Demographics & Changing World Order

Came across this interesting piece - "Populations are growing most rapidly where such growth can be afforded the least—an observation that has changed little over time. The population on earth today is nearly four times the number in 1900. In less than 7 years from now, the world population shall increase by another 500 million to touch 7 billion. Behind that phenomenal global increase is a vast gulf in birth and death rates among the world's countries. But according to population experts, this gulf is not a simple divide that perpetuates the status quo among the have and have-not nations. Experts opine that the worrisome aspect about this demographic divide is not the differences among nations' population growth rates, but the disparities associated with these trends - disparities in living standards, health, and economic prospects". While changing demographics is seen as a huge advantageM for countries like India, there are some concerns about creating a divide between digital averse to digital natives. The whole BRIC report is anchored on changing demographics and Businessweek points out that assuming current demographic and economic trends continue, the EU's share of total global output will shrink from 18% today to 10% in 2050 & Japan's share would decline from 8% to 4% & Japan would have to increase immigration elevenfold from its current level to make up for the nation's low fertility rate and rapid decline in its working population. Indeed a rule changing phenomenon.