2005 World Development Indicators48
Afghanistan 17.7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Albania 3.3 3.2 3.5 ­0.3 0.8 27.3 65.4 7.3 0.4 0.1 6 17
Algeria 25.0 31.8 38.3 1.9 1.5 33.9 62.0 4.1 0.5 0.1 5 22
Angola 9.3 13.5 18.9 2.8 2.8 47.6 49.4 2.9 1.0 0.1 19 50
Argentina 32.3 36.8 42.9 1.0 1.3 27.0 63.2 9.8 0.4 0.2 8 18
Armenia 3.5 3.1 3.0 ­1.1 ­0.1 20.5 69.3 10.2 0.3 0.1 8 9
Australia 17.1 19.9 21.9 1.2 0.8 20.0 67.5 12.5 0.3 0.2 7 13
Austria 7.7 8.1 8.1 0.4 ­0.0 16.2 67.8 16.0 0.2 0.2 10 10
Azerbaijan 7.2 8.2 9.0 1.1 0.7 27.0 65.5 7.5 0.4 0.1 7 16
Bangladesh 110.0 138.1 166.0 1.7 1.5 35.5 61.2 3.4 0.6 0.1 8 28
Belarus 10.2 9.9 9.3 ­0.2 ­0.5 16.8 69.1 14.0 0.2 0.2 14 9
Belgium 10.0 10.4 10.5 0.3 0.1 17.0 66.3 16.8 0.3 0.3 10 11
Benin 4.7 6.7 9.0 2.7 2.4 45.0 52.4 2.7 0.9 0.1 13 38
Bolivia 6.7 8.8 10.8 2.1 1.7 38.4 57.3 4.4 0.7 0.1 8 29
Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.5 4.1 4.2 ­0.6 0.2 17.2 71.9 10.9 0.2 0.2 8 12
Botswana 1.3 1.7 1.8 2.3 0.4 41.5 56.2 2.3 0.7 0.0 23 29
Brazil 148.0 176.6 201.0 1.4 1.1 27.5 67.1 5.4 0.4 0.1 7 19
Bulgaria 8.7 7.8 7.2 ­0.8 ­0.7 14.4 69.2 16.4 0.2 0.2 14 8
Burkina Faso 8.9 12.1 15.6 2.4 2.1 46.9 50.4 2.7 0.9 0.1 19 43
Burundi 5.5 7.2 8.8 2.1 1.7 45.3 52.1 2.5 0.9 0.1 20 38
Cambodia 9.6 13.4 16.4 2.6 1.7 41.0 55.8 3.2 0.7 0.1 12 29
Cameroon 11.7 16.1 19.7 2.5 1.7 41.1 55.2 3.7 0.7 0.1 16 35
Canada 27.8 31.6 33.5 1.0 0.5 18.2 69.0 12.8 0.3 0.2 7 11
Central African Republic 2.9 3.9 4.6 2.1 1.5 41.8 54.7 3.5 0.8 0.1 20 35
Chad 5.8 8.6 12.1 3.0 2.8 48.0 49.2 2.8 1.0 0.1 16 45
Chile 13.1 15.8 17.8 1.4 1.0 26.9 65.7 7.4 0.4 0.1 5 17
China 1,135.2 1,288.4 1,389.5 1.0 0.6 23.6 69.1 7.3 0.3 0.1 8 15
Hong Kong, China 5.7 6.8 7.0 1.4 0.2 15.8 72.6 11.6 0.2 0.2 5 7
Colombia 35.0 44.6 51.8 1.9 1.2 31.8 63.5 4.8 0.5 0.1 6 22
Congo, Dem. Rep. 37.4 53.2 75.2 2.7 2.9 47.9 49.5 2.6 1.0 0.1 18 45
Congo, Rep. 2.5 3.8 5.2 3.2 2.8 46.9 50.1 3.1 0.9 0.1 14 44
Costa Rica 3.1 4.0 4.7 2.1 1.4 29.8 64.4 5.8 0.5 0.1 4 17
Côte d'Ivoire 11.8 16.8 20.2 2.7 1.5 41.5 55.9 2.6 0.7 0.1 17 37
Croatia 4.8 4.4 4.3 ­0.6 ­0.3 16.2 68.1 15.8 0.2 0.2 12 10
Cuba 10.6 11.3 11.7 0.5 0.3 20.3 69.2 10.4 0.3 0.2 8 13
Czech Republic 10.4 10.2 9.9 ­0.1 ­0.3 15.5 70.6 13.9 0.2 0.2 11 9
Denmark 5.1 5.4 5.4 0.4 0.1 18.6 66.5 14.9 0.3 0.2 11 12
Dominican Republic 7.1 8.7 10.1 1.6 1.2 32.0 63.5 4.5 0.5 0.1 7 22
Ecuador 10.3 13.0 15.3 1.8 1.4 32.7 62.4 4.9 0.5 0.1 6 23
Egypt, Arab Rep. 52.4 67.6 80.9 1.9 1.5 33.5 62.2 4.3 0.5 0.1 6 24
El Salvador 5.1 6.5 7.9 1.9 1.5 34.7 60.3 5.0 0.6 0.1 6 25
Eritrea 3.1 4.4 5.6 2.6 2.0 44.3 53.0 2.7 0.8 0.1 13 37
Estonia 1.6 1.4 1.3 ­1.1 ­0.5 16.1 68.6 15.2 0.2 0.2 13 10
Ethiopia 51.2 68.6 87.3 2.3 2.0 45.4 51.8 2.8 0.9 0.1 20 40
Finland 5.0 5.2 5.3 0.3 0.1 17.6 67.0 15.3 0.3 0.2 9 11
France 56.7 59.8 61.8 0.4 0.3 18.6 65.3 16.1 0.3 0.2 9 13
Gabon 1.0 1.3 1.7 2.6 2.2 40.4 54.0 5.5 0.7 0.1 15 35
Gambia, The 0.9 1.4 1.8 3.3 1.9 40.5 56.2 3.2 0.7 0.1 14 36
Georgia 5.5 5.1 4.7 ­0.5 ­0.7 18.4 67.3 14.3 0.3 0.2 10 8
Germany 79.4 82.5 80.6 0.3 ­0.2 14.9 67.8 17.3 0.2 0.3 10 9
Ghana 15.3 20.7 25.8 2.3 1.9 41.9 53.7 4.4 0.8 0.1 13 31
Greece 10.2 11.0 11.0 0.6 ­0.0 14.7 66.7 18.7 0.2 0.3 9 9
Guatemala 8.8 12.3 16.3 2.6 2.3 42.5 54.1 3.5 0.8 0.1 7 33
Guinea 5.8 7.9 9.8 2.4 1.8 43.6 53.8 2.5 0.8 0.1 17 38
Guinea-Bissau 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.9 2.6 44.4 52.1 3.4 0.9 0.1 20 49
Haiti 6.5 8.4 10.3 2.0 1.6 39.0 57.5 3.5 0.7 0.1 14 32
Total population Average annual
population
growth rate
Population age composition Dependency ratio Crude
death
rate
Crude
birth
rate
millions %
%
dependents as
proportion of working-
age population per 1,000
people
per 1,000
people
Ages
0­14
Ages
15­64
Ages
65+ Young Old
1990 2003 2015 1990­2003 2003­15 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003
2.1 Population dynamics
2005 World Development Indicators 49
Population dynamics
PEOPLE
2.1
Honduras 4.9 7.0 8.9 2.8 2.0 40.8 55.9 3.3 0.7 0.1 6 30
Hungary 10.4 10.1 9.6 ­0.2 ­0.5 16.3 69.0 14.7 0.2 0.2 13 10
India 849.5 1,064.4 1,231.6 1.7 1.2 32.4 62.5 5.1 0.5 0.1 8 24
Indonesia 178.2 214.7 246.8 1.4 1.2 29.7 65.4 4.9 0.5 0.1 7 21
Iran, Islamic Rep. 54.4 66.4 77.5 1.5 1.3 29.5 65.8 4.7 0.4 0.1 6 18
Iraq 18.1 24.7 31.1 2.4 1.9 39.4 57.6 3.1 0.7 0.1 8 29
Ireland 3.5 4.0 4.4 1.0 0.8 21.3 67.5 11.2 0.3 0.2 7 16
Israel 4.7 6.7 7.9 2.8 1.4 27.4 63.0 9.7 0.4 0.2 6 20
Italy 56.7 57.6 55.1 0.1 ­0.4 14.0 67.0 19.0 0.2 0.3 10 9
