BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- By 2042, white folk will not make up the majority in America, according to new government projections Wednesday.

    The process of ever-growing diversity in the United States has been taking place for decades, but has accelerated because of immigration and higher birth rates among minority residents, especially Hispanics.

    "The white population is older and very much centered around the aging baby boomers who are well past their high fertility years," said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "The future of America is epitomized by the young people today. They are basically the melting pot we are going to see in the future."

    By 2050, whites will make up 46 percent of the population and blacks will make up 15 percent, a relatively small increase from today. Hispanics, who make up about 15 percent of the population today, will account for 30 percent in 2050, according to the new projections.

    The U.S. has nearly 305 million people. The population is projected to hit 400 million in 2039 and 439 million in 2050.

    Asians, which make up about 5 percent of the population, are projected to increase to 9 percent by 2050.

    (Agencies)