United Nations Population Division United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs World Contraceptive Use 1998 WORLD AND REGIONAL AVERAGES Trends ------------------------- Annual Couples in percentage reproductive change in ages (2) proportion in 1995 using World and regional averages (millions) Time Period any method ----------------------------------- ------------ ----------- ------------ World 982.2 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less developed regions 799.2 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Africa 111.2 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia (5) 611.5 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Latin America and the Caribbean 75.4 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oceania 1.1 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- More developed regions 183.0 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japan 18.4 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe 119.6 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northern America 41.9 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australia/New Zealand 3.2 .. .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: ----- This chart shows the most recent data available as of June 1998. Information about contraceptive use is taken mainly from representative national sample surveys of women of reproductive age for dates 1970 and later. Data pertain to married couples, including, where possible, those in consensual unions. World and regional average levels of current contraceptive use were derived by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, based on the survey data shown and assumptions about patterns of use in countries for which no information was available. The date to which the world and regional averages pertain is approximately 1993. Further information about data sources and estimates is given in Levels and Trends of Contraceptive Use as Assessed in 1998 (United Nations publication, forthcoming). The number of married women of reproductive age was estimated for 1995 based on marital status data reported in censuses and surveys, and population statistics given in The Sex and Age Distribution of the World Population: The 1996 Revision (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.98.XIII.2), medium variant. The more developed regions comprise all regions of Europe and Northern America, Australia/New Zealand and Japan. Less developed regions comprise all regions of Africa, Asia (excluding Japan), Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the regions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. The regional groupings employed correspond to those used in the 1996 Revision. Because of rounding, the sum of levels of use of particular contraceptive methods does not necessarily equal the total level of use. Two dots (..) indicate that data are not available or are not seperately reported. (2) Represented by the number of currently married women or women in union aged 15-49. (5) Excluding Japan. Inquiries and comments shoud be addressed to the Director, Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA. Tel: 1-212-963-3179 Fax: 1-212-963-2147/2638 United Nations publication (ST/ESA/SER.A/175) Sales No. E.99.XIII.4 ISBN 92-1-151330-8 Copyright (C) United Nations 1999