Jamaica 2.4 2.6 3.0 0.8 1.0 29.7 63.5 6.9 0.5 0.1 6 19
Japan 123.5 127.6 124.8 0.2 ­0.2 14.2 67.2 18.6 0.2 0.3 8 9
Jordan 3.2 5.3 6.8 4.0 2.1 37.4 59.4 3.2 0.6 0.1 4 28
Kazakhstan 16.3 14.9 15.5 ­0.7 0.3 24.5 67.4 8.1 0.4 0.1 10 15
Kenya 23.4 31.9 37.5 2.4 1.3 42.1 55.2 2.7 0.8 0.1 17 34
Korea, Dem. Rep. 20.0 22.6 24.0 1.0 0.5 25.7 67.7 6.6 0.4 0.1 11 17
Korea, Rep. 42.9 47.9 50.0 0.9 0.4 20.7 71.7 7.6 0.3 0.1 7 12
Kuwait 2.1 2.4 3.0 0.9 1.9 24.8 73.3 1.9 0.3 0.0 3 20
Kyrgyz Republic 4.4 5.1 5.8 1.0 1.1 31.7 62.2 6.1 0.5 0.1 8 19
Lao PDR 4.1 5.7 7.3 2.4 2.1 41.8 54.7 3.5 0.8 0.1 12 35
Latvia 2.7 2.3 2.1 ­1.1 ­0.7 15.1 69.3 15.5 0.2 0.2 14 9
Lebanon 3.6 4.5 5.2 1.6 1.2 30.3 63.8 5.9 0.5 0.1 6 19
Lesotho 1.6 1.8 2.0 1.0 0.9 41.4 53.4 5.1 0.8 0.1 24 33
Liberia 2.4 3.4 4.4 2.5 2.2 44.1 53.1 2.8 0.8 0.1 20 43
Libya 4.3 5.6 6.9 2.0 1.7 32.5 63.8 3.7 0.5 0.1 4 27
Lithuania 3.7 3.5 3.3 ­0.5 ­0.4 17.7 68.2 14.2 0.3 0.2 12 9
Macedonia, FYR 1.9 2.1 2.2 0.6 0.5 21.5 67.8 10.7 0.3 0.2 9 14
Madagascar 11.6 16.9 22.5 2.9 2.4 44.1 52.9 3.0 0.8 0.1 12 38
Malawi 8.5 11.0 13.6 2.0 1.8 44.9 51.8 3.4 0.9 0.1 25 44
Malaysia 18.2 24.8 29.6 2.4 1.5 33.0 62.6 4.4 0.5 0.1 5 21
Mali 8.5 11.7 15.6 2.5 2.4 47.2 50.1 2.8 0.9 0.1 23 48
Mauritania 2.0 2.8 3.6 2.6 1.9 42.6 54.3 3.1 0.8 0.1 15 34
Mauritius 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.1 0.9 25.0 68.6 6.4 0.4 0.1 7 16
Mexico 83.2 102.3 120.6 1.6 1.4 32.3 62.5 5.2 0.5 0.1 5 19
Moldova 4.4 4.2 4.1 ­0.2 ­0.2 20.4 68.6 11.1 0.3 0.2 13 11
Mongolia 2.1 2.5 2.9 1.3 1.3 31.7 64.2 4.1 0.5 0.1 6 22
Morocco 24.0 30.1 35.4 1.7 1.4 32.9 62.7 4.4 0.5 0.1 6 22
Mozambique 14.2 18.8 22.7 2.2 1.6 42.3 54.1 3.6 0.8 0.1 21 40
Myanmar 40.5 49.4 55.7 1.5 1.0 31.9 63.6 4.5 0.5 0.1 12 23
Namibia 1.4 2.0 2.3 2.8 1.1 41.9 54.3 3.8 0.8 0.1 21 35
Nepal 18.1 24.7 31.1 2.4 1.9 40.1 56.1 3.8 0.7 0.1 10 31
Netherlands 15.0 16.2 16.6 0.6 0.2 18.3 67.7 14.0 0.3 0.2 9 12
New Zealand 3.4 4.0 4.5 1.2 0.9 21.9 66.4 11.7 0.3 0.2 7 14
Nicaragua 3.8 5.5 7.0 2.8 2.0 40.9 56.0 3.1 0.7 0.1 5 29
Niger 7.7 11.8 16.3 3.3 2.7 48.9 48.8 2.3 1.0 0.1 20 48
Nigeria 96.2 136.5 173.8 2.7 2.0 44.1 53.3 2.6 0.8 0.1 18 43
Norway 4.2 4.6 4.7 0.6 0.3 19.7 65.4 14.9 0.3 0.2 9 12
