POPULATION: Asia Faces Lower Birth and Death Rates

Asia has long been touted as the world's largest and most populous continent with over 4.1 billion people, accounting for more than 60 percent of the global population.

But according to the recently-released Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific, fertility rates in the region have fallen below replacement level in 16 countries, including China (the world's most populous nation) Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Still, a number of countries have fertility rates above 3.0 children per woman, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India (the world's second most populous nation) Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tajikistan and Timor-Leste.


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