World population dynamics 2002

Abstract

"The World Population Dynamics Report 2002 offers a comprehensive overview and analysis of demographic changes worldwide. As neither an increase nor decrease in numbers alone poses the greatest challenge, the report focuses on the dynamics of population processes, including a society's unprecedented growth or aging, its rapid urbanisation or rising mortality rates due to HIV/AIDS. Beyond the pace of change, it is the growing divergence in demographic developments that places additional demands on societies. Increasingly, trends in neighbouring countries and regions are diverging significantly or even following distinctly different patterns of growth or decline. This mandates increasingly complex coping strategies at regional, national and even local levels." (author's abstract)