Oman 1.6 2.6 3.4 3.6 2.2 41.3 55.9 2.8 0.7 0.1 3 26
Pakistan 108.0 148.4 192.8 2.4 2.2 40.1 56.6 3.4 0.7 0.1 8 32
Panama 2.4 3.0 3.5 1.7 1.2 30.0 64.2 5.8 0.5 0.1 5 20
Papua New Guinea 4.0 5.5 6.9 2.5 1.8 40.9 56.6 2.5 0.7 0.1 10 33
Paraguay 4.2 5.6 7.2 2.4 2.0 38.4 58.1 3.5 0.7 0.1 5 30
Peru 21.6 27.1 31.6 1.8 1.3 33.0 62.2 4.9 0.5 0.1 6 22
Philippines 61.0 81.5 98.2 2.2 1.6 36.0 60.0 4.0 0.6 0.1 6 26
Poland 38.1 38.2 37.9 0.0 ­0.1 17.6 69.9 12.5 0.3 0.2 9 9
Portugal 9.9 10.4 10.5 0.4 0.0 17.3 67.6 15.2 0.3 0.2 10 11
Puerto Rico 3.5 3.9 4.2 0.7 0.7 23.4 66.3 10.3 0.4 0.2 8 15
Total population Average annual
population
growth rate
Population age composition Dependency ratio Crude
death
rate
Crude
birth
rate
millions %
%
dependents as
proportion of working-
age population per 1,000
people
per 1,000
people
Ages
0­14
Ages
15­64
Ages
65+ Young Old
1990 2003 2015 1990­2003 2003­15 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003
2005 World Development Indicators50
Population dynamics2.1 Total population Average annual
population
growth rate
Population age composition Dependency ratio Crude
death
rate
Crude
birth
rate
millions %
%
dependents as
proportion of working-
age population per 1,000
people
per 1,000
people
Ages
0­14
Ages
15­64
Ages
65+ Young Old
1990 2003 2015 1990­2003 2003­15 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003
Romania 23.2 21.7 21.1 ­0.5 ­0.3 16.7 69.5 13.9 0.2 0.2 12 10
Russian Federation 148.3 143.4 134.5 ­0.3 ­0.5 16.3 70.4 13.2 0.2 0.2 15 10
Rwanda 6.9 8.4 10.1 1.5 1.5 45.7 51.3 3.0 0.9 0.1 22 43
Saudi Arabia 15.8 22.5 30.8 2.7 2.6 40.2 56.9 2.9 0.7 0.1 4 31
Senegal 7.3 10.2 13.0 2.6 2.0 43.6 53.7 2.7 0.8 0.1 13 35
Serbia and Montenegro 10.5a 8.1 10.7 0.1b 2.3 19.6 66.4 14.0 0.3 0.2 14 11
Sierra Leone 4.0 5.3 6.7 2.2 1.9 43.6 53.8 2.6 0.8 0.1 25 44
Singapore 3.1 4.3 4.8 2.6 1.1 20.7 71.7 7.6 0.3 0.1 5 11
Slovak Republic 5.3 5.4 5.3 0.2 ­0.1 18.2 70.4 11.4 0.3 0.2 10 10
Slovenia 2.0 2.0 2.0 ­0.0 ­0.1 15.0 70.4 14.6 0.2 0.2 10 9
Somalia 7.2 9.6 14.0 2.3 3.1 47.8 49.8 2.4 1.0 0.1 18 50
South Africa 35.2 45.8 47.2 2.0 0.3 32.0 63.6 4.4 0.5 0.1 20 25
Spain 38.8 41.1 41.5 0.4 0.1 15.0 68.0 17.1 0.2 0.3 9 10
Sri Lanka 16.3 19.2 21.5 1.3 0.9 25.1 68.2 6.7 0.4 0.1 6 19
