Brazil's population forecast to increase by more than 40 percent by 2050

Brazil's population will grow more than 40 percent, adding about 78 million people by mid-century, despite declining birth rates that will lead to a steadily aging citizenry, the Brazilian Census Bureau, or IBGE, said Wednesday.

Photo: Brazil's population forecast to increase by more than 40 percent by 2050

By 2050, Latin America's largest country will have close to 260 million inhabitants, IBGE forecast based on data compiled in 2004, when the country's population stood at 182.1 million.

The census bureau said the country's population-growth rate has been slowing due to lower fertility and birth rates. Between 1991 and 2004, the birth rate measuring the number of babies born per 1,000 inhabitants, went from 23.4 to 20.6 percent, the IBGE said.

During the same period, the fertility rate also dropped, from 2.7 births per woman to 2.3, IBGE said.

The survey also said the number of elderly Brazilians aged 70 or older will rise.

In 2004, 7.7 million, or 4.1 percent of the country's total population, were elderly. By 2050 Brazil's is expected to have 34.3 million people 70 or older, reports AP.

O.Ch.