people.  Cities within this area (apart from Washington, D.C.) include Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, and Reston—all in Virginia—along with the Maryland towns of Bethesda, College Park, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Silver Spring.  The Nigerian immigrant population of Washington D.C. and its Maryland suburbs stands at around 25,000 people—and many more if we include first and second-generation Nigerian-Americans.  With the area’s growing Nigerian population, United Airlines plans to add direct flights to Nigeria from Dulles Airport starting in 2021.

New York is America’s most prominent city and some proud New Yorkers may consider it the “Capital of the World”.  Certainly a case can be made for this title since the city is the headquarters of the United Nations; it is one of the most important economic regions in the world; it has the highest number of billionaires of any city in the world; it is the most linguistically diverse city in the world; its metropolitan region has the largest foreign-born population; it is one of the most preeminent cities in the world for arts and culture; it has some of the best restaurants in the world and without a doubt, has the best pizza!  Having one of the largest Nigerian immigrant populations in America of around 40,000 residents, it is no surprise that New York also has plenty of excellent Nigerian restaurants offering bold and flavorful foods.  New York’s JFK airport is one of two airports in the country with direct flights to Nigeria.

Portland is the most populous city in the state of Oregon and the second-most populous city in the Pacific Northwest after Seattle.  The Portland metropolitan area has a population of 2.5 million people and is the 25th most-populous metropolis in the United States.  The city is located on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, which meet on the northern end of the Willamette Valley.  The valley stretches for 150 miles between forested mountains containing lush farmland and scenic views.  Over 250 agricultural items are produced here, including award-winning wines and craft beer (made from locally grown hops).  Portland’s Nigerian immigrant population is small, but just like in other American cities, Nigerians here are typically well-educated professionals working in health care and academia, or they are engaged in entrepreneurial endeavors.  There are also Nigerian students attending the area’s colleges and universities.

Atlanta has a population of over 6 million people, making it the 9th most-populous metropolitan area in the United States.  Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, which is the 8th most populous of the 50 states.  The city and surrounding area—known as the Atlanta metropolitan area—is also the commercial capital of the Southeast United States and has the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country, including Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, Delta Airlines, UPS, Newell Brands, WestRock, and NCR Corporation.  Atlanta has grown into an international city and has the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic.  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of two airports in the United States with direct flights to Nigeria.  With a population of at least 15,000, the Nigerian immigrant community in Atlanta is substantial, having many Nigerian restaurants and organizations throughout the city.   

Nigeria is an African country located on the Gulf of Guinea that is roughly six times the size of Georgia.  Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and seventh most-populous in the world.  Known as the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and is an important market for large Atlanta firms like Coca-Cola.  The multinational beverage giant has investments in local Nigerian companies like Chi Limited.  The country is also an important market for Delta Airlines, which has direct flights from Atlanta to Lagos.  Atlanta-based NCR—a manufacturer of ATM machines and enterprise technology provider for banks and retailers—has an office in Nigeria.  As Nigeria’s agriculture industry continues to expand, Atlanta area firms like AGCO will provide the equipment needed to meet the demands of this growing nation.  Similar to Atlanta, Nigeria has a vibrant music scene with artists from both countries making the journey between Lagos and Atlanta.  

Obtaining a Nigerian Visa from Atlanta

Nigerian visas are issued by the Nigerian government in the United States.  The Nigerian government is represented by two consulates (there is one located in Atlanta and