Sudan 24.9 33.5 42.6 2.3 2.0 39.5 56.9 3.6 0.7 0.1 10 33
Swaziland 0.8 1.1 1.3 2.8 1.1 42.1 55.1 2.8 0.8 0.1 19 35
Sweden 8.6 9.0 9.0 0.3 0.1 17.5 65.0 17.5 0.3 0.3 10 11
Switzerland 6.7 7.4 7.6 0.7 0.2 16.6 67.8 15.6 0.2 0.2 9 10
Syrian Arab Republic 12.1 17.4 22.0 2.8 1.9 38.2 58.7 3.1 0.7 0.1 4 29
Tajikistan 5.3 6.3 7.2 1.3 1.1 36.5 58.8 4.6 0.6 0.1 7 23
Tanzania 25.5 35.9 43.9 2.6 1.7 44.7 52.9 2.4 0.8 0.1 18 38
Thailand 55.6 62.0 66.3 0.8 0.6 22.9 70.5 6.6 0.3 0.1 8 15
Togo 3.5 4.9 6.2 2.6 2.0 43.2 53.6 3.2 0.8 0.1 15 35
Trinidad and Tobago 1.2 1.3 1.4 0.6 0.8 23.7 69.8 6.5 0.3 0.1 7 16
Tunisia 8.2 9.9 11.5 1.5 1.3 27.5 66.5 6.1 0.4 0.1 6 17
Turkey 56.2 70.7 81.2 1.8 1.2 28.3 65.8 5.9 0.4 0.1 7 21
Turkmenistan 3.7 4.9 5.7 2.2 1.3 33.8 61.7 4.5 0.5 0.1 8 22
Uganda 17.4 25.3 35.9 2.9 2.9 49.8 48.4 1.8 1.0 0.0 18 44
Ukraine 51.9 48.4 44.7 ­0.5 ­0.7 16.0 68.9 15.1 0.2 0.2 15 9
United Arab Emirates 1.8 4.0 3.7 6.3 ­0.7 24.8 72.1 3.1 0.3 0.0 4 17
United Kingdom 57.6 59.3 60.0 0.2 0.1 18.2 65.7 16.1 0.3 0.2 10 12
United States 249.6 290.8 318.0 1.2 0.7 21.0 66.6 12.4 0.3 0.2 9 14
Uruguay 3.1 3.4 3.6 0.7 0.6 24.4 63.0 12.6 0.4 0.2 9 16
Uzbekistan 20.5 25.6 30.1 1.7 1.3 33.3 61.9 4.9 0.5 0.1 6 20
Venezuela, RB 19.8 25.7 30.4 2.0 1.4 32.2 63.1 4.7 0.5 0.1 5 23
Vietnam 66.2 81.3 92.4 1.6 1.1 30.6 64.1 5.3 0.5 0.1 6 18
West Bank and Gaza 2.0 3.4 4.9 4.1 3.1 45.1 51.8 3.1 0.9 0.1 4 34
Yemen, Rep. 11.9 19.2 27.3 3.7 2.9 45.2 52.1 2.6 0.9 0.1 10 41
Zambia 7.8 10.4 12.9 2.2 1.8 46.8 50.5 2.7 0.9 0.1 23 38
Zimbabwe 10.2 13.1 14.1 1.9 0.6 43.4 53.5 3.1 0.8 0.1 22 29
World 5,253.4 s 6,272.5 s 7,100.9 s 1.4 w 1.0 w 28.9 w 64.0 w 7.1 w 0.5 w 0.1 w 9 w 21 w
Low income 1,777.6 2,311.9 2,794.9 2.0 1.6 36.9 59.0 4.2 0.6 0.1 11 30
Middle income 2,588.7 2,988.6 3,299.0 1.1 0.8 26.2 66.8 7.0 0.4 0.1 8 17
Lower middle income 2,305.8 2,655.5 2,918.3 1.1 0.8 25.9 67.2 6.9 0.4 0.1 8 17
Upper middle income 282.9 333.1 380.6 1.3 1.1 28.5 64.1 7.4 0.4 0.1 7 18
Low & middle income 4,366.2 5,300.5 6,093.9 1.5 1.2 30.8 63.4 5.8 0.5 0.1 9 23
East Asia & Pacific 1,597.1 1,854.6 2,039.7 1.2 0.8 25.8 67.6 6.6 0.4 0.1 8 17
Europe & Central Asia 466.2 472.2 477.3 0.1 0.1 20.4 68.2 11.4 0.3 0.2 12 13
