A new science of population
The Economist - UK
The biggest question raised by the new research is whether the world is converging demographically or diverging towards disparate futures. The UN, whose population division is the source of much basic demographic material, thinks the world is converging towards the “replacement rate” of fertility; this is 2.1, the magic number that stabilises populations over the long term. ,…(19 May 2012)

China’s Achilles heel
The Economist - UK
According to the UN’s population division, the nationwide fertility rate will continue to decline, reaching 1.51 in 2015-20. In contrast, America’s fertility rate is 2.08 and rising. The difference between 1.56 and 2.08 does not sound large. But over the long term it has a huge impact on society. Between now and 2050 China’s population will fall slightly, from 1.34 billion in 2010 to just under 1.3 billion in 2050. ... (21 April 2012)

Vertical farming: Does it really stack up?
The Economist - UK
According to the UN’s Population Division, by 2050 around 70% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. So it just makes sense, he says, to move farms closer to where everyone will be living.
(9 December 2010)