Ethiopia's population booms
2005-10-13 14:02
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's population has exceeded 77.4 million in 2005 and its average annual growth rate stands at 2.4%, according to a report from the United Nations population fund (UNFPA) published on Thursday.
Ethiopia is the second most populous African country, after Nigeria which leads the table with 131.5 million people out of a total African population of 905.9 million. Egypt ranks third with 74 million, according to the UNFPA World Population 2005 Report.
If it continues to grow at the same rate, Ethiopia's population is projected to reach 170.2 million by 2050, the report showed.
Life expectancy in the East African country is 47.1 years for a male and 49 years for a female.
The report, which is based on data collected in 2000, was released to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
Besides charting population trends, the report also included statistics on a range of health and social issues, including access to water, domestic violence, sexual violence and HIV/Aids. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA