How many federally recognized Indian tribes are there?
There are more than 550 federally recognized tribes in the United States and more than 100 federally recognized tribes in California. Federally recognized tribes have a special legal relationship with the U.S. government, known as a government-to-government relationship. The number of federally recognized tribes is growing because a tribe can gain recognition by successfully petitioning the federal government under the regulations governing federal acknowledgment or, in some cases, by securing status clarification from the Bureau of Indian Affairs through litigation or legislation.
