The overall growth rate, which peaked in the late 1960s, has been falling steadily since the 1970s. In Africa, children under 15 account for two fifths of the population.
The report also said rapidly growing Nigeria is expected to eclipse the United States to become the third most populous country within the next 35 years.
Thereafter, the report said, India’s population will grow for decades, to 1.5 billion in 2030 and 1.7 billion in 2050, while China’s is expected to remain fairly constant until the 2030s, when it is expected to slightly decrease. China and India, now the countries...