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UN Department of Economic and Social  Affairs  - 
Population Division

 

Lodged in the Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Population Division focuses on a wide range of global population issues (adoption, HIV/AIDS, urban and rural development, environment, fertility trends, older persons, youth, etc). Experts in the Divisions analyze and investigate policy issues and prominent global trends in the field of population and development. The Division helps the United Nations to understand important population development issues that require action. It has worked on ageing topics for over twenty-five years. In 1994, during the International Conference on Population and Development, the Division described aging as a social and economic challenge and opportunity. Today, the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) shaped the concerns of the division, particularly around population increase and mortality rates. MIPAA focuses on 3 major areas: older persons and development; advancing health and well-being into old age and ensuring an enabling and supportive environment. These areas coincide with population and development. 

 

Documents | Links


Documents

Report: World: World Population Ageing Report (December 2009)
Older people will exceed the number of children for the first time in 2045, according to a new UN report. In most rich regions, this process began in 1998. The in-depth report outlines major issues, such as fertility rates, population growth, growth within the aging population, and the differences between rich and poor countries. People are deciding to have fewer or no children and mortality rates are dropping, causing the population of most countries to age. The process will pick up speed in poor countries in the near future. Poor countries should take steps to prepare for this change and use the opportunities that an aging population brings.

Report: World: The Role of Older Migrant Women in Global Migration (April 16, 2009)
Experts in the Migration Section of the United Nations Population Division highlight global migration levels and trends. Then they focus on the participation of older migrant women in 125 countries with a final case study that looks at the United States. Migrants over age 60 make up about 18% of total migrants; the average figures are nearly the same in both developed and in developing regions. 

Russia: The UN Report on Population Growth is Optimistic for Russia (March 11, 2009)
(Article in Russian)
The UN has released the latest projections of global population through 2050 which look more optimistic for Russia compared to previous reports. The report shows a larger than expected population: 116.1 million, up from the previous UN population estimate of some 110 million. Part of the trend depicted by the UN is due to recent improvements in fertility, mortality, infant mortality rates and average life expectancy at birth in Russia.

Report: World Population to Exceed 9 Billion by 2050 (March 2009) 
World population is projected to surpass 9 billion people by 2050, according to the 2008 Revision of the official UN population estimates. Most of the additional 2.3 billion people will enlarge the population of developing countries. It will be distributed among the ages of 15-59 and 60 or over (1.1 billion). (Table I.6) In more developed regions, the population aged 60 or over is increasing at the fastest pace ever and is expected to increase by more than 50 percent over the next four decades (1.9 percent annually). Globally the number of persons aged 60 or over will almost to triple, increasing from 739 million in 2009 to 2 billion by 2050. Although the population of all countries is expected to age in the foreseeable future, the population will remain relatively young in countries where fertility is still high, many of which are experiencing very rapid population growth, i.e., the developing countries. For Table A.13 click here and  to see all tables please click here.

World Population Ageing: 1950-2050 (Executive Summary)
The Population Division for the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs prepared this report for the 2002 World Assembly on Ageing and its follow up. The report analyzes global trends in population ageing and takes a closer look into major areas, lesser developed regions and individual countries. To read the full report, click here

Report: World: World Population Aging 2007 (August 2007)
(Report available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish)
This report prepared by the UN ‘s Population Division, “provides the demographic foundation for the follow-up activities of the Second World Assembly on Ageing.” It considers the progress of population aging for the world as a whole as well as rich and poor countries, regions and individual countries, declaring that “it is urgent that the Governments of developing countries begin taking steps to face the challenges and make the best of the opportunities that population ageing brings.“ (Click here for a summary of tables).

Links


United Nations Population Division -Home Page


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