Adoptions from an international country follow predictable cycles of popularity and growth.
As new countries open up their borders to adoption waiting families often move their decision to that country.
Over a few years time this country may change their laws or polices to meet the demand or to slow the release of their children.
Many factors play into this decision and for some countries their decision is based upon cultural issues, political reasons, fear for these children and for some (i.e. Guatemala) legitimate concerns of illegal activity.
As you view the table below, you will see different countries take the “top spot” for adoptions in any given year. More importantly, you will see the total number of adoptions DECREASE in total for each year. Even though the orphan population is growing from year to year, the number of adoptions is decreasing. There are many challenging reasons for the decrease and our response should not be one of frustration but of fervent prayer for the children who are left behind.
That is one of the reasons why an orphan care model is necessary – to care for those who remain in their countries without the love, care or necessities needed to thrive. To learn more what can be done, please see our Orphan Care model.
If interested in adoption from the Top 20 Countries or from any country that allows inter-country adoption please see our list of International Adoption Agencies where you can search by country, agency name, faith based, etc.
RANK 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
1 China China China China China China China China
1475 1905 2231 2354 2040 2306 2696 2589
2 India Ethiopia Congo (DRC) Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia
302 313 359 335 716 993 1567 1727
3 Ukraine South Korea Ukraine South Korea Ukraine Ukraine Russia Russia
248 276 303 318 521 438 749 970
4 Colombia Haiti South Korea Ukraine Haiti Haiti South Korea South Korea
229 227 260 303 464 388 627 736
5 South Korea India Bulgaria Uganada South Korea Congo Kinshasa Ukraine Ukraine
206 221 201 202 370 311 395 632
6 Haiti Ukraine India Bulgaria Congo (DRC) Uganda Congo Kinshasa Philippines
196 215 194 185 230 276 240 230
7 Ethiopia Colombia Uganda Latvia Uganda Russia Uganda India
177 181 187 170 201 250 237 228
8 Nigeria Nigeria Ethiopia Congo (DRC) Bulgaria Nigeria Nigeria Colombia
173 176 183 168 183 183 197 216
9 Bulgaria Bulgaria Haiti Nigeria Colombia/Philippines Philippines Columbia Uganda
134 147 178 154 172 178 194 207
10 Philippines Philippines Philippines Colombia India Ghana Ghana Taiwan
105 111 156 153 136 170 170 205
11 Latvia Latvia Colombia Philippines Nigeria Bulgaria India Nigeria
79 71 131 150 130 160 159 148
12 Sierra Leone Poland Nigeria Haiti Ghana Columbia Haiti Congo
70 65 121 143 124 159 154 133
13 Thailand Uganda Poland India Latvia South Korea Bulgaria Ghana/Jamaica
43 55 98 138 80 138 125 100
14 Jamaica Jamaica Latvia Ghana Taiwan India Philippines Kazakhstan
40 51 81 85 69 119 124 86
15 Pakistan Sierra Leone Taiwan Poland Jamaica Taiwan Latvia Bulgaria
35 44 59 60 61 94 81 75
16 Poland Taiwan Jamaica Taiwan Poland Guyana Morocco Nepal
34 44 56 59 53 50 57 65
17 Taiwan Thailand Thailand Thailand Morocco Poland Thailand Rwanda
32 34 45 47 43 49 56 58
18 Liberia Morocco Pakistan Jamaica Guyana Pakistan Guyana Latvia
30 31 39 42 39 47 36 56
19 South Africa Vietnam Ghana South Africa Nicaragua Thailand Poland Poland
28 30 29 33 32 35 35 52
20 Vietnam Pakistan South Africa Nicaragua Pakistan Sierra Leone Liberia Morocco
28 30 25 27 31 33 34 46
TOTAL 3664 4227 4936 5126 5695 6377 7933 8559