20th-Century U.S. Generations

Members of each generation live through unique times shaped by unexpected historical events, changing political climates, and evolving socioeconomic conditions. A generational perspective offers fresh insights into contemporary society by emphasizing both the distinctiveness of each generation in its particular historical context and the persistence of such distinctions across an individual’s life. This Population Bulletin highlights contrasting American generations of the 20th century, showing how each one influenced and reacted to the social and economic landscape over which we all must travel. (BUL64.1; March 2009)

American Community Survey (PDF: 833KB)

 This Population Bulletin presents an overview of the American Community Survey, which is ushering in the most substantial change in the U.S. decennial census in more than 60 years. (BUL60.3, September 2005).

American Families (PDF: 458KB)

 This Population Bulletin analyzes the American family in the latter half of the 20th century to better understand what changes in the family portend for the first half of the 21st century. (BUL55.4, December 2000)

America's Diversity and Growth: Signposts for the 21st Century (PDF: 503KB)

 This Population Bulletin discusses many of the "signposts" of the U.S. population, including robust population growth, increasing life expectancy, continued immigration, changes in the family, increased education levels, and population growth outside urban areas. (BUL55.2, June 2000)

America's Racial and Ethnic Minorities (PDF: 1.7MB)

 This Population Bulletin offers readers a chance to see how America's racial and ethnic groups compare with one another across a host of demographic dimensions. As Americans reassess their view of the nation and its future, they will no doubt express contradictory views and arrive at different positions on public policy issues. Resolving those differences will be easier if Americans understand the current demographic reality of U.S. minority populations. (BUL54.3, September 1999)

Asian Americans: Diverse and Growing (PDF: 185KB)

  Immigration has increased the number and ethnic diversity of Asian Americans. Americans with ethnic origins in India, Vietnam, and Korea now outnumber Japanese Americans, for instance. This Population Bulletin illuminates the ethnic, social, and demographic forces behind this dramatic growth and diversity and explores the changing meaning of the phrase "Asian American." (BUL53.2, June 1998)

China's Population: New Trends and Challenges (PDF: 713KB)

 China has been the world's most populous country for centuries, and today makes up one-fifth of the world's population. This Population Bulletin draws from a growing body of statistical data and research to look at some of the demographic changes that have occurred in China's recent past. (BUL59.2, June 2004)

Critical Links: Population, Health, and the Environment (PDF: 340KB)

 The impact of the world’s 6.3 billion people on the environment is unprecedented. The fundamental relationships are easy to grasp: Earth provides energy and raw materials for human activities, and those activities in turn generate pollution and damage to environmental resources, in the process harming human health and well-being. This Population Bulletin explores the critical interactions among population, health, and the environment. (BUL58.3, September 2003)

Elderly Americans (PDF: 340KB)

 The United States is in the midst of a profound demographic change: the rapid aging of its population. The 2000 Census counted nearly 35 million people in the United States 65 years of age or older, about one of every eight Americans. By 2030, demographers estimate that one in five Americans will be age 65 or older. The effects of this older age profile will reverberate throughout the American economy and society in the next 50 years. Preparing for these changes requires an understanding of the growing diversity within the older population. (BUL56.4, December 2001)

First Glimpses From the 2000 Census (PDF: 2.2MB)

 The latest census was full of surprises: The census counted nearly 7 million more people than the U.S. Census Bureau had estimated, and it still may have missed as many as 3 million. And for those minding the budget: The 2000 Census cost less than anticipated. This Population Bulletin looks at some of the major findings of the 2000 Census as of April 2001, and considers the importance of these trends not only to demographers, journalists, business people, and politicians, but to all Americans. (BUL56.2, June 2001)

Generations of Diversity: Latinos in the United States

 Early in the 21st century, Hispanic Americans will become the largest ethnic minority in the United States. By 2050, the Hispanic, or Latino, population is projected to number around 100 million and constitute 25 percent of the U.S. population, up from 11 percent in 1996. This Population Bulletin looks at three aspects of the U.S. Hispanic population: their growing numbers, their increasing diversity, and their relative well-being. (BUL52.3, October 1997)

Global Demographic Divide

 Birth and death rates differ dramatically among the nation's countries, often reflecting a gulf between have and have-not nations. This Population Bulletin looks at the factors fueling the differential growth causing the demographic divide, at the countries in between the two extremes, which contain the majority of the world's populations in 2005. (BUL60.4, December 2005)

Immigration to the United States (PDF: 191KB)
This Population Bulletin examines current immigration patterns and policies in the United States, reviews the peaks and troughs of immigration flows, and provides a historical perspective on contemporary trends. Available online only. (BUL54.2, June 1999)

Immigration: Shaping and Reshaping America (PDF: 370KB)

 This Population Bulletin examines current immigration patterns and policies in the United States, reviews the peaks and troughs of immigration flows, and provides a historical perspective on contemporary trends. Resolving the fundamental economic, social, and political issues raised by immigration requires weighing the choices or trade-offs between widely shared but competing goals in American society. (BUL58.2, June 2003)

