Women of Our World 2005 (PDF: 255KB)

 The situation of women around the world is gaining prominence in national and international policy debates. The last half-century has seen major gains in women's health, education, and rights, but progress has been slow or uneven in many areas. Disparities between men and women are still pronounced in the poorest regions and countries of the world. This data sheet presents indicators of women's status and progress in nearly 180 countries, with a focus on demography, reproductive health, education, work, and public life. (March 2005)

Why Do Canadians Outlive Americans?
Over 250,000 Americans who died in 1998, roughly one of every 10 U.S. deaths that year, would have survived had they been Canadian, according to a comparison of patterns of death between the two countries. (November 2004)

PRB's Population Handbook, 5th Edition (PDF: 464KB)
The 5th edition of this popular Population Handbook is a quick guide to population dynamics for journalists, policymakers, teachers, and students. It explains how to calculate and use major rates, ratios, and other measures—from the birth rate to the life table. Also includes tips on interpreting population data. (2004)

The Double Divide: Implosionists and Explosionists Endanger Progress Since Cairo
The debate about world population trends is really a dead-end, according to Population Reference Bureau President Bill Butz. (September 2004)

ICPD at 10: Mixed Reviews, Much to Do
Ten years after 179 countries embarked on the ICPD programme of action to improve reproductive health and other population and development services around the world, analysts are divided in seeing the glass half-empty or half-full. (September 2004)

What Was Cairo? The Promise and Reality of ICPD
This article, adapted from two of PRB's Population Bulletins, reviews the groundbreaking 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, its progress to date, and remaining challenges. (September 2004)

African Americans and the Color Line

 Author Michael Stoll advances the continuing discussion of the economic and social progress of African Americans, focusing on blacks' relative gains during the 1990s in employment, earnings, family income, poverty reduction, and health. The following excerpt is from the report “African Americans and the Color Line"; published by the Russell Sage Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau. (June 2004)

World Population Highlights 2004 (PDF: 320KB)

 This policy brief provides highlights of PRB's 2004 World Population Data Sheet, focusing on key demographic and health trends that are shaping the 21st century. The world's population is growing substantially every year, but the pace of growth varies dramatically from one region to another (August 2004)

2004 World Population Data Sheet (PDF: 371KB)
PRB's 2004 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, land area, and population per square mile. (August 2006)

China's Population: New Trends and Challenges (PDF: 713KB)

 China has been the world's most populous country for centuries, and today makes up one-fifth of the world's population. This Population Bulletin draws from a growing body of statistical data and research to look at some of the demographic changes that have occurred in China's recent past. (BUL59.2, June 2004)