Notes:

The designations employed and the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The designation "more developed" and "less developed" regions are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. The term "country" as used in this publication also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas.

The figures presented are from the medium variant of the 2002 Revision of the official United Nations population estimates and projections prepared by the United Nations Population Division. Versions of the data in digital from can be purchased. Consult www.unpopulation.org for more information or contact The Director, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA; fax number: 1(212) 963-2147.

Two dots (..) indicate that data are not available.

An em dash (—) indicates that the amount is nil or very small.

a More developed regions comprise all regions of Europe plus Northern America, Australia/New Zealand and Japan.

b Less developed regions comprise all regions of Africa, Asia (excluding Japan) and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

c Least developed countries, as defined by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001, include 49 countries: 34 in Africa; 9 in Asia; 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 5 in Oceania. The full list is: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.

1 Including Agalega, Rodrigues and Saint Brandon.

2 Including Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

3 For statistical purposes, the data for China do not include Hong Kong and Macao, Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of China.

4 As of 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.

5 As of 20 December 1999, Macao became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.

6 Refers to the Vatican City State.

7 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

8 Including Christmas Islands, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.

9 The population of Pitcairn is 66 in 2003, 2025 and 2050.

United Nations publication

(ST/ESA/SER.A/224)

Sales No. E.03.XIII.9

Copyright © United Nations 2003

All rights reserved

Manufactured in the United States of America

Inquiries should be directed to:

The Director, Population Division

Department of Economic and Social Affairs

United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA

Fax number 1(212) 963-2147

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