Population to reach 250m by 2015

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) predicts that the country's population will reach 250 million by 2015, based on the current trend in growth.

Head of BKKBN Sumarjati Arjoso said at a national seminar on family planning here on Tuesday Indonesia's annual population growth rate would stand at 1.01 percent in 2015.

She said more efforts would be needed to keep the growth low, otherwise the population would reach 270 million by 2025 and 293 million by 2050.

Indonesia has succeeded in bringing down its population growth rate from 2.32 percent in the 1970s to 1.49 percent in 2000. The latest census conducted last year recorded 217 million people in the country. -- Antara