Ho, Oct. 12, GNA - The world population, which is now 6.8 billion, is projected to increase to 8.1 billion by 2025.

All the growth is in the developing countries and the astronomical growth of the world's youth population ranging between 15 and 24 years is shifting to Africa and Asia.

This was contained in the latest edition of Population Reference Bureau (PRB) published in the USA which informs people around the world about population, health and the environment and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations. It said Africa's population which has just passed one billion is growing by 24 million per year and will double by 2050.

The PRB said the highest fertility rate of 7.4 children per woman is in Niger and the lowest rate of 1.0 child per woman is in Taiwan. It quoted its president, Bill Butz as saying that "even with declining fertility rates in many countries, world population is still growing at a rapid rate and the increase from six billion to seven billion is likely to take 12 years as did the increase from five billion to six billion". It said the 2009 World Population Data Sheet shows how stark the contrasts were between rich and poor countries.

The PRB said young people in the poor countries would most likely continue the current trend of moving from the rural areas to cities in search of education and training opportunities, gainful employment and adequate health care. It said one of the major social questions of the next few decades was whether their expectations would be met.