Population Grew 7% between 1991 and 1996
8/14/97
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Headline: Population Grew 7% between 1991 and 1996
Source: News from Brazil
Date: 8/14/97
NEWS FROM BRAZIL supplied by SEJUP (Servico Brasileiro de
Justica e Paz).
Number 283, August 14, 1997.
Results of the 1996 census show that the Brazilian population
increased by 7% since 1991 - from a total of 146825475 to
157079573. This represent an annual average population growth
rate of 1.38% during the period and is the lowest since the
1872 census according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography
and Statistics (IBGE).
The recent census data show that a lowering fertility rate
and the present death rate combine not only to decrease the
growth rate of the population but also to increase its'
average age. The percentage of the population for example in
the 0 to 14 age bracket fell from a total of 34.73% in 1991
to 31.62% in 1996. On the other hand the number of people in
the over 65 year old group increased from 4.83% in 1991 to
5.37% in 1996. The 15 to 64 year old group increased from
60.45% to 63.01% during the same period.
The fertility rate (defined by the IBGE as the number of
children per woman in between 15 and 49 years) was 2.32 in
1996 and was the lowest in Brazil's history. Last century
the estimated average was 7. In 1960 it had fallen to 6.2. By
1991 it stood at 2.9. The mortality rate of under 1 year old
children per thousand births was 41.3 in 1996. Statisticians
calculate that by the year 2000 the fertility rate will be
2.2; the mortality rate of under 1 year old children is
expected to be 37.4 and the annual population growth is
calculated at 1.33% with a total population of 166112518.
The south-eastern region of the country has the greatest
population concentration - 57% of the total. Two of the
states with the largest population (Sao Paulo and Minas
Gerais) are found in this region. However this region is in
third place (1.35%) when annual population increase is
calculated. Higher on the scale is the north with an annual
population increase of 2.44% and the Center-West with 2.22%.
The south had an annual population increase of 1.24%. The
north-east was the region which had the smallest increase -
1.06% between 1991 and 1996.
considerably during the period. The population of the city of
Rio de Janeiro increased by an annual average of 0.26% - it
now stands at 5.55 million. Sao Paulo had an annual increase
of 0.4% during the period as compared to 1.16% in the period
between 1980 and 1991. The decrease in large cities however
does not mean that such an increase was experienced in all
the neighborhoods of the city. In Sao Paulo for example the
periphery of the city had an annual population increase
between 1991 and 1996 of 3.12%. Over 500 thousand people
moved from one neighborhood to another during the period in
Sao Paulo - 57 of the 96 districts of the city experienced a
population decrease during the five year period whilst
others - often far from the center, almost doubled their
populations. This is seen to have been provoked by economic
factors such as cheaper rents and house prices in distant
neighborhoods. The census also showed that there is
significant migration from the state capitals to neighboring
cities. This has provoked numerous problems because many of
these smaller cities receiving such migrants have not
adequate infra-structure to cater for the influx. Guarulhos,
a dormitory city in the Greater Sao Paulo area is an example.
The population there is 972 thousand - according to
calculations 100 thousand moved from the city of Sao Paulo to
Guarulhos during the last five years.
Curitiba (State capital of Parana) on the other hand showed
an increase in the annual population growth - 2.38% per annum
as compared to 2.29% between 1980 and 1991. The town with
the largest annual increase (39.96% per year on average)
during the period was Confresa, State of Mato Grosso. This
town with a population of 17196 is situated in a gold
prospecting area.
The census results also showed that 16.91 million (13.6% of
the population) over ten years of age have never gone to
school or spent less than a year there. Functional illiteracy
(less than four years in school) is 35.1% according to the
1996 census. On the other hand the recent census figures
show that 90% of children between 7 and 14 years were in
school. 25.8% of youth (here defined as between 18 and 24
years) were still in school. However the figures show that
many students are not in the grade corresponding to what
would be appropriate for their age. For example at 7 years
(an age in Brazil appropriate for first grade) 14% are still
in pre-school.