Population issues discussed are: (1) the growing elderly population in industrialized nations; (2) the debt crunch; and (3) immigration. The focus of the article on the elderly is Japan's elderly population, which will nearly double, from 10 to 18.7%, by 2010. In 1986, the Japanese government took steps to delay the age at which full pensions are…

A review of six expert group meetings was organized to discuss various population and development issues and present individual group reports. The review begins with a synthesis of the meetings and gives a brief description of the organizational aspects of the meetings, a summary of recommendations, and an overview of important issues examined at…

This Bulletin updates the story of world population presented in 1971, "Man's Population Predicament." Estimated at half a billion in 1650, world population reached 2 billion in 1930, 4 billion in 1975, and is projected to be about 6 billion in 2000. Most of today's rapid growth is occurring among people living in less developed…

This report describes the health status of children and adults in developed and developing countries. Worldwide, life expectancy at birth rose from 47 to 67 years between the 1950s and late 1980s. However, more than 300 million people live in countries where life expectancy is below 50 years of age and 1 of every 10 newborns dies before age 1. In…

In recognition of the 1984 World Population Conference, this booklet examines the current state of world population and presents speculations on what it might be 50 years from now. World population, now close to 4.8 billion and growing at 1.8 percent a year, is being shaped by three demographic phenomena: prolonged below-replacement fertility in…