More than One Billion in Africa

According to the United Nations Population Fund continental Africa's population has passed the one billion level. Uganda and Nigeria are highlighted as regions of highest growth.

Passing this milestone means that Africa's population doubled in only 27 years. Thoraya Obeid, UNPF's Executive Director, talking to journalists at the BBC, suggested the reason for the massive increase is because "there is large number of women who have no access to planning their families".

The population boom has also led to children and young adults representing a much higher proportion of the population than in the developed nations, with associated economic and social problems.

For more see: Africa population tops a billion on the BBC Online.