Latin America & Carib. 434.9 532.7 620.2 1.6 1.3 30.5 63.9 5.6 0.5 0.1 6 21
Middle East & N. Africa 237.1 311.6 382.7 2.1 1.7 34.6 61.4 4.0 0.6 0.1 5 22
South Asia 1,120.4 1,424.7 1,683.3 1.8 1.4 33.8 61.5 4.7 0.5 0.1 9 26
Sub-Saharan Africa 510.4 704.5 890.8 2.5 2.0 43.7 53.3 3.0 0.8 0.1 18 39
High income 887.2 972.1 1,007.0 0.7 0.3 18.2 67.3 14.5 0.3 0.2 9 12
Europe EMU 293.3 306.9 305.9 0.3 ­0.0 15.8 67.4 16.8 0.2 0.3 10 10
a. Includes population of Kosovo until 2001. b. Data are for 1990 to 2001.
2005 World Development Indicators 51
Population dynamics
PEOPLE
2.1
About the data Definitions
Population estimates are usually based on national
population censuses, but the frequency and quality
of these vary by country. Most countries conduct a
complete enumeration no more than once a decade.
Pre- and post-census estimates are interpolations
or extrapolations based on demographic models.
Errors and undercounting occur even in high-income
countries; in developing countries such errors may
be substantial because of limits in the transport,
communications, and other resources required to
conduct a full census.
The quality and reliability of official demographic
data are also affected by the public trust in the gov-
ernment, the government's commitment to full and
accurate enumeration, the confidentiality and protec-
tion against misuse accorded to census data, and
the independence of census agencies from undue
political influence. Moreover, the international com-
parability of population indicators is limited by dif-
ferences in the concepts, definitions, data collec-
tion procedures, and estimation methods used by
national statistical agencies and other organizations
that collect population data.
Of the 152 economies listed in the table, 118
(about 78 percent) conducted a census between
1995 and 2004. The currentness of a census, along
with the availability of complementary data from sur-
veys or registration systems, is one of many objective
ways to judge the quality of demographic data. In
some European countries registration systems offer
complete information on population in the absence
of a census. See Primary data documentation for
the most recent census or survey year and for the
completeness of registration.
