UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
|
| UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) |
|
The electronic version of this journal is being made available by
the Population Information Network (POPIN) Gopher of the United
Nations Population Division, Department for Economic and Social
Information and Policy Analysis.
*****************************************************************
FID News Bulletin
Volume 44, Issue 9
September 1994
INFORMATION ON EUROPEAN DEMOGRAPHY
by
Jolande Siebenga
Demography is the study of population. It deals with developments
in the size, composition, and spatial distribution of the
population. In a broader sense, it also involves the social causes
and consequences of these developments.
This article provides an overview of some important sources of
demographic information on Europe. Of course, Europe also figures
in worldwide publications as the UN Demographic Yearbook and the UN
World Population Prospects, but here the focus is on those
publications that deal with Europe only. Also, countless articles
published on the subject in demographic and non-demographic
periodicals, are left out.
As demography is firstly concerned with numbers, the most important
population statistics are discussed first. Then some recent books
on specific demographic issues are mentioned and, finally, some
information is given on EAPS, the European Association for
Population Studies.
European Demography:
Statistical Information
The most complete source of European demographic information is
Recent Demographic Developments in Europe, published by the
Council of Europe Press. This is an annual publication prepared by
the European Population Committee, the Council's inter-governmental
body for demographic matters.
It provides information on the 32 member states and the republics
of the former USSR and former Yugoslavia.
The report is divided into three parts: an introduction, a
synopsis, and a country-specific section. The introduction provides
a general summary of the demographic situation in Europe; the
synopsis gives an overview in table and graph form of demographic
parameters in the various countries, with information on
"population and population change", "marriage and divorce",
"fertility" and "mortality"; the country-specific section consists
of a national report for each country, with accompanying tables
presenting the main statistical series of demographic change.
Another valuable source of information is compiled by Eurostat, the
statistical office of the European Community in Luxembourg; namely,
Demographic Statistics.
It presents detailed, annual population data for the Community and
the member states, allowing a direct country-to-country comparison
to be made for each phenomenon or indicator. A special chapter is
included on the European Economic Area (EAA) which came into being
in 1993. It pre-sents data on the countries of the European Free
Trade Association. Other special subjects are: the regions of the
Community and the projection of its population.
Also issued by Eurostat are the Rapid Reports Population and Social
Conditions. This periodical is published monthly, and gives actual
information on special issues, like "Women in the EC", "Who dies of
what in the EC", "Older people in the EC".
Each year, the French demographic journal Population gives an
overview of the demographic situation in Europe in "La Conjoncture
Demographique: L'Europe et les Pays Developpes d'Outre-Mer".
The data come from the national statistical institutes and the
international organizations (UN, EEC, Council of Europe).
The OECD in Paris publishes the annual report of the Continuous
Reporting System on Migration (SOPEMI) from 1992, under the title
Trends in International Migration.
The report provides an analysis of the main trends in international
migration, recent changes in migratory movements and policies
(country notes), and migration in Central and Eastern Europe.
European Demography:
Some Recent Books
In 1992, the United Nations Commission for Europe published the ECE
Directory of Demographic Centres in Europe and North America. It
provides information on 132 demographic centres, i.e. the status
and major areas of work, the current major research projects, and
the names of professional staff members.
In cooperation with the United Nations Pop-ulation Fund (UNFPA),
the UN Economic Commission for Europe published two books in 1992
on population aging and its consequences: Demographic Causes and
Consequences of Population Aging: Europe and North America and
Changing Population Age Structures: Demographic and Economic
Consequences and Implications.
The Commission of the European Communities published National
Family Policies in EC-Countries in 1991 compiled by the European
Observatory of national family policies. In the same year, the
Atlas de la Population Europeenne was published by Jean-Michel
Decroly and Jean Vanlaer.
The Council of Europe has continued the series Population Studies
in 1993 with three issues: Political and Demographic Aspects of
Migration Flows to Europe (no. 25), The Future of Europe's
Population by Robert Cliquet (no. 26), and The Demographic
Situation of Hungary in Europe by Andras Klinger (no. 27).
Some other recent books on European demography are...
General
European Population. Published for the European Population
Conference, Paris, October 21-25, 1991. (Eds.) Jean Louis Rallu et
al., Montrouge: John Libbey Eurotext, 1991. 2 vol.: I. Country
Analysis, 450 p; II. Demographic Dynamics. 525 p.
The Changing Population of Europe. (Ed.) Daniel Noin. Oxford, etc.:
Blackwell, 1993. 260 p.
International Migration
Mass Migrations in Europe: The Legacy and the Future (Ed.) Russell
King. London: Belhaven Press, 1993. 334 p.
The New Geography of European Migrations (Ed.) Russell King. London
etc.: Belhaven Press, 1993. 263 p.
Europe and International Migration. By Sarah Collinson. London,
etc.: Pinter Publishers etc., 1993. 189 p.
Fertility
The European Experience of Declining Fertility, 1850-1970: The
Quiet Revolution. (Eds.) John Gilles et al. Cambridge, Ma., etc.:
Blackwell, (1992) 385 p. (Studies in Social Discontinuity)
Mortality
The Decline of Mortality in Europe (Eds.) Schofield, R. et al.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. 270 p. (International Studies in
Demography)
European Association
for Population Studies
In order to promote the study of population in Europe and to foster
the cooperation between persons who are interested in European
popula-tion issues, the European Association for Population Studies
(EAPS) was founded on 31 March 1983.
EAPS wants to be an international and multidisciplinary forum for
the study of Europe's population. It wishes to stimulate the
interest in population issues among governments, national and
international organizations and the general public. To this end,
EAPS fosters the exchange and dissemination of population-related
information.
It is a scientific association of individual members and Affiliated
Institutions and works in consultation with the International
Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) and the
Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in
Demography (CICRED).
EAPS organizes conferences, seminars, workshops and working groups
in close cooperation with its Affiliated Institutions and other
organizations; it also disseminates information dealing with
population issues.
The European Journal of Population is a quarterly scientific
journal which is published under the auspices of EAPS by Elsevier
Science Publishers. The journal addresses a broad public of
researchers and policy-makers, concerned with population processes,
their backgrounds and consequences.
For additional information write to:
Executive Secretary of EAPS,
Drs. N. van Nimwegen
P.O. Box 11676
2505 AR THE HAGUE
Netherlands
Tel.: +31 70 3565222 or +31 70 3565200;
Fax: +31 70 3647187
or:
Jolande Siebenga, Librarian
Netherlands Interdisciplinary
Demographic Institute
P.O. Box 11650
2502 AR The Hague
Netherlands