1971 Rate of Natural Increase

In 1971, the world’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth rates and death rates, excluding migration—stood at approximately 2.1% per year, marking one of the highest points in modern history. This global average masked significant regional and continental differences. Africa and Asia, particularly South and Southeast Asia, experienced the highest RNIs, often exceeding 2.5% annually, driven by high fertility rates and declining mortality. Latin America also saw robust natural increase rates, generally between 2.5% and 3%. In contrast, Europe’s RNI was much lower, often below 1%, with some countries like West Germany and Hungary approaching zero growth due to low birth rates and aging populations. North America’s RNI was moderate, around 1.2%, reflecting the tail end of the postwar baby boom. Within continents, disparities were evident: for example, Japan’s RNI was under 1%, while India’s exceeded 2%. These contrasts highlighted the demographic divide between the rapidly growing populations of the Global South and the stabilizing or slowly growing populations of the Global North during the early 1970s.

Data from US Census International Database