1998 Revision of World Population Estimates and Projections
United Nations
Population Division
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
This October 1998 document contained information on the world population shortage. It stated that
- 61 countries now have a below-replacement birth rate. This is an increase of 20 percent in just two years.
- The median age of the world population (i.e. half the people are above the median age and half the people are below it) in 1950 was 23.5 years. The median age has increased modestly to 26.1 years in 1998. However, the UN currently predicts that, by the year 2050, the median age will be 37.8 years worldwide, and 47.4 years in Europe!