U.S. Baby Boomers Moving Out, Minorities Moving In
Baby boomers, many on the cusp of retirement, are moving out of densely populated states in favor of less populated areas, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Since 2000, the oldest baby boomers—those closest to retirement age—have moved into several fast-growing states, including Arizona, Nevada, Florida, and Idaho. (May 2008)

Liberia Takes Its First Census in 24 Years
Census takers visited dwellings throughout Liberia in late March to take the first census in Liberia since 1984. To get the word out, the government commissioned a pop star to compose a catchy tune about the census. Translated into 16 languages and played daily on the radio,  the song urged Liberians to "stand up and be counted."  (April 2008)

Best Practices in Research: Translation and Dissemination
At a Population Reference Bureau policy seminar on March 19, 2008, sponsored in part by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, four experts shared their experiences and advice on translating and disseminating technical information.  Also view a webcast of the seminar. (April 2008)

Do Muslims Have More Children Than Other Women in Western Europe?
Extremely low birth rates in most of Europe have fueled concerns about population decline, yet one segment of the continent's population—Muslims—continues to grow. The increasing number and visibility of Muslims in Western Europe, juxtaposed with the low fertility among non-Muslims, has led some Europeans to worry that the region will eventually have a Muslim majority, fundamentally changing Western European society. A new study by demographers Charles Westoff and Tomas Frejka challenges this common perception and suggests that the fertility gap between Muslims and non-Muslims is shrinking. (February 2008)

An East Africa PHE Network Takes Root
In November 2007, an East Africa Population, Health, and Environment (PHE) network took shape at a conference convened by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) and LEM Ethiopia, the Environment and Development Society of Ethiopia. The conference, "Population, Health, and Environment: Integrated Development for East Africa," held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, drew field practitioners, policymakers, researchers, the media, community leaders, and advocates from 22 countries and five continents. They explored ways to address development priorities in East Africa through an integrated population-health-environment (PHE) approach. (February 2008)

U.S. Population Could Reach 438 Million by 2050, and Immigration Is Key
A new report from the Pew Research Center projects that immigration will propel the U.S. population total to 438 million by 2050, from 303 million today. Along with this growth, the racial and ethnic profile of Americans will continue to shift—with non-Hispanic whites losing their majority status. (February 2008)

Improving Data Use in Mongolia
In 2007, program officers at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Mongolia and at the National Statistical Office (NSO) of Mongolia asked the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) to help them take advantage of a rich but little-used store of data on social programs. In particular, they wanted to help mid-level policymakers and program planners better use data to create policies and to evaluate existing policies and programs. With funding from UNFPA's Mongolia office and the Fred H. Bixby Foundation, PRB's Erin Sines, policy analyst, and Lori Ashford, technical director of policy information, were able to help the NSO find out whether or how their data were being used and to devise a plan to enhance data use. (Feb. 2008)

PRB Discuss Online: "Sub-Saharan Africa's Demographic Giants: Ethiopia and Nigeria"
Ethiopia and Nigeria are sub-Saharan Africa's largest countries by far, with populations of 83 million and 144 million, respectively. They account for more than one-quarter of the continent's 788 million people, and are integral to its demographic future. Both are growing rapidly, and both grapple with widespread child malnutrition. This PRB Discuss Online focused on the challenges facing Ethiopia and Nigeria. Leading the discussion were Charles Teller, Bixby Visiting Scholar at PRB; Dr. Kolawole Oyediran, a sociology from Nigeria; and Dr. Assefa Hailemariam, a demographer-statistician from Ethiopia. Read a transcript of the questions and answers. (January 2008)

Fertility Declining in the Middle East and North Africa
Population growth of the mainly Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa has been slowed by a veritable revolution in marriage and childbearing in recent decades. While a young population structure ensures momentum for future growth, the pace has slackened thanks to fertility declines in some of the region’s largest countries. (April 2008)

Kenya: The Demographics of a Country in Turmoil
Opposition to Kenya's recent election resulted in days of deadly riots. Kenya's demographic trends provide some background to the current situation, revealing both advances and continuing challenges. (January 2008)