Social service agencies and children's rights advocates estimate that there are about 4,000 Okinawan children abandoned by American servicemen.

Though there are no firm figures, advocates estimate that as many as 5,000 people need these services now.

Animal-welfare advocates estimate that there are two million of them - a number that is impossible to verify because the census does not track animals.

Though officials could not say precisely how many women placed such ads, women's advocates and lawmakers estimated that a couple of hundred had.

An advocate for the homeless estimated that it would cost the same to support 10 people on relief as to support one prisoner.

The advocates estimate that 2,000 such people are in city shelters.

But advocates for the poor who specialize in food issues estimate that an additional 800,000 are eligible.

Homeless advocates estimated it to be closer to 300,000.

But some advocates and academics estimated the amount of money owed now, including interest, could be $500 million or more.

Environmental advocates estimate that sealed buildings produce half the world's greenhouse gases.