Incluye bibliografía

Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Executive summary -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Developing-country demographic trends -- 3. Rationales for public sector involvement in population -- 4. Demand and supply factors in fertility transitions -- 5. Social policy and population -- 6. Integrated approaches in reproductive health -- 7. Implications for the World Bank -- Appendixes: A. The international population assistance network -- B. Accounting for Bank spending in population -- C. Findings of major reviews of Bank work in population -- References.

The population of the developing world will grow this decade by more than 80 million a year - more than ever before. Although growth rates are dropping, this surge will not abate for the next two or three decades, and will make it difficult for poor countries to provide social services, create jobs, and achieve sustainable economic growth. The study explains why slowing population growth is still a high priority for the poorest countries, how population policy can be integrated with social policies, how population programs can provide the poor with appropriate services, why country-specific strategies are needed, and what other demographic issues are becoming more significant.