1986 Rate of Natural Increase

In 1986, the world’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between crude birth and death rates, excluding migration—stood at approximately 1.7% per year, reflecting rapid global population growth. This rate, however, varied significantly across continents and regions. Africa exhibited the highest RNI, often exceeding 2.5% in many countries due to high birth rates and declining mortality. Asia, home to over half the world’s population, had a slightly lower RNI, averaging around 1.9%, with Southeast and South Asian countries like India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh experiencing higher rates than East Asian nations such as China and Japan, where government policies and social changes had begun to reduce birth rates. Latin America also saw high RNIs, typically between 2% and 2.5%, while Europe’s RNI was close to zero or even negative in some countries, reflecting low birth rates and aging populations. North America’s RNI was modest, around 0.7%, driven by relatively lower fertility compared to developing regions. Thus, in 1986, the global pattern was marked by stark contrasts: rapid natural increase in developing regions, especially Africa and parts of Asia and Latin America, versus stagnation or decline in much of Europe and other developed countries.

Data from US Census International Database