1967 Rate of Natural Increase

In 1967, the world’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth rates and death rates, excluding migration—stood at an estimated 2.1% per year, marking one of the highest points in modern demographic history. This global average masked significant regional and continental variations. Africa and Asia exhibited the highest RNIs, with many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia experiencing rates above 2.5% due to high fertility and declining mortality. In contrast, Europe’s RNI was much lower, often below 1%, as a result of both lower birth rates and already reduced death rates; some Eastern European countries even approached zero growth. Latin America’s RNI was also high, averaging around 2.7%, while North America’s was moderate, at about 1.2%. For example, India and Nigeria had RNIs exceeding 2%, fueling rapid population growth, whereas countries like Sweden and the United Kingdom had RNIs under 1%. These disparities reflected differences in economic development, access to healthcare, and family planning, setting the stage for divergent demographic trajectories in the decades that followed.

Data from US Census International Database