21st Century Will Be Marked by the Aging of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

The 20th century in Latin America and the Caribbean was characterized, in demographic terms, by population growth, while the 21st century will be marked by aging due mainly to lower fertility rates and longer life expectancy, according to a new report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The study The New Demographic Era in Latin America and the Caribbean: Time for Equality According to the Population Clock (only available in Spanish) is one of the reference documents for the first meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is being held from today until Friday, November 14 at ECLAC's headquarters in Santiago, Chile.

According to the report, the region was home to 512 million people in 2000, up from 161 million in 1950. Estimates for this century forecast an increase to 734 million by 2050, although the population is expected to decrease by 2100 to 687 million. All in all, the main changes in the population's age structure will be observed due largely to the aging process.

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