1991 Rate of Natural Increase

In 1991, the global rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth rates and death rates, excluding migration—was approximately 1.7% per year, reflecting a period of robust population growth. This rate, however, varied significantly across continents and regions. Africa exhibited the highest RNI, with many countries such as Niger and Uganda experiencing rates above 3%, driven by high fertility and relatively young populations. Asia, home to over half the world’s population, had a moderately high RNI, with countries like India and Pakistan showing rates above 2%, while China’s RNI was lower, around 1.3%, due to the effects of its one-child policy. Latin America also saw relatively high RNIs, often between 2% and 2.5%, particularly in Central America. In contrast, Europe’s RNI was close to zero or even negative in some Eastern European countries, reflecting low birth rates and aging populations. North America’s RNI was modest, with the United States at about 0.7% and Canada even lower. This contrast highlights the demographic divide of the early 1990s: rapid natural increase in much of the Global South, and demographic stagnation or decline in much of the Global North.

Data from US Census International Database