A.
Adolescents in the Asian and Pacific region
According to the United
Nations (1997), adolescence is defined as the stage of life during
which individuals reach sexual maturity; it is the period of
transition from puberty to maturity. Since the age range
implied by this description is imprecise, operational definitions
vary. The age group 10-19 identifies the period of adolescence.
But for the purpose of this study, "adolescents" refers to the age
group 15-19, as data on reproductive health are most commonly
available for this age group. Furthermore, the reproductive health
problems and needs of adolescents tend to be more distinct than those
of youth aged 20-24.
Table 1 shows that of
the world's 6.1 billion population in 2000, over one billion people
(19.1 per cent) belonged to the age group 10-19. The Asian and
Pacific region comprises 717 million people in this age
group. According to United Nations medium-variant projections,
in the world as a whole the number of persons in the age group 10-19
will continue to grow, reaching 1,250 million by the year 2025, while
in the Asian and Pacific region this number will decline to 704
million by the year 2025 (United Nations, 2001a). Within the
ESCAP region, South and South-West Asia and the Pacific will continue
to exhibit an increase in the number of people in the age group 10-19
during the period 2000-2025, while the remaining subregions will
witness a decline in the population in this age group during the same
period. A substantial decline in the number of people aged 10-19
will occur in East and North-East Asia and North and Central Asia,
down from 245 million in 2000 to 206 million in the former and from 40
million in 2000 to 25 million in 2025 in the latter. This is
primarily due to a continuous fall in the total fertility rate in
those subregions.
|
|
Table
1. Number and percentage of the population 10-19
as a percentage of the total population by sex, world and ESCAP
subregion, 2000-2025
|
|
Region
|
|
Population
10-19 (in thousands)
|
Percentage of
population 10-19
|
| |
|
2000
|
2005
|
2010
|
2025
|
2000
|
2005
|
2010
|
2025
|
| World
|
Male |
592,355
|
613,502
|
613,019
|
641,642
|
19.4
|
18.9
|
17.8
|
16.1
|
| Female |
561,760
|
580,552
|
580,468
|
611,436
|
18.7
|
18.2
|
17.1
|
15.5
|
| Total |
1,154,115
|
1,194,055
|
1,193,487
|
1,253,078
|
19.1
|
18.5
|
17.5
|
15.8
|
| ESCAP
|
Male |
370,451
|
380,124
|
370,658
|
362,544
|
19.4
|
18.9
|
17.5
|
15.1
|
| Female |
346,390
|
354,170
|
345,505
|
340,957
|
18.9
|
18.2
|
16.8
|
14.5
|
| Total |
716,841
|
734,294
|
716,163
|
703,501
|
19.2
|
18.5
|
17.2
|
14.8
|
| East
and North-East Asia
|
Male |
127,743
|
128,138
|
116,515
|
107,321
|
16.9
|
16.4
|
14.5
|
12.6
|
| Female |
117,099
|
116,069
|
105,233
|
98,804
|
16.2
|
15.5
|
13.6
|
11.9
|
| Total |
244,842
|
244,208
|
221,747
|
206,125
|
16.5
|
15.9
|
14.0
|
12.2
|
| South-East
Asia
|
Male |
55,199
|
56,642
|
56,640
|
54,185
|
21.2
|
20.3
|
19.1
|
15.7
|
| Female |
53,690
|
54,952
|
54,860
|
52,272
|
20.6
|
19.7
|
18.5
|
15.1
|
| Total |
108,889
|
111,594
|
111,500
|
106,457
|
20.9
|
20.0
|
18.8
|
15.4
|
| South
and South-West Asia
|
Male |
164,865
|
174,441
|
180,104
|
185,405
|
21.5
|
20.9
|
20.0
|
17.2
|
| Female |
153,762
|
163,091
|
168,741
|
174,945
|
21.3
|
20.7
|
19.8
|
16.9
|
| Total |
318,627
|
337,532
|
348,845
|
360,351
|
21.4
|
20.8
|
19.9
|
17.1
|
| North
and Central Asia
|
Male |
20,157
|
18,290
|
14,693
|
12,781
|
19.3
|
17.7
|
14.3
|
12.5
|
| Female |
19,519
|
17,599
|
14,114
|
12,246
|
17.0
|
15.4
|
12.4
|
10.9
|
| Total |
39,676
|
35,889
|
28,808
|
25,026
|
18.1
|
16.5
|
13.3
|
11.7
|
| Pacific
|
Male |
2,487
|
2,613
|
2,706
|
2,851
|
16.5
|
16.4
|
16.0
|
14.5
|
| Female |
2,320
|
2,458
|
2,556
|
2,690
|
15.6
|
15.5
|
15.2
|
13.8
|
| Total |
4,807
|
5,072
|
5,262
|
5,542
|
16.1
|
15.9
|
15.6
|
14.1
|
| Source:
United Nations (2001). World Population Prospects, The
2000 Revision, Volume 1: Comprehensive Tables (United Nations
publication, Sales No. E. 01.XIII.8). |
|
|
Table
2. Number and percentage of the population 15-19
as a percentage of the total population by sex, world and
ESCAP subregion, 2000-2025 |
|
Region
|
Population
15-19 (in thousands)
|
Percentage of
population 15-19
|
| |
2000
|
2005
|
2010
|
2025
|
2000
|
2005
|
2010
|
2025
|
|
World
|
Male
|
284,064
|
306,410
|
305,426
|
317,184
|
9.3
|
9.4
|
8.9
|
8.0
|
|
Female
|
270,085
|
290,159
|
289,066
|
302,037
|
9.0
|
9.1
|
8.5
|
7.6
|
|
Total
|
554,149
|
596,569
|
594,492
|
619,221
|
9.1
|
9.3
|
8.7
|
7.8
|
|
ESCAP
