2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book: Well-Being of U.S. Children Improves in Some Ways, Slips in Others
National trends in child well-being have improved slightly since 2000, according to the 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book. The 2008 Data Book also presents a clear path to reducing the number of children and youth in America's justice system. The annual Data Book, published by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation with technical assistance from the Population Reference Bureau, ranks U.S. states according to 10 indicators of child well-being. (June 2008)

Improving Early Childhood Nutrition Has Long-Term Economic Benefits
At a Population Reference Bureau policy seminar sponsored in part by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Reynaldo Martorell discussed the effect of a nutrition intervention during early childhood on human capital assets and on the economic productivity of Guatemalan adults. Also view a 10-minute webcast interview with Dr. Martorell. (February 2008)

PopWire: A Higher Share of Young Women Than Men Have Earned B.A.s
About one-third of women ages 25 to 29 had a bachelor's degree or higher in 2007, compared with 26 percent of their male peers, according to data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. (February 2008)

Shaping Education on Global Health
In the last five years, interest in global health education has surged. But what should this education look like? What does a person need to know to be literate in global health? At a recent Population Reference Bureau policy seminar sponsored in part by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, a panel of experts gathered to discuss their ideas and vision for global health education. (January 2008)

The Upskilling of Appalachia: Earnings and the Improvement of Skill Levels, 1960 to 2000 (PDF: 134KB)
This report examines the convergence between Appalachia's economic fortunes and those in the rest of the United States since 1960, particularly among men and women of prime working age. It also examines the effect of social and demographic factors have had on this convergence. This report was published by the Population Reference Bureau and the Appalachian Regional Commission. (September 2007)

Powerful Partners: Adolescent Girls' Education and Delayed Childbearing (PDF: 376KB)
More-educated women have fewer children. This seemingly straightforward relationship is actually complex, and the benefits associated with different levels of education can vary considerably by setting. This policy brief describes adolescent girls' reproductive health risks and how increasing their educational attainment reduces those risks, including early and unwanted fertility, and benefits their future families and society. (September 2007)

New Database Reveals State Variations in the U.S. Science and Engineering Labor Force
A new database created by the Population Reference Bureau reveals geographic differences in characteristics of people working in the science and engineering labor force in the United States. The data, from the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, highlight state-level variations in earnings, education, and the participation of minorities, women, and foreign-born workers in the high-tech economy. (September 2007)

World Population Highlights 2007: Overview of World Population
We entered the 20th century with 1.6 billion people. We entered the 21st century with 6.1 billion people. And in 2007, world population is 6.6 billion. The increase in the size of the human population in the last half-century is unprecedented. And nearly all of the growth is occurring in the less developed countries. Currently, 80 million people are being added every year in less developed countries, compared with about 1.6 million in more developed countries. While the less developed countries will keep growing, the more developed countries may grow slowly or not at all. This article is excerpted from the Population Bulletin: "World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet.(September 2007)

Challenges and Opportunities—The Population of the Middle East and North Africa

 This Population Bulletin looks at recent demographic trends in the Middle East and North Africa and how they interact with social and economic forces of change. It shows how this high-profile region is being transformed by mortality and fertility declines and a veritable revolution in marriage patterns and family planning use. The Bulletin  also considers the effects of immigration and refugee movements on the labor force as well as on the age and sex composition of country populations. (BUL62.2; June 2007)

The Crossover in Female-Male College Enrollment Rates
Since 1991, the proportion of young women enrolled in college in the United States has exceeded the enrollment rate for young men, and the gap has widened over time. Women now make up the majority (54 percent) of the 11 million students enrolled in college. (February 2007)