India's Population: Reconciling Change and Tradition

 India has more people than Europe, more than Africa, and more than the entire Western Hemisphere. India's population will exceed that of China before 2030 to become the world's most-populous country, a distinction it will almost certainly never lose. This Population Bulletin presents a demographic portrait of the diverse country of India in the early years of the 21st century and offers insight into some of the forces driving continued growth. (BUL61.3, September 2006)

International Migration: Facing the Challenge (PDF: 380KB)

 This Population Bulletin highlights the challenges brought by the movement of millions of people across national borders. Such migration has often been controversial, more so now in light of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. (BUL57.1, March 2002)

New Perspectives on Population: Lessons From Cairo
At the International Conference on Population and Development in September 1994, 180 countries reached a new consensus on population issues, including a move toward considering population trends as they relate to women's reproductive health, environmental conditions, and development. This Population Bulletin reviews the evolution of international policy toward the new consensus in the context of global demographic trends. (BUL50.1, March 1995)

Population and Health: An Introduction to Epidemiology (PDF: 261KB)
This Population Bulletin explains the terms, methods, and materials scientists use to study the health of populations, as well as the historical underpinnings of the modern-day science of epidemiology. Epidemiology provides a unique way of viewing and investigating disease and injury. (BUL54.4, December 1999)

Population and Reproductive Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

 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 growth and slow-growing or stagnating economies throughout much of the region have hindered modernization. Fertility has declined already in a handful of African countries, but the HIV/AIDS epidemic is reversing hard-won gains in life expectancy. This Population Bulletin surveys the demographic situation in sub-Saharan Africa. (BUL52.4, December 1997)

Population Dynamics in Latin America (PDF: 318KB)

 Despite declining fertility, negative migration rates, and declining growth rates, the size of Latin America's population is expected to increase from 520 million to 800 million by 2050. (BUL58.1, March 2003)

Population: A Lively Introduction

 This Population Bulletin discusses the basic forces of demographic change—fertility, mortality, and migration—and how they can be tracked. Also covered are how these three forces affect a population's size and growth rate, and how population projections are calculated; common demographic variables such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity; and issues and problems associated with population growth. (BUL62.1; March 2007)

Population: A Lively Introduction (PDF: 260KB)

 In the new 4th edition of this Population Bulletin, author Joseph McFalls discusses the basic forces of demographic change — fertility, mortality, and migration — and common assessment measures. Also covered are how these three forces affect a population's size and growth rate, and how population projections are calculated; common demographic variables such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity; and issues and problems associated with population growth. (BUL58.4, December 2003)

Transitions in World Population (PDF: 249KB)
This Population Bulletin chronicles changes in world population in the last century, with a particular focus on the last 50 years. It examines the social and economic factors that affect population change, including wide disparities in income, education, and women's status within countries. It also discusses the heightened international concern since the 1950s about rapid population growth, widespread fertility declines, and the new world consensus reached in the 1990s about how best to respond to population trends.  (BUL59.1, March 2004)

United States at Mid-Decade
Today's demographic changes are setting the stage for the next century. This Population Bulletin profiles the United States during the first half of the 1990s, focusing on regional patterns of population growth and change, and their effects on residence and labor force; population aging; racial and ethnic diversity; immigration; changing family patterns; and income distribution. (BUL50.4, March 1996)

Urbanizing World (PDF: 619KB)
This Population Bulletin examines sources, trends, and challenges of urban population change in less developed and more developed regions. Among more developed countries, particular attention is given to the United States. (BUL55.3, September 2000)

What Drives U.S. Population Growth? (PDF: 540KB)

 The U.S. population is growing as fast as, or faster than, any other developed country. The country's young age structure, along with relatively high fertility and immigration, will fuel continued growth over the next several decades. This Population Bulletin, written by Mary Kent and Mark Mather, explores these dynamics (BUL57.4, December 2002)

World Population Beyond Six Billion (PDF: 346KB)
This Population Bulletin chronicles the demographic history of the world and the changes in population in less developed and more developed countries, providing a rich store of data about population before 1900, from 1900 to 1950, and from 1950 to 2000. It draws attention to particular population groups, such as the elderly, women, children and adolescents, migrants, and people at high risk of HIV/AIDS. Available online only. (BUL54.1, March 1999)

World Population Futures (PDF: 338KB)

 This Population Bulletin explains projection methodology and discusses various approaches for expressing uncertainty. The report concludes with a discussion of what global population projections imply about the kind of world our descendents will inhabit. (BUL56.3, September 2001)

World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet (PDF: 945KB)

 This Population Bulletin is the companion report to PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet. The Bulletin highlights key findings from the data sheet on: world population trends, malnutrition, environment, HIV/AIDS, urbanization, and migration. (BUL62.3, September 2007)

World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2008 World Population Data Sheet (PDF: 854KB)
This Population Bulletin is the companion report to PRB's 2008 World Population Data Sheet. The Bulletin highlights key findings from the data sheet on: world population trends, nutrition, environment, HIV/AIDS, urbanization, and migration. (BUL63.3, September 2008)

World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2009 World Population Data Sheet
Population change will shape the prospects of regions and countries over the next half century. Future population growth will be almost entirely in the developing world, with the fastest growth in the poorest countries and regions. This Population Bulletin is a companion to PRB's 2009 World Population Data Sheet and provides data and analysis on world population trends, youth, gender, and the environment. (August 2009)