Science and Health

Brazilian population to start falling in 2030

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-14 10:53

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil's population will grow until 2030 and then start falling, a study released Wednesday by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA) said.

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The country's population will reach 206.8 million by 2030, but ten years later it will fall to 204.7 million, the study based on the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) said.

This trend can be attributed to a decrease in both the mortality and fertility rates in Brazil. According to IPEA, the number of elderly in  Brazil will increase in the next decades, while the number of young people will decrease sharply.

According to the report, the elderly account for 11.4 percent of the Brazilian population, an increase from 7.9 percent in 1992. People under 15 years of age amount to 24 percent of Brazilians, a decrease from 33.8 percent in 1992.

IPEA said that the aging of the Brazilian population will cause changes in the job market, and possibly in the social security system. Moreover, the institute said the country should reduce its prejudice against older citizens, so they can keep up with technological advances.