Population Bulletin, Vol. 52, No. 4, December 1997
by Thomas J. Goliber
The race between population growth and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa is one of the great dramas of the modern world. High rates of population increase and slow-growing or stagnating economies throughout much of the region have thwarted modernization and development efforts. Against this backdrop, the drama remains as engaging and intense as ever.
The pace of population growth is expected to slow in sub-Saharan Africa, either through lower birth rates or — tragically — through higher death rates. Fertility has declined already in a handful of African countries, but an increasing number of countries face an HIV/AIDS epidemic that is reversing hard-won gains in life expectancy.
Even so, sub-Saharan Africa, which includes many of the poorest countries in the world, is likely to more than double in population size by 2050. The nations are struggling to provide education, housing, jobs, and health care for their burgeoning populations, while trying to compete in the world economy, cope with internal and international political conflicts, and contain epidemics.
Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa have adopted policies that acknowledge the important role that demographic trends play in their quest to modernize, but these policies are carried out differently among the region's diverse cultures. Following the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in 1994, many countries are now trying to shape their population policies from the broader perspective of reproductive health.
The full text of this Population Bulletin is available in print only. Please visit our online store to order. Listed below are all the sections of this Bulletin.
Introduction
Sub-Saharan Africa
Population Change
Fertility Transition
The HIV/AIDS Epidemic
Other Reproductive Health Issues
Conclusion
References
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