What was the annual number of overseas adoptions by US citizens in 1995?

In 1995, the annual number of overseas adoptions by U.S. citizens was approximately 20,000. This figure is significant as it reflects the growing trend of international adoption during that time, spurred by various socio-political factors including the end of the Cold War and the opening of new adoption avenues from countries previously closed off to American citizens.

In this context, the number represented a culmination of efforts by families seeking to adopt internationally, as well as improved access and procedures for such adoptions from countries around the world. It also marked an era where the U.S. began to actively engage in child welfare initiatives globally, enhancing the awareness and logistics surrounding overseas adoptions.

The other options reflect numbers that are either too low or too high for the time period, showing a misunderstanding of the trends in international adoption as experienced in the mid-1990s. This was a time of substantial growth in the practice, but also one where many countries were still finalizing their adoption policies which contributed to the figures reported.