ABSTRACT
There is now a fundamental difference between the demographic situation of rich and poor countries. In the developing world, population grew by 2·6 per cent a year from 1950 to 1967 and the rate is still increasing. In developed countries, the average rate was just above 1 per cent and is declining. This is the major reason for the slower growth of income per head in the developing world even though its total output is actually increasing faster than that of rich countries.
