Asia's Increasing Population

The population of Asia today is five times what it was three centuries ago. In 1950 the world population was 2.5 billion people and that of Asia 1.4 billion people. Rates of growth have been high. Factors in this growth have been many and varied: administrative control which brought peace to cer tain areas, particularly when it also brought agricultural im provements ; the introduction of new foods; improved sanita tion; increased production and movement of foods; and recent Western scientific and technical advances. However while Asia's population was growing, its economic change was partial and its social change muted. Rates of growth are increasing because birth rates remain at their ancient levels while death rates decline. Continuation of this situation to the end of the century would increase the population from 1.5 billion of the year 1955 to 4.2 billion in the year 2000. The decisions of the governments of great Asian countries to slow population in crease through encouraging planned parenthood indicate that resolution of the problem of growth may come through reduced fertility rather than increased mortality. The case of Japan is given as an example.