Current population estimates for developing coun-
tries that lack recent census-based data, and pre- and
post-census estimates for countries with census data,
are provided by national statistical offices, the United
Nations Population Division, and other agencies. The
standard estimation method requires fertility, mortal-
ity, and net migration data, which are often collected
from sample surveys, some of which may be small or
limited in coverage. The population estimates are the
product of demographic modeling and so are suscep-
tible to biases and errors because of shortcomings in
the model as well as in the data. Population projec-
tions are made using the cohort component method.
The growth rate of the total population conceals
the fact that different age groups may grow at very
different rates. In many developing countries the
population under 15 was earlier growing rapidly but is
now starting to shrink. Previously high fertility rates
and declining mortality rates are now reflected in the
larger share of the working-age population.
Dependency ratios take into account the variations
in the proportions of children, elderly people, and
working-age people in the population. Separate cal-
culations of young-age and old-age dependency sug-
gest the burden of dependency that the working-age
population must bear in relation to children and the
elderly. But dependency ratios show the age com-
position of a population, not economic dependency.
Some children and elderly people are part of the
labor force, and many working-age people are not.
The vital rates shown in the table are based on
data derived from birth and death registration sys-
tems, censuses, and sample surveys conducted by
national statistical offices, United Nations agencies,
and other organizations. The estimates for 2003 for
many countries are based on extrapolations of levels
and trends measured in earlier years.
Vital registers are the preferred source of these
data, but in many developing countries systems for
registering births and deaths do not exist or are
incomplete because of deficiencies in the coverage
of events or of geographic areas. Many developing
countries carry out special household surveys that
estimate vital rates by asking respondents about
births and deaths in the recent past. Estimates
derived in this way are subject to sampling errors
as well as errors due to inaccurate recall by the
respondents.
The United Nations Statistics Division monitors
the completeness of vital registration systems. The
share of countries with at least 90 percent complete
vital registration increased from 45 percent in 1988
to 55 percent in 2002. Still, some of the most popu-
lous developing countries--China, India, Indonesia,
Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria--do not have
complete vital registration systems. Fewer than 30
percent of births and 40 percent of deaths worldwide
are thought to be registered and reported.
International migration is the only other factor
besides birth and death rates that directly deter-
mines a country's population growth. From 1990
to 2000 the number of migrants in high-income
countries increased by 23 million. About 175 mil-
lion people currently live outside their home country,
accounting for about 3 percent of the world's popula-
tion. Estimating international migration is difficult.
At any time many people are located outside their
home country as tourists, workers, or refugees or
for other reasons. Standards relating to the dura-
tion and purpose of international moves that qualify
as migration vary, and accurate estimates require
information on flows into and out of countries that
is difficult to collect.
ˇ Total population of an economy includes all resi-
dents regardless of legal status or citizenship--
except for refugees not permanently settled in the
country of asylum, who are generally considered part
of the population of their country of origin. The values
shown are midyear estimates for 1990 and 2003
and projections for 2015. ˇ Average annual popula-
tion growth rate is the exponential change for the
period indicated. See Statistical methods for more
information. ˇ Population age composition refers to
the percentage of the total population that is in spe-
cific age groups. ˇ Dependency ratio is the ratio of
dependents--people younger than 15 or older than
64--to the working-age population--those ages
15­64. ˇ Crude death rate and crude birth rate are
the number of deaths and the number of live births
occurring during the year, per 1,000 population esti-
mated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate
from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural
increase, which is equal to the population growth
rate in the absence of migration.
The World Bank's population estimates are pro-
duced by its Human Development Network and
Development Data Group in consultation with its
operational staff and country offices. Important
inputs to the World Bank's demographic work
come from the following sources: census reports
and other statistical publications from national
statistical offices; Demographic and Health
Surveys conducted by national agencies, Macro
International, and the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; United Nations Statistics
Division, Population and Vital Statistics Report
(quarterly); United Nations Population Division,
World Population Prospects: The 2002 Revision;
Eurostat, Demographic Statistics (various years);
Centro Latinoamericano de Demografía, Boletín
Demográfico (various years); and U.S. Bureau of
the Census, International Database.
Data sources