Back to home pageUnited States of America (Washington) POPULATION BULLETIN OF THE POPULATION REFERENCE BUREAU NOVEMBER 1992 - VOLUME 47, NUMBER 3 93.13.01 - English - Malin FALKENMARK, Swedish Natural Science Research Council, Stockholm (Sweden), and Carl WIDSTRAND, University of Linköping, 581 83 Linköping (Sweden) Population and Water Resources: A Delicate Balance (35 pages) Many of the world's poorest countries lie in the global zones most subject to drought, extreme seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, and other water-resource problems. Many of these countries also have rapidly growing populations that must compete for limited water resources. The article explains how environmental preconditions, like climate and geography, limit human access to water; and how human activities affect the global water systems. With a harsh hydroclimate and growing population pressure, arid and semi-arid regions of Africa are already living on the hydrological margin. By 2025, over one billion people worldwide will be living in areas subject to extreme water scarcity. Slower population growth, conservation, appropriate agricultural policies, and increased storage facilities are among the many ways water-scarce areas can maintain the balance between population and water resources. (ENVIRONMENT, WATER, DROUGHT) DECEMBER 1992 - VOLUME 47, NUMBER 4 93.13.02 - English - William P. O.'HARE America's Minorities - The Demographics of Diversity (45 pages) The four largest racial and ethnic minorities - African Americans, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians - accounted for 25% of the US population in 1992. By 2050, these minorities may account for 47% of the US population. The US minority population is also becoming more diverse because of high rates of immigration, a younger age structure, and higer fertility among some minority groups. This report compares the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of these four racial and ethnic minorities with each other and with the majority non-Hispanic white population. While, on average, minorities tend to lag behind whites on most measures of success, there are many who are achieving college degrees, high-status jobs, and high incomes. The increasing numbers of minorities will continue to add racial and ethnic diversity to our national character - and may prompt a reassessment of race and minority status. (UNITED STATES, INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, ETHNIC MINORITIES)
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