Assumptions underlying the 2010 revision

The preparation of each new revision of the official population estimates and projections of the United Nations involves two distinct processes: (a) the incorporation of all new and relevant information regarding the past demographic dynamics of the population of each country or area of the world; and (b) the formulation of detailed assumptions about the future paths of fertility, mortality and international migration. The data sources used and the methods applied in revising past estimates of demographic indicators (i.e., those referring to 1950-2010) are presented online1 and in an Excel file (WPP2010_F02_METAINFO.XLS).

Related Subject(s): Economic and Social Development