Population Growth

In preparation for World Population Day 2015 the Population Institute last month released a report (Demographic Vulnerability: Where population growth poses the greatest challenges") that identified the 20 countries facing the greatest demographic challenges with respect to food, poverty, water, environment, and political instability. South Sudan, which topped the report's list of the 20 most demographically vulnerable countries, was rated as "severely vulnerable" in the areas of hunger, poverty, and instability. Its population is projected to increase 236 percent over the next 35 years. Somalia, second on the list, was ranked "high" for hunger and environment, and "severe" for poverty and instability. Somalia's population is projected to rise 150 percent by 2050.

Other countries in the top ten included Niger, Burundi, Eritrea, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Sudan. The population of Burundi, which sits atop IFPRI's Global Hunger Index (GHI), is projected to increase by 154 percent by 2050. The population of Niger, which ranked first in UNDP's 2014 Multidimensional Poverty Index, is projected to increase by 274 percent during the next 35 years.