The 2002 survey of business owners found that 1.1 million firms were Asian-owned, a 24 percent increase from 1997. The number of U.S. businesses overall grew by 10 percent during the same period, to nearly 23 million.

Asian-owned businesses accounted for more than $326 billion in revenue in 2002, an 8 percent increase from 1997, the survey found.

Los Angeles County had the highest percentage of Asian-owned firms, while Queens County, N.Y., ranked second. Orange County, Calif., and Honolulu County in Hawaii were third and fourth on the list.

New York City had more than twice as many Asian-owned businesses as any other city, with 112,853. It was followed by Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco, San Jose and Houston.

More professionals renewing licenses online

The number of Hawai'i engineers, architects and surveyors who renewed their licenses online this year nearly tripled compared with two years ago, according to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Vocational Licensing Division.

The agency said rate 94 percent of professionals in those categories used the online service during the last renewal cycle from March 6 through April 30, up from 37 percent in 2004.

Professional licenses in a range of other categories can be renewed by visiting www.ehawaii.gov/pvlrenew.