STATISTICAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 909, 27 October 1881, Page 2

STATISTICAL.

A German statistician has been busying himself in compiling a census of the world, which—amusing in its substantial correctness—goes to negative the theory sometimes advanced that the population ot the world is either stationary or retrogressive. According to his calculations, the world contains at the present moment 1,455.923,000 inhabitants, or 10,778,000 more than it did a quarter of a century ago. An increase of 17,000,000 in 25 years is not perhaps very alarming to those who fear that we will soon be crowded out of existence, but it must not be forgotten that it is the over-populated places which increase the fastest. To those who have, more is given, while from those who have not their little is taken away, is admittedly most true of the growth of populations, and the doctrine acquires a fur. ther corroboration from these last figures. Of the 1,500,000,000 people in existence, 834,707,000 are allotted to Asia, 315.929, 000 Europe, 205,670,000 to Africa, 95,405, 000 to America, 4,121000 to Australia and Polynesia, and 82,000 to the Polar regions. It is difficult, perhaps impossible, for anyone to realise exactly what is meant by such a number as 1,000,500,000, but there enough that it is indefinite about it to give one an idea of one's own insignificance, not altogether consistent with the importance in the world one is apt sometimes to arrogate to oneself.