Understanding and Comparing Population Projections in Sub-Saharan Africa

The expanding pool of population projections is an exciting development for data consumers but reminds us that all projections must be critically assessed prior to use.

In this research brief, we aim to better understand the relationship between use of voluntary family planning, fertility decline, human capital development, and labor productivity. To assess the relationship between family planning, fertility decline, and labor productivity, we applied the Cannin…

Women s decisions about family planning are complex and change over time. Understanding these shifts can help us meet women s needs and support their goals.

As low- and middle-income countries transition from paper to digital systems, family planning programs can benefit from unprecedented opportunities to improve services. Investments in digital health tools have expanded exponentially, but information on what works and what does not remains limited an…

The demographic dividend the prospect for accelerated economic growth driven by a country s maturing age structure has captivated the attention of policymakers around the world. The African Union declared 2017 the year of Harnessing the Demographic Dividend Through Investments in Youth, and heads of…

Our widely referenced World Population Data Sheet has been produced annually since 1962. With more than 50 countries, including the United States, scheduled to conduct a census in the coming year, this year s Data Sheet focuses on censuses around the world from the first known census by the Babyl…

Europe and Asia Aging Rapidly, While Africa Is Home to the World s Largest Youth Population Fertility rates in the United States dropped to their lowest level in recorded history, with women having an average of 1.7 births in their lifetime. That s one of the key findings in PRB s 2019 World Populat…

PRB estimates the 2018 worldwide total fertility rate (TFR, or average births per woman over their lifetime) at 2.4; the global TFR has been declining for the past few decades but remains high enough to generate continued population growth.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, national development strategies have established the goal of achieving economic growth that is both rapid and equitable across a population. Efforts to promote shared prosperity will be strengthened by demographic changes that facilitate greater investment in human capital…

This report explores how family planning could and should play a much larger role in Africa s future through strengthening global competitiveness, advancing equitable growth, and building resilience against natural and manmade stressors and shocks.