Notes:

The designations employed and the materialin this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever onthe part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal statusof any country, territory or area or its authorities, or concerning thedelimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.The designation "moredeveloped" and "less developed" regions are intended forstatistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgment about thestage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Theterm "country" as used in this publication also refers, asappropriate, to territories or areas.

The figures presented are from the mediumvariant of the 2004 Revision of the official United Nations populationestimates and projections prepared by the United Nations Population Division.Versions of the data in digital from can be purchased. Consult www.unpopulation.orgfor more information or contact The Director, Population Division, Departmentof Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA; faxnumber: (212) 963-2147.

Two dots (..) indicate that data are notavailable.

An em dash (-) indicates that the amountis nil or very small.

^{a More developed regions comprise all regions of Europe plusNorthern America, Australia/New Zealand and Japan.}

^{b Less developed regions comprise allregions of Africa, Asia (excluding Japan) and Latin America and theCaribbean, as well as Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.}

^{c The group of least developedcountries, as defined by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003,comprises 50 countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan,Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic ofTimor-Leste, 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 ofTanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.}

^{1 Including Agalega, Rodrigues andSaint Brandon.}

^{2 Including Ascension and Tristan daCunha.}

^{3 For statistical purposes, the datafor China do not include Hong Kong and Macao, Special Administrative Regions(SAR) of China.}

^{4 As of 1 July 1997, Hong Kong becamea Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.}

^{5 As of 20 December 1999, Macaobecame a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.}

^{6 Refers to the Vatican City State.}

^{7 The former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia.}

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

United Nations publication

‎(ST/ESA/SER.A/242)‎

Sales No. E.05.XIII.4

Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica

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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