Population Reference Bureau

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World Population Data Sheet 2012

PRB's Interactive Map 

Which countries will grow the most by 2050? Where do people live the longest? 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, health, and more. View data on global, regional, or country maps or tables. You can easily embed the map on your blog or website.

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2012 World Population Data Sheet 

The 2012 World Population Data Sheet offers detailed information on 20 population, health, and environment indicators for more than 200 countries. This year’s data include: deaths due to noncommunicable diseases, HIV/AIDS prevalence, percent of children under 5 underweight, and more.

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Webinar: July 19

This year's data sheet has a special focus on noncommunicable diseases. Wendy Baldwin, PRB president and CEO and Carl Haub, PRB senior demographer and co-author of the Data Sheet, conducted a webinar on July 19 to present major findings from the Data Sheet and answer questions from participants.

Video: Noncommunicable Diseases and Youth in Developing Countries

Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes—the most common causes of deaths in wealthier countries—are increasingly common in developing countries. NCDs now account for most deaths and their prevalence is rising. Both the risk factors that contribute to and the positive health behaviors that can prevent NCDs typically start in youth. This video outlines the global rise in NCDs  and what measures during youth can prevent future NCDs.

Fact Sheets

These four fact sheets provide quick summaries of timely topics: World Population Trends, Noncommunicable Diseases, Unmet Need for Family Planning, and U.S. fertility decline. More 

  • World population grew to 7.06 billion in mid-2012. Developing countries accounted for 97% of this growth due to high birth rates and young populations. Conversely, in the developed countries the annual number of births barely exceeds deaths because of low birth rates and much older populations. More   

  • Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2008, 80 percent of NCD deaths were in developing countries, up from 40 percent in 1990. By 2030, low-income countries will have eight times more deaths attributed to NCDs than high-income countries. More 

     

     

  • Global advocacy and development initiatives, including the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning, are highlighting the importance of reaching women who have an unmet need for family planning. More   

  • In developed countries, fertility tends to drop during periods of economic decline. The U.S. total fertility rate dropped from 2.0 births per woman in 2009 to 1.9 in 2010—below the replacement level of 2.1. This decline may be just a short-term response to high unemployment, or it may signal a longer-term drop. More

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