STATISTICS DIVISION PUBLISHES 1994 DEMOGRAPHIC YEARBOOK
Press Release
POP/621
STAT/434
STATISTICS DIVISION PUBLISHES 1994 DEMOGRAPHIC YEARBOOK
19960712 NEW YORK, 12 July (DESIPA)-- The Demographic Yearbook 1994, just published by the Statistics Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, is the forty-sixth issue in a series that began in 1948. It features data collected from recent national population censuses conducted during the decade 1985-1994. The Yearbook presents economic characteristics of people for most of the countries or areas of the world. It contains information on economic active population by age and sex for 98 countries or areas and population not economically active for 60 countries or areas. Demographic characteristics are represented by data on population by industry, age and sex for 77 countries or areas; population by occupation, age and sex for 70 countries or areas; population by status, age and sex for 56 countries or areas; population by status and industry for 51 countries or areas; population by status and occupation for 47 countries or areas; female economically active population by marital status for 36 countries or areas; and economically active foreign-born population for 24 countries or areas.In addition to census data shown as the special topics of the 1994 Yearbook, the regular tables report the population by urban/rural residence, sex and age, fertility, mortality, marriage and divorce. A summary of selected demographic indicators for the most populous countries covering three quarters of the estimated world population is presented below.
The Yearbook shows that life expectancy of near 80 years for women is increasingly common in developed countries. In three of the world's largest countries -- Japan, France and Italy -- on average, women live at least 80 years. Men are expected to live more than 70 years in Japan (76.2 years) followed by Italy and the United Kingdom (73.5 years), France (72.9 years) and the United States (72.0 years). Among the 25 largest countries, the gap in life expectancy between women and men is largest in the Russian Federation (13.0 years), Ukraine (9.2 years) and France (8.2 years) and least in Iran (0.8 years) and India (0.4 years). In Bangladesh, life expectancy for men is longer than for women by almost 1 year. According to the Yearbook, the 10 countries or areas with the lowest infant mortality rates (deaths of infants one year of age per 1,000 live
births) are as follows: Sweden (3.4); Japan (4.2); Singapore (4.3); Finland (4.4); Hong Kong (4.8); Norway (5.1); Switzerland (5.5); Denmark (5.6); Australia and France (5.8) and the Netherlands (5.9).
The Yearbook also provides data on the level of economic activity where over 70 per cent of men in the working age are economically active in most countries. Economically activity rates for women range much more widely. China reports the highest level of economic activity for women (73.0 per cent) and Algeria with the lowest (6.4 per cent).
Several factors hamper the comparison of economic activity rates between countries or areas. The definition of economic activity may vary from one country or area to another; in some instances it is only concerned with non- agricultural activity, while in others all persons engaged in gainful employment are defined as economically active. In countries or areas where schooling continues into the adult ages, high rates of economic activity may not begin until after such schooling is completed. Minimum age at entry into the workplace and patterns of retirement differ among populations. All of the factors mentioned above effect the economic activity rate for both men and women. In addition, the association of economic and child-bearing roles differ among countries or areas, which influences levels of economic activity among women in different countries or areas.
Patterns of economic activity are described in detail for economically active men and women classified according to age, industry, occupation and status in employment. Wherever possible, the data are shown by urban/rural residence.
Tables presenting statistics on women's economic activity according to their marital status and the economically active foreign-born population by occupation are also presented in the Yearbook.
The demographic and social statistics database developed by the Statistics Division contains population data published since 1948 in the 46 issues of the Demographic Yearbook. It provides rapid access to demographic and social time-series statistics, beginning with data from 1950. It also permits users to choose one of 30 topics by time period, by country or area, or by data source. As the development of the database continues, additional topics will be added and data files will be updated annually or at the time of publication as resources permit.
The Yearbook may be purchased by writing to the Director, Statistics Division, DC2-1420, United Nations, New York, NY 10017. For further information on the database, send a fax at (212) 963-1940 or on Internet, send request to DEMOSTAT@UN.ORG.
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The next issue of the Yearbook is expected to feature household and family characteristics from population censuses, including the number of households with various characteristics of the household head or reference person such as age, sex and marital status. In each case, these tabulations are presented by age, sex and urban/rural residence.
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NOTE:Demographic Yearbook 1994; Sales No. E/F.96.XIII.1; price $125, price in other currencies may vary; may be ordered from the Sales Section, United Nations, New York or Geneva, or through major booksellers throughout the world. A reference copy may be consulted by accredited correspondents at the third floor Press Documents Counter.