RI population to hit 318m in 2050

RI population to hit 318m in 2050

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's population is expected to reach 318
million by the halfway point of the next century.

President B.J. Habibie, in a ceremony here yesterday marking
the July 11 World Population Day, said that it was important for
Indonesians to maintain the success of the family planning
program.

The current annual population growth rate in Indonesia is
about 1.7 percent, or equivalent to about an additional three
million each year.

Indonesia, with it 202 million people, is currently the
world's fourth most populous country behind China, India and the
United States.

According to Habibie, with a predicted population of 318
million in the year 2050, Indonesia will be ranked sixth behind
India with an estimated 1.53 billion, China with 1.51 billion,
Pakistan with 357 million, the United States with 348 million and
Nigeria with 339 million.

However it remains to be seen whether Indonesia can maintain
its minimal growth rate as there are already fears that lower-
income families might forsake family planning due to their
limited financial resources. (prb)