1954 Rate of Natural Increase

In 1954, the world’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth and death rates, excluding migration—was notably high, reflecting the post-World War II baby boom and improvements in public health. Globally, the RNI hovered around 1.8% per year, though this masked significant regional variation. Africa and Asia experienced the highest RNI, often exceeding 2.0% annually, driven by high fertility rates and declining mortality thanks to better disease control and food supplies. Latin America also saw robust growth, with RNIs typically between 2.5% and 3.0%. In contrast, Europe’s RNI was much lower, often below 1%, as both birth and death rates had already declined significantly, especially in Western Europe. North America, particularly the United States and Canada, had moderate RNIs—higher than Europe but lower than most of Asia and Africa—due to the ongoing baby boom. Individual countries varied widely: for example, India and Nigeria had RNIs above 2%, while countries like Sweden or the UK had RNIs closer to 0.5%. This global demographic landscape set the stage for the rapid population growth that characterized the mid-20th century.

Data from US Census International Database