"First published in 1992, this text aims to be the standard history of world population. Its underlying purpose is to explain the links between nature, culture and population and thereby to look at ways of preventing future environmental collapse and human catastrophe. Coverage of the changing patterns of population growth, and the effects of migrations, wars, disease, technology and culture is included.

For the third edition, the author has updated the current estimates and projections on world population to the year 2050. He has added a section on the geopolitical implications of demographic increase on different regions of the world and expanded the coverage of the affect of HIV on mortality.

At the same time, the features that made previous editions attractive have been retained: the accessible style, the reasoned treatment of issues crucial to the future of every species, and the contemporary recasting of theory."--BOOK JACKET.