Introduction

Countries in developing regions are experiencing demographic shifts and transitions, which have knock-on effects on the social, economic, environmental, and political sustainability of these regions. These patterns and transitions invoke public policy questions that present opportunities as well as challenges, although the challenges confronting developing regions often receive far greater attention from global stakeholders. This chapter opens up a pandora’s box that reviews some contemporary demographic patterns of regions in the developing world. This is followed by a robust discussion focusing on the demographic pay-off and a range of opportunities that these demographic patterns generate. The challenges associated with demographic shifts are also considered. The chapter concludes by critically discussing some of the global responses to contemporary public policy opportunities and challenges, with a focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches that underpin the Sustainable Development Goals and the role of geographic information system.