EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10 A.M. EDT, OCTOBER 9, 1996 (WEDNESDAY) Public Information Office CB96-168 301-457-3030/301-457-3670 (fax) 301-457-4067 (TDD) e-mail: pio@census.gov Tom McDevitt 301-457-1371 WORLD POPULATION KEEPS RISING EVEN AS RATE OF POPULATION GROWTH DECLINES, CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS The world population is projected to reach 6.1 billion at the turn of the century, with developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America accounting for 95 percent of overall growth, according to a new report, "World Population Profile: 1996," WP/96, issued today by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. The United States is projected to account for 3.2 percent of world population growth. Even though the world's population is increasing, the rate of population growth around the globe will slow from its present level of 1.5 percent to below 1 percent by the year 2025. "Problems exacerbated by a rapidly growing world population--including caring for a growing elderly population, the continuing worldwide AIDS epidemic, and unmet reproductive health needs of adolescent women--are among the issues that confront world leaders," says the report's author, Tom McDevitt. The report also points out that the world is adding people, by the billions, at a far quicker pace than ever before. For example, it took thousands of years for world population to reach the level of 2.6 billion in 1950. But only 50 years later, another 3.5 billion will have been added. Other highlights from the report include: - Africa's rate of growth is projected to be the highest of all major world regions during the next 25 years, in spite of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. - In the developing countries that have a substantial AIDS-related mortality, AIDS is expected to cause 50 million deaths by the year 2010. - Persons 65 and over are projected to be the fastest growing segment of the population in both less developed and more developed countries. A special section in this report focuses on adolescent fertility in developing countries. It estimates that in the next 25 years over 300 million births will occur to women 15 to 19 years old.-X-The Census Bureau--preeminent collector and provider of timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. In over 100 surveys annually and 20 censuses a decade, evolving from the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau provides official information about America's people, businesses, industries, and institutions.
