New Fertility Rates for Europe
Norway has one of the highest fertility rates in Europe, at 1.90 lifetime children per woman in 2006. Within Europe, only Iceland (2.07 children per woman) and France (1.98 children per woman) have higher rates. The lowest rates are found in eastern European countries, where women average 1.3 or fewer children per woman. The low rates concern policymakers within the region because they mean an older age structure and population decline over the long term, even with immigration. (November 2007)

PRB Discuss Online: "Will India's Population Reach 2 Billion?"
Fertility in India has fallen from an average of about six children per woman in the 1960s to about three today, a remarkable achievement for the country’s efforts to slow population growth. India's population passed the 1 billion mark in 2000—will it pass 2 billion, even with these lower fertility rates? This question was addressed by PRB senior demographer Carl Haub who, along with O.P. Sharma, recently produced a series of population projections for India to 2101. In this PRB Discuss Online, Haub answered questions about what is likely to happen with India's population as it becomes the world's most populous country. Read a transcript of the questions and answers. (October 2007)

Demography and Policy: What Can the Discipline Do to Solve the Human Predicament?
On Sept. 28, 2007, as part of the Population Reference Bureau's Policy Seminar Series, Dr. Paul Ehrlich and Anne Erlich discussed ways in which demography can greatly increase its policy impact in areas as diverse as climate change, the conservation of natural capital, and, of course, population reduction. View the webcast of Dr. Erlich's presentation (37 minutes). Also available as podcast and MP3. (September 2008)

Is India's Population Heading Toward 2 Billion?
Will India be the first—possibly the only—country ever to have 2 billion people? The Population Reference Bureau tackled this question in a new projection series. (September 2007)

2007 World Population Data Sheet Webcast
PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet was released at a press briefing at the National Press Club, in Washington, DC, on Aug. 16, 2007. This year's theme: "Malnutrition Is a Major Contributor to Child Deaths." (August 2007)

World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet (PDF: 945KB)

 This Population Bulletin is the companion report to PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet. The Bulletin highlights key findings from the data sheet on: world population trends, malnutrition, environment, HIV/AIDS, urbanization, and migration. (BUL62.3, September 2007)

World Population Highlights 2007: Overview of World Population
We entered the 20th century with 1.6 billion people. We entered the 21st century with 6.1 billion people. And in 2007, world population is 6.6 billion. The increase in the size of the human population in the last half-century is unprecedented. And nearly all of the growth is occurring in the less developed countries. Currently, 80 million people are being added every year in less developed countries, compared with about 1.6 million in more developed countries. While the less developed countries will keep growing, the more developed countries may grow slowly or not at all. This article is excerpted from the Population Bulletin: "World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet.(September 2007)

Africa's Youthful Population: Risk or Opportunity?

 Africa's young people will be the driving force behind economic prosperity in future decades, but only if policies and programs are in place to enhance their opportunities and encourage smaller families. This policy brief outlines the opportunities and risks that can result from the large numbers of youth growing up in sub-Saharan Africa today. (June 2007)

PopWire: New U.S. Infant Mortality Data
The infant mortality rate in the United States, although down 10 percent since 1995, has not changed significantly this decade, according to data for 2004 released this month by the National Center for Health Statistics. (May 2007)

PopWire: New U.S. Census Bureau Metro Population Estimates
The U.S. Census Bureau has released new population estimates for the nation's metropolitan areas, building on its county estimates published in March. The Atlanta region, which added about 890,000 people from 2000 to 2006, was ranked first in numerical growth. (April 2007)