ABSTRACT
Nigeria's labor force is projected to grow by 189 percent and Ethiopia's will soar by 268 percent both faster than growth of the general population. As the children of today represent the workers of tomorrow, the interaction between population growth and jobs is most acute in nations with young populations. Nations throughout Asia will also see phenomenal increases in the numbers seeking work, including Pakistan, where the work force will grow from 70 million in 1998 to 199 million by 2050. In Algeria, where unemployment stands at 22 percent, the labor force is growing at a staggering 4.2 percent annually, and the number seeking work will more than double by 2050. And persistent high levels of unemployment in many European nations with stable populations indicate the policy challenges of providing jobs even without rapid population growth. In most societies, unemployment rates for those under 25 are substantially higher than for older people.
