Population & Society
From global population projections to health trends and urbanization, these trends examine the way we live and how these lifestyles affect the world.
Nov 12, 2009
Health Assistance to Developing Countries Soars
After years of stagnation, health assistance from industrial to developing countries has risen sharply over the past decade, setting a record in 2007 of nearly $10 billion.
Oct 01, 2009
Income Poverty Still Falling, But More Slowly
The World Bank projects that the number of people living in extreme poverty (on less than $1.25 a day) will fall slightly in 2009, declining from 1,203 million in 2008 to 1,184 million.
Sep 17, 2009
Population Growth Steady in Recent Years
The world’s population surpassed 6.8 billion in early 2009, with no significant slowing in the pace of growth in recent years.
Jun 04, 2009
Despite Significant Increase Since 1990, Access to Sanitation Still Inadequate
The share of people in the world with access to improved sanitation rose to 62 percent in 2006, according to the most recent data from the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation.
Sep 17, 2008
Environment a Growing Driver in Displacement of People
The number of people who are on the move involuntarily worldwide may be as high as 184 million—roughly equivalent to the entire population of Brazil, or one out of every 36 persons on Earth.
Sep 03, 2008
Child Mortality Drops Below 10 Million
In 2006, the latest year with data available, the world’s child mortality rate—the number of children who die before the age of five per 1,000 live births—dropped to 72, a 20-percent decline since 1990, when 93 children died for every 1,000 live births.
May 06, 2008
World Is Soon Half Urban
The United Nations projects that sometime in 2008 more people will live in cities than in rural areas.
Mar 13, 2008
Fertility Falls, Population Rises, Future Uncertain
Although the average woman worldwide is giving birth to fewer children than ever before, an estimated 136 million babies were born in 2007.
Feb 14, 2008
Peacekeeping Budgets and Personnel Soar to New Heights
Costs for United Nations peacekeeping operations from July 2007 to June 2008 are expected to run to $7 billion—substantially higher than the record $5.6 billion spent in 2006–07.
