Education and Occupation Separates Two Kinds of Immigrants in the United States
New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey show that the number of foreign-born people in the United States has reached an all-time high of more than 37 million. Although policymakers, journalists, and the public have focused their attention on low-skilled migrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries, there is also a large and growing number of highly skilled immigrants arriving from Asia to attend college or work in America’s high-tech workforce. These two tiers of immigration have contributed to a wide economic divide among America's foreign-born population. (September 2007)

PopWire: Hispanic Immigrants to U.S. See Progress on Wages
Although immigrants are more likely to be low-wage workers than high-wage workers, how foreign-born workers fare depends on their country of origin and year of entry. Many foreign workers made significant progress between 1995 and 2005, according to a report from the Pew Hispanic Center. (September 2007)

World Population Highlights 2007: Migration
In 2005, about 191 million people, or 3 percent of the world's population, were international migrants, according to UN estimates. Migration continues to be an important determinant of the size and characteristics of populations in some countries and especially in certain areas within countries. Between 1995 and 2000, around 206 million migrants per year moved from less developed to more developed regions. More than one-half of these settled in the United States and Canada. This article is excerpted from the Population Bulletin: "World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet." (September 2007)

World Population Highlights 2007: Urbanization
The world is on the verge of a shift: from predominantly rural to mainly urban. In 2008, more than half the world's people will live in urban areas. By 2030, urban dwellers will make up roughly 60 percent of the world's population. The largest cities in the world are slowly growing in size, and increasingly they are located in less developed regions. This article is excerpted from the Population Bulletin: "World Population Highlights: Key Findings From PRB's 2007 World Population Data Sheet." (September 2007)

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)

Urban Population to Become the New Majority Worldwide
For the first time, more than half the world's population will be living in cities and towns by next year, according to the State of World Population 2007 report from the United Nations. Less developed regions will hit the half-way point later, but likely before 2020. (July 2007)

Addressing the Physical and Mental Health of Women and Adolescents Trafficked in Europe
Women who have been subjected to trafficking and forced into service, including sex work, are more likely to suffer multiple physical and mental health problems than the general female population, according to a recent study. But once released from such situations, women can show vast improvement after only a month of professional care. (July 2007)

Climate Change, Rural Vulnerabilities, and Migration
In February 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a panel of international experts assessing the current scientific knowledge on climate asserted that warming of the earth's climate system is "unequivocal." The panel's conclusions are based on mounting evidence of shifts in the climate and consequent effects on ecological processes and biodiversity. Although some estimates of the health effects of climate change have been undertaken, there is still no clear understanding of the potential social effects.

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 New Generation Gap
New population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that in 2006, the U.S. minority population topped 100 million for the first time in U.S. history. But minorities are not evenly distributed across age groups. The new estimates show a growing racial/ethnic divergence between America’s elderly population and younger age groups, creating a new kind of generation gap in the United States. (May 2007)