FEAST OR FAMINE

More than 28% of Japan’s population is now officially classified as elderly, according to its government data. Elderly is over the age of 65 years. Japan’s rate of 28.1% is the highest rate in the world as the first wave of baby boomers enter their twilight years.  In Japan, people aged 65 or older make up a record 35.6 million (28.1%) of the country’s total population. People aged 70 or older accounted for 20.7% of the population, surpassing 20% for the first time. Other countries with high rates of people aged 65 years or older include: Italy with 23.3%, Portugal with 21.9%, and Germany with 21.7%, according to data from the United Nations.  MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Over half of the population of Africa is under 25 years of age. This makes the African youth population the youngest population in the world. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

The country with the most twins born in the world is Benin. Benin has an average of 27 twins per 1,000 births each year. The world average is 13.6 twins per 1,000 births each year. Benin is a country in west Africa, next to Togo and Nigeria. In 2016 Benin had an estimated population of 10.9 million. Photographer: Losheim (2009) MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

World Population Day is celebrated annually on 11 July. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) established the special day due to the global interest in the 'Day of 5 Billion' on 11 July 1987. By December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly decided to continue observing World Population Day to enhance awareness of population issues, including their relations to the environment and development. World Population Day was first marked on 11 July 1990 in more than 90 countries. Since then, a number of   UNFPA country offices and other organizations and institutions commemorate World Population Day, in partnership with governments and civil society organizations.    The theme of World Population Day for 2017 is  “Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations.” This year's celebrations coincide with the UNFPA Family Planning Summit, the second meeting of the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) initiative, whi...