U.N. Warns of Rapidly Expanding Population of Young, Elderly

Although the growth rate of the world population is slowing, the number of young and elderly is expanding so quickly that they will pose a serious challenge to society, the United Nations said Wednesday. In its annual world population report, the U.N. said that although the population will continue to expand for several decades, the growth rate has fallen to 1.4% a year from 2% in 1960.

The world population is increasing by more than 80 million a year and, at the current rate, will rise to 9.4 billion in 2050 from 6 billion in mid-1999, said the report from the U.N. Population Fund.

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Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II