An article in today’s FT details the latest population forecasts, just released by the US Census Bureau. I am sorry but this article is only available if you have a FT subscription. These are the main facts.
Higher birth rates among Hispanics and a surge in Asian immigration will transform America's ethnic make-up. By 2050, the proportion of the population who are "non-Hispanic white" - which made up nearly 70% of the total in 2000 - is expected to drop to close to 50 per cent.
At the same time, the figures project that the proportion of the population who are Hispanic will almost double, from 12.6% in 2000 to 24.4% in 2050. They also project a huge increase in the Asian community's representation, from 3.8% in 2000 to 8 % in 2050.
The black population - which in 2000 was roughly the same as the Hispanic population - is expected to grow more slowly, to make up 14.6% of the US by 2050.
These factors will lead to a dramatic growth in the US's total population that is set to increase by 49% by 2050. That trend is in sharp contrast to other western countries, such as Germany, Italy and Spain, where populations are expected to decline in the next 50 years.
The new figures highlight two trends that already have entered this year's election debate: how the US is preparing to cope with an ageing population, and immigration policy.
If these population trends are important enough for the US elections maybe they are issues that should be on the corporate boardroom agenda!
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