Integrating Population, Health, and Environment in Rwanda
The last decade in Rwanda's history has been one of transition and rebirth. Ten years ago, the country was emerging from several years of strife and civil conflict; in 2009, urban and rural areas are energized with the promise of steadily improving economic, social, and health conditions. Despite this impressive transformation, Rwanda faces various challenges, many related to the complex relationships between population trends, poverty, and environmental conditions. Continued improvement in the quality of life of Rwanda's citizens depends in large part on finding innovative and integrated solutions to complex population, health, and environment problems. (February 2009)

The Fred H. Bixby Forum: The World in 2050
The Fred H. Bixby Forum, "The World in 2050: A Scientific Investigation of the Impact of Global Population Changes on a Divided Planet," was held at the University of California, Berkeley, in January 2009. The forum focused on the impact of population growth and population decline on economic and social development, on resources, and on broad national and international issues such as energy use, environmental degradation and conflict. All presentations and discussions are webcast. (February 2009)

The World in 2050: A Scientific Investigation of the Impact of Global Population Changes on a Divided Planet (Day 1 Presentations)
The Fred H. Bixby Forum, "The World in 2050: A Scientific Investigation of the Impact of Global Population Changes on a Divided Planet," was held at the University of California, Berkeley, on Jan. 23 and 24, 2009. The forum focused on the impact of population growth and population decline on economic and social development, on resources, and on broad national and international issues such as energy use, environmental degradation and conflict. All presentations and discussions from Day 1 (and Day 2) are webcast. (February 2009)

The World in 2050: A Scientific Investigation of the Impact of Global Population Changes on a Divided Planet (Day 2 Presentions)
The Fred H. Bixby Forum, "The World in 2050: A Scientific Investigation of the Impact of Global Population Changes on a Divided Planet," was held at the University of California, Berkeley, in January 2009. The forum focused on the impact of population growth and population decline on economic and social development, on resources, and on broad national and international issues such as energy use, environmental degradation and conflict. All presentations and discussions from Day 1 and Day 2 are webcast. (February 2009)

'The World is Fat' – A PRB Policy Seminar With Professor Barry Popkin
The global confluence of changing diets, increased food marketing, access to technology, and lifestyle changes has led to an upsurge in global obesity, especially in developing countries. According to Barry M. Popkin, professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and director of the UNC-CH's Interdisciplinary Center for Obesity, 1.3 billion people are overweight while 800 million are underweight. The burden of obesity-related diseases is shifting rapidly toward the poor. On Dec. 10, Popkin visited PRB to discuss rising obesity worldwide and his new book, The World is Fat as part of PRB's ongoing Policy Seminar series. (December 2008)

Preventing Chronic Respiratory Diseases in Developing Countries
Millions of adults worldwide struggle with chronic respiratory diseases that sap their energy and can lead to their deaths. In 2007, an estimated 210 million people suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)— including emphysema and chronic bronchitis; 3 million died from COPD that year. The World Health Organization warns that COPDs and other chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, will increase 30 percent in the next 10 years if urgent actions are not taken. (November 2008)

Population, Health, and Environment Issues in the Philippines: A Profile of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
This regional PHE profile highlights key population, health, and environment indicators and important development challenges for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The profile is designed to help educators, policymakers, and community leaders identify key threats to sustainable development and explore possible approaches to addressing them. This profile is part of a series covering select regions of the Philippines, and is intended as a companion publication to the Population Reference Bureau's 2006 data sheet, Making the Link in the Philippines: Population, Health, and the Environment. (October 2008)

Population, Health, and Environment Issues in the Philippines: A Profile of Calabarzon Region
This regional PHE profile highlights key population, health, and environment indicators and important development challenges for the Calabarzon Region (Region 4-A). The profile is designed to help educators, policymakers, and community leaders identify key threats to sustainable development and explore possible approaches to addressing them. This profile is part of a series covering select regions of the Philippines, and is intended as a companion publication to the Population Reference Bureau's 2006 data sheet, Making the Link in the Philippines: Population, Health, and the Environment. (October 2008)

Outlining the Links Among Population, Economy, Culture, and the Environment
Joel E. Cohen, professor and head of the Laboratory of Populations at Rockefeller and Columbia Universities, and a Population Reference Bureau trustee, kicked off a new lecture series on demographics and development sponsored by the Center for Global Development. Entitled "Beyond Population: Everybody Counts in Development," his presentation focused on the interconnectedness of population, the economy, culture, and the environment and the need to examine development holistically. (September 2008)

2008 World Population Data Sheet

  PRB's 2008 World Population Data Sheet contains the latest population estimates, projections, and other key indicators for more than 200 countries, including births, deaths, natural increase, infant mortality, life expectancy, urban population, HIV/AIDS prevalence, contraceptive use, GNI PPP per capita, and population per square kilometer. New for the 2008 Data Sheet are data on percent of population in urban areas of 750,000 or more; lifetime risk of maternal death; percent of population undernourished; number of vehicles per 1,000 population; and percent of population with access to an improved drinking water source. (August 2008)