C H A P T E R   1
Overview and Introduction


On 12 October 1999, 6 billion people will be alive in the world, an addition of a billion in only 12 years. Nearly half will be under 25; over a billion will be young people between 15 and 24, the parents of the next generation.

World population is growing at 78 million a year, a little less than the total population of Germany. It has doubled since 1960. Over 95 per cent of population growth is in developing countries. Meanwhile, population growth has slowed or stopped in Europe, North America and Japan. The United States is the only industrial country where large population increases are still projected, largely as the result of immigration.

Reaching 6 billion has both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, it is the result of personal choice and collective action for better health and longer life.
This is reflected, for example, in:

Every newborn whose mother had a healthy pregnancy;

Every infant who is properly fed and immunized;

Every girl who receives better nutrition, health care and education;

Every young woman who can protect herself from HIV infection;

Every woman who can space her pregnancies;

Every man who accepts responsibility for his own and his family’s well-being;

Every older person who protected their health while they were younger;

Everyone who avoids health risks with better information and responsible behaviour;

Everyone who has choices and control over the key decisions in their lives.

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For more information:
United Nations Population Fund
Information and External Relations Division
220 E. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, U.S.A.
Tel. 212-297-5020; fax: 212-557-6416
E-mail: ryanw@unfpa.org. Web site: www.unfpa.org