2000 Rate of Natural Increase

In the year 2000, the world’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth rates and death rates, excluding migration—stood at approximately 1.4% per year, reflecting ongoing but slowing global population growth. Africa had the highest RNI among continents, with many sub-Saharan countries such as Niger, Uganda, and Angola experiencing rates above 2.5%, driven by high fertility and comparatively lower, though still significant, mortality rates. Asia’s RNI was moderate, with South and Southeast Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Indonesia showing higher rates (around 1.5–2%), while East Asian nations such as China and Japan had much lower rates, with Japan’s RNI nearly zero or negative due to low fertility and an aging population. Latin America’s RNI was also relatively high, averaging around 1.7%, with countries like Guatemala and Bolivia at the upper end, while Brazil and Argentina had begun to see declines. In contrast, Europe’s RNI was close to zero or negative in several countries, notably in Eastern and Southern Europe, reflecting low birth rates and aging populations. North America’s RNI was modest, with the United States around 0.6% and Canada even lower. These contrasts highlight the demographic divide at the turn of the millennium: rapid natural increase in less developed regions, especially Africa and parts of Asia, and stagnation or decline in more developed regions, particularly Europe and East Asia.

Data from US Census International Database