How many federally recognised tribes are there in the United States, and what does recognition mean?

As of 2024 there were 574 federally recognised tribes in the United States, including more than 220 in Alaska. Federal recognition means the United States government acknowledges a tribe as a self-governing nation, deals with it government to government, and provides certain services and protections.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs publishes the official list each year. The number stood at 574 from late 2019, when Congress recognised the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. Check the current list, because Congress can add tribes.

A recognised tribe has its own government and can make and enforce laws, run courts, set membership rules and manage its lands. The United States has a legal duty, called the trust responsibility, to protect tribal lands, resources and rights.

Recognition also opens access to federal programmes, such as the Indian Health Service and education and housing funds. These services are not charity. They flow from treaties and laws in which tribes gave up vast areas of land in return for lasting commitments from the United States.

Some tribes are recognised only by a state, and others have no recognition at all, often because treaties were never ratified or records were lost. These tribes can petition the Department of the Interior or ask Congress for recognition, a process that can take decades.

Words used here

Sources

• US Bureau of Indian Affairs: Frequently asked questionsbia.gov
• Wikipedia: List of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United Statesen.wikipedia.org

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