Subject: WORLD POPULATION KEEPS RISING EVEN AS RATE OF
        POPULATION GROWTH DECLINES, CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS

     The world population is projected to reach 6.1 billion at
the turn of the century, with developing countries in Asia,
Africa, and Latin America accounting for 95 percent of overall
growth, according to a new report, "World Population Profile:
 1996," WP/96 , issued today by the Commerce Department's Census
Bureau.  The United States is projected to account for 3.2
percent of world population growth.  Even though the world's
population is increasing, the rate of population growth around
the globe will slow from its present level of 1.5 percent to
below 1 percent by the year 2025.

     "Problems exacerbated by a rapidly growing world
population--including caring for a growing elderly population,
the continuing worldwide AIDS epidemic, and unmet reproductive
health needs of adolescent women--are among the issues that
confront world leaders," says the report's author, Tom McDevitt.

     The report also points out that the world is adding people,
by the billions, at a far quicker pace than ever before.  For
example, it took thousands of  years for world population to
reach the level of 2.6 billion in 1950.  But only 50 years later,
another 3.5 billion will have been added.

     Other highlights from the report include:

     -    Africa's rate of growth is projected to be the highest
          of all major world regions during the next 25 years, in
          spite of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

     -    In the developing countries that have a substantial
          AIDS-related mortality, AIDS is expected to cause 50
          million deaths by the year 2010.

     -    Persons 65 and over are projected to be the fastest
          growing segment of the population in both less
          developed and more developed countries.

     A special section in this report focuses on adolescent
fertility in developing countries.  It estimates that in the next
25 years over 300 million births will occur to women 15 to 19
years old.
-
message sent by infoterra@cedar.univie.ac.at
to signoff from the list, send an email to
majordomo@cedar.univie.ac.at
the message body should read
signoff infoterra your@email.address
-