|
Male
|
177,098
|
192,154
|
186,988
|
181,029
|
9.3
|
9.5
|
8.8
|
7.6
|
|
Female
|
166,180
|
179,195
|
174,153
|
169,979
|
9.0
|
9.2
|
8.5
|
7.2
|
|
Total
|
343,278
|
371,349
|
361,140
|
351,007
|
9.2
|
9.4
|
8.6
|
7.4
|
|
East and North-East Asia
|
Male
|
59,523
|
67,977
|
59,974
|
53,015
|
7.9
|
8.7
|
7.5
|
6.2
|
|
Female
|
55,109
|
61,864
|
54,111
|
48,589
|
7.6
|
8.3
|
7.0
|
5.8
|
|
Total
|
114,632
|
129,841
|
114,085
|
101,604
|
7.7
|
8.5
|
7.2
|
6.0
|
|
South-East Asia
|
Male
|
27,033
|
27,922
|
28,499
|
26,944
|
10.4
|
10.0
|
9.6
|
7.8
|
|
Female
|
26,363
|
27,143
|
27,650
|
26,031
|
10.1
|
9.7
|
9.3
|
7.5
|
|
Total
|
53,396
|
55,065
|
56,148
|
52,975
|
10.2
|
9.9
|
9.5
|
7.7
|
|
South and South-West Asia
|
Male
|
79,470
|
84,777
|
89,138
|
93,324
|
10.4
|
10.2
|
9.9
|
8.7
|
|
Female
|
73,980
|
79,138
|
83,414
|
87,948
|
10.2
|
10.0
|
9.8
|
8.5
|
|
Total
|
153,450
|
163,915
|
172,552
|
181,272
|
10.3
|
10.1
|
9.8
|
8.6
|
|
North and Central Asia
|
Male
|
9,829
|
10,209
|
8,006
|
6,331
|
9.4
|
9.9
|
7.8
|
6.2
|
|
Female
|
9,571
|
9,861
|
7,683
|
6,074
|
8.3
|
8.6
|
6.8
|
5.4
|
|
Total
|
19,401
|
20,070
|
15,690
|
12,405
|
8.8
|
9.2
|
7.3
|
5.8
|
|
Pacific
|
Male
|
1,243
|
1,270
|
1,370
|
1,415
|
8.3
|
7.9
|
8.1
|
7.2
|
|
Female
|
1,157
|
1,190
|
1,295
|
1,336
|
7.8
|
7.5
|
7.7
|
6.8
|
|
Total
|
2,400
|
2,460
|
2,665
|
2,750
|
8.0
|
7.7
|
7.9
|
7.0
|
|
Source: United Nations
(2001). World Population Prospects, The 2000 Revision,
Volume 1: Comprehensive Tables (United Nations publication,
Sales No. E. 01.XIII.8).
|
|
|
The
population in the age group 15-19, hereafter referred to as adolescents,
will also experience a remarkable change during the period 2000-2025
(table 2). In 2000, there were 554 million adolescents living in
the world, of whom 48.5 per cent were females. Over three fifths
(62 per cent) of these adolescents belong to the Asian and Pacific
region. In this region, 9 per cent of the total population in 2000
were adolescents. Figure 1 shows that the largest number of
adolescents reside in South and South-West Asia (44.7 per cent) followed
by East and North-East Asia (33.4 per cent). According to United Nations
projections, the world adolescent population will increase by 40
million, to 594 million by 2010, while in the ESCAP region it will
increase by 18 million, to 361 million by 2010. While the world's
adolescent population will continue to grow to 619 million by 2025, the
Asian and Pacific region will witness a fall in its adolescent
population to 351 million by 2025, dropping to 7 per cent of the total
populationThe population in the age group 15-19, hereafter referred to
as adolescents, will also experience a remarkable change during the
period 2000-2025 (table 2). In 2000, there were 554 million
adolescents living in the world, of whom 48.5 per cent were
females. Over three fifths (62 per cent) of these adolescents
belong to the Asian and Pacific region. In this region, 9 per cent
of the total population in 2000 were adolescents. Figure 1 shows
that the largest number of adolescents reside in South and South-West
Asia (44.7 per cent) followed by East and North-East Asia (33.4 per
cent). According to United Nations projections, the world adolescent
population will increase by 40 million, to 594 million by 2010, while in
the ESCAP region it will increase by 18 million, to 361 million by
2010. While the world's adolescent population will continue to
grow to 619 million by 2025, the Asian and Pacific region will witness a
fall in its adolescent population to 351 million by 2025, dropping to 7
per cent of the total population (figure 2)
|
|
Figure
1. Percentage distribution of population 15-19 by ESCAP
subregion, 2000
|
| Source:
United Nations (2001). World Population Prospects, The
2000 Revision, Volume 1: Comprehensive Tables (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.01.XIII.8). |
|
Within the ESCAP region,
the number of adolescents will continue to grow in South and South-West
Asia, from 153 million in 2000 to 181 million in 2025, and in the
Pacific from 2.4 million to 2.75 million during the same period.
However, other subregions will exhibit a decline in the number of
adolescents in 2025.
|
|
Figure
2. Trends in population 15-19, world and ESCAP subregion,
2000, 2010 and 2025 |
|
|
| Source:
United Nations (2001). World Population Prospects, The
2000 Revision, Volume 1: Comprehensive Tables (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.01.XIII.8). |
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