Region: Latin America

Webinar Presentation on 2011 World Population Data Sheet
In this webinar recorded on July 28, 2011, PRB demographers Carl Haub, James Gribble, and Linda Jacobsen present key findings from the 2011 World Population Data Sheet that illustrate just how stark the contrasts are between rich and poor countries, and the implications of a world of 7 billion people. Focus countries include Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Guatemala, India, Italy, Uganda, and the United States. A question and answer session follows their presentations. (August 2011)

The World at 7 Billion - Interactive Map
Which countries will grow the most by 2050? Where is infant mortality highest? How does contraceptive prevalence vary worldwide? Find the answers in PRB’s interactive map. Browse through 17 indicators organized in six tabs, ranging from life expectancy, HIV/AIDS, family planning, poverty, and more. View data on global, regional, or country maps or tables. You can easily embed the map on your blog or website.

2011 World Population Data Sheet
Global population will reach 7 billion later in 2011, just 12 years after reaching 6 billion in 1999. Today's world population is double the population in 1967. But while the overall growth rate has slowed, the population is still growing, and growth rates in some countries show little if any decline. The Population Reference Bureau's 2011 World Population Data Sheet and its summary report offer up-to-date demographic, health, and environment data on 18 population, health, and environment indicators for more than 200 countries. (July 2011)

Population Bulletin: The World at 7 Billion
This Population Bulletin looks at the four phases of the demographic transition as descriptive of past and future population growth. We highlight four countries to illustrate each phase and its implications for human well-being: Uganda (high birth rate, fluctuating death rate); Guatemala (declining birth and death rates); India (approaching replacement-level fertility); and Germany (low or very low birth and death rates). (July 2011)

Guatemala: Beyond the Early Phase of the Demographic Transition
This Population Bulletin looks at the four phases of the demographic transition as descriptive of past and future population growth. We highlight four countries to illustrate each phase and its implications for human well-being: Uganda (high birth rate, fluctuating death rate); Guatemala (declining birth and death rates); India (approaching replacement-level fertility); and Germany (low or very low birth and death rates). As a lower middle-income country, Guatemala is well-advanced in its demographic transition, showing evidence of recent reductions in its birth rate. (July 2011)

Many Peruvians Rely on Traditional Family Planning Methods
Peruvian women are having fewer children and waiting longer between pregnancies, many by using traditional family planning methods. The 2009 results from an ongoing Demographic and Health Survey show that Peru's average fertility has fallen from 3.5 children per woman in 1996 to 2.6 children per woman. And, women were having children about four years apart in 2009, a one-year-longer gap than in 2000. These longer birth intervals often translate into healthier mothers and children and a smaller family size. (November 2010)

A Microfinance Network Fights Malnutrition in Haiti
Haiti's largest microfinance organization, Fonkoze, provides a range of financial services to the rural-based poor. Fonkoze's network of branches and women coordinators of borrowers are a platform that connects clients with health services for their malnourished children. The women's groups that have developed are the leading edge in a new campaign to combat malnutrition. (October 2010)

El Salvador Survey Shows Lower Fertility, Increased Contraceptive Use
Women of childbearing age in El Salvador are having fewer children and using more family planning, with a recent increase in the use of injectable contraceptives. A 2008 family planning survey by the El Salvador Ministry of Health found that fertility dropped 60 percent in the last 30 years, from 6.3 lifetime births per woman in the mid-1970s to 2.5 in the 2003-2008 period. The recent survey shows not only an impressive narrowing in the fertility differences among rich and poor, urban and rural, but also a much greater acceptance of temporary methods of birth control. (October 2010)

Earthquake Magnifies Haiti's Economic and Health Challenges
Even before the massive earthquake in January 2010, Haiti's nearly 10 million people ranked as the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. The destruction has been devastating for Haiti's population and economy. Some analysts maintain that the earthquake interrupted and possibly ended promising economic development initiatives that were just beginning to bear fruit. Others see hope in the resilience of the Haitian people and an opportunity to rebuild Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas to be safer, healthier, and more efficient. For the time being, thousands of Haitians lack adequate food, sanitation, and shelter despite massive international assistance pledged to the country after January 2010. (October 2010)

Targeting Gender-Based Violence to Reduce HIV Among Women
Women with an abusive sexual partner are at greater risk of HIV infection than other women. Several studies have shown this association between HIV and gender-based violence, but the link has now been further documented. How can this cycle of abuse and sexually transmitted diseases be broken? Many countries in Africa, and also the Latin-American country of Nicaragua, have implemented intervention programs to inform and educate about gender equity in hopes of reducing HIV transmission. (September 2010)