YOUTH BULGE REALITY

The Afghan population is exploding.
1960: 9,600,000
2009: 30,000,000
2050: 82,000,000 projected

Yemen:
1950: 4,300,000
2005: 28,000,000
2050: 60,000,000 projected

Egypt:
1939: 16,500,000
2010: 80,500,000
2050: 177,000,000 projected assuming 2% per year growth

Pakistan:
1950: 39,000,000
2009: 175,000,000
2050: 330,000,000 projected assuming 1.6% per year growth

"It's almost become a cliché, that there's a youth bulge in the Arab world," says Geneive Abdo, an analyst with the National Security Network and the Century Foundation. "We never realized what the effect of that would be, until now." "They are running out of water. They are building on their remaining farmland. They are importing more and more of their food. Their oil revenues will soon begin to decline. Europe and the US will be under tremendous immigration pressure. Prepare for a tragic outcome."

Sources: Population Reference Bureau, Census Bureau, National Security Network.

The Middle East and North Africa are experiencing one of the biggest "youth bulges" in the world. Here is the percentage of the population in each country that is between the ages of 15 and 29 (By comparison, 21% of the U.S. population falls in this age range.)

Country - Young Adult Population
Iran - 34%
Qatar - 34%
Algeria - 31%
Oman - 31%
Syria - 31%
Yemen - 30%
Jordan - 30%
Egypt - 29%
Morocco - 29%
Tunisia - 29%
Bahrain - 28%
Iraq - 28%
Liby -a 28%
Saudi Arabia - 28%
Lebanon - 27%
United Arab Emirates - 27%
West Bank & Gaza - 27%
Kuwait - 25%

Source: Brookings Middle East Youth Initiative