UNITED NATIONS 'DEMOGRAPHIC YEARBOOK 1997' PUBLISHED

15 March 1999

Press Release
STAT/439

UNITED NATIONS 'DEMOGRAPHIC YEARBOOK 1997' PUBLISHED

19990315 New York, 15 March (Department of Economic and Social Affairs) -- The Demographic Yearbook 1997, which contains general tables giving a world summary of basic demographic statistics, followed by tables presenting statistics on size, distribution and trends in population, natality, mortality, nuptiality and divorce, was published by the United Nations. The information is compiled from national statistical offices around the world and prepared by the Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Highlights from the 1997 Yearbook include:

-- In 16 countries, women's life expectancy at birth now exceeds 80 years, up from 15 countries in the 1996 Demographic Yearbook.

-- Life expectancy for men in 11 countries or areas around the world is 75 years or more, up from 9 countries in the 1996 Demographic Yearbook.

-- Infant mortality rates are below 5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 10 countries or areas in the 1997 Yearbook.

-- Declines in mortality were registered on every continent, as measured by lower infant mortality and increased life expectancy.

-- Life expectancy in Africa is still lower than in other parts of the world. Only women in Cape Verde, Mauritius, Réunion, and Tunisia have an expectation of life at birth in excess of 70 years. However, life expectancy in Africa now exceeds 50 years for men in 24 countries or areas and for women in 34 countries or areas. It is less than 50 years for men in the 29 remaining countries and for women in the 19 remaining countries or areas.

Life expectancy

The Yearbook shows that life expectancy of more than 80 years for women is increasingly common in developed countries. In 16 countries or areas, women have a life expectancy at birth of at least 80 years. According to the Yearbook, Japan shows the longest life expectancy in the world, (83.6), followed by France and Switzerland (81.9), Hong Kong SAR (81.8),

Sweden (81.5), Australia and Norway (81.1), Canada (80.9), Italy (80.7), Belgium and Iceland (80.6), Finland and Spain (80.5), Austria, Greece and Netherlands (80.2).

Men are expected to live more than 75 years in 11 countries or areas of the world. Japan recorded the longest life expectancy for males, 77.0, followed by Sweden (76.5) Hong Kong SAR (76.3), Iceland (76.2), Switzerland (75.7) Israel (75.5), Norway (75.4), Cyprus (75.3), Australia (75.2) and Greece and Singapore (75.0).

Among the 25 largest countries, the gap in life expectancy between women and men is largest in the Russian Federation (13.4 years), Ukraine (10.4 years) and France (8.0 years). That gap is the smallest in Iran (1.3 years), India (0.7 years) and Pakistan (0.2). In Bangladesh, life expectancy for men is longer than for women by 0.4 years.

Infant Mortality

The Yearbook also reports on infant mortality rates, as the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births. The 10 countries or areas with the lowest infant mortality rates are Japan and Singapore (3.8), Hong Kong SAR, Finland, Norway and Sweden (4.0), Switzerland (4.5), Austria (4.7), France and Luxembourg (4.9).

Most Populous Nations

The 25 most populous countries in 1997, which contain about 80 per cent of the estimated world population, are listed below in order of size of population, together with the most recent total fertility rate and life expectancy at birth for men and women. Expectation of life at birth

Range Country Population TFR Male Female (in thousands)

1. China 1,243,738 1.9 66.8 70.5 2. India 955,220 3.4 59.0 59.7 3. United States 267,901 2.0 72.5 78.9 4. Indonesia 199,867 2.9 61.0 64.5 5. Brazil 159,884 2.4 64.1 70.6 6. Russian Federation 147,105 1.3 58.3 71.7 7. Pakistan 138,150 5.9 59.0 59.2 8. Japan 125,638 1.4 77.0 83.6 9. Bangladesh 122,013 5.0 58.7 58.3 10. Nigeria 118,369 6.4 48.8 52.0 11. Mexico 96,400 3.1 62.1 66.0 12. Germany 82,071 1.3 73.3 79.7

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Expectation of life at birth

Range Country Population TFR Male Female (in thousands)

13. Viet Nam 76,548 3.4 63.7 67.9 14. Philippines 73,527 3.5 63.1 66.7 15. Turkey 63,745 2.5 63.3 66.0 16. Egypt 62,011 3.6 65.2 69.0 17. Iran 60,694 5.3 58.4 59.7 18. Thailand 60,602 1.7 63.8 68.9 19. Ethiopia 60,148 7.0 45.9 49.1 20. France 58,607 1.7 73.9 81.9 21. United Kingdom 58,200 1.7 74.3 79.5 22. Italy 57,523 1.2 74.3 80.7 23. Ukraine 50,698 1.4 62.8 73.2 24. Myanmar 46,402 3.6 57.9 63.1 25. Republic of Korea 45,991 1.7 67.7 75.7

-- Note: Demographic Yearbook 1997 (Sales No. E/F.99.XIII.1) may be ordered from the Sales Section, United Nations, New York or Geneva, or through major booksellers throughout the world. The price is $150 (price in other currencies may vary). A reference copy may be consulted by accredited correspondents at the press documents counter at Headquarters. The United Nations Statistics Division home page is http://www.un.org/depts/unsd.

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