The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-05
The Formulation Of the World.

The latest and undoubtedly the most eu-
t..oritatire estimates Of the population OF
the world give total OF nearly l.4so. ooo. 900.
We take these figures from the "Bevol-
kerung der Erde." Of which the eighth issue
has Just been published by the well-known
geographical establishment OF JUsTUs
PERrHrs Of Gotha. No statistical publica-
ton In the world Is edited with more minute
and painstaking care. This volume covers
40 pages. livery statement Is critically ex.
amined, the sources Of all statistics are
given. where various figures are presented
the value Of each is discussed. and the
greatest pains have been taken to secure
the most reasonable estimates where trust
worthy census returns were unobtainable.
Many countries have no census. and Dr..
EUPAs. the learned editor Of PsteJmann's
Aitteil.ngen, carried out special investiga-
lions as to population. dealing in this way
with Africa. parts Of America, Turkey In
! Europe and Asia. Arabia. China, and some
other lands.
It Is learned from the conclusions present.
ed by Drs. SuPAS and WAGNER that fairly
precise enumeration has been made Of $780,
100000 people. or nearly hfty-seven per cent.
Of tho estimated total population Of the
world. The data for Q very large area Of
inhabited parts are, therefore. based upon
guesswork. and It IL believed that the most
satisfactory calculations may be in error
by at least fifty millions one way or the
other. The estimates OF the worlds pop
ulation. however. are to-day upon far
more substantial foundation than was the
case twenty years ago. and upon q greater
number Of carefully studied data. The prog
I ress Of exploration has made more satisfac-
tory computations possible. STANLEY put
the population Of the Congo basin at 25.OOo.-
O0O. upon the strength Of his knowledge OF
|, regions through which he had travelled.
But since he published his Congo Free
/ State his own explorations and those of
/; others have revealed immense areas
\ Of sparsely populated forests which are
|, thought to cover 10000 square miles OF
I the Congo basin. This fact and other data
7 have been used to reduce the figures for tho
Congo's population to 100000.
LEvAssEUR. the French statstician. IN 1886
q allowed q greater population to Asia and
Africa than have SUPAy and WAGNER.
! are 100000 below those Of LEvAssEUR,
!, and they have reduced the estimates for Asia
by 5000 900. They have made the greatest
reduction in the case Of China. The investi-
r cations Of recent years have shown conclu-
/ sively that the former ideas OF Chinn's pop
ulation were greatly exaggerated. and the
accepted figures have been reduced from
COS, 00O, 900 to S50.00O.000. Some authorities.
not many years ago. made the popula-
ton Of China 5OO.O0O.000. Drs. WAGNER and
EuPAN made an exhaustive analysis Of all
the facts obtainable with the result that
they strike over 100000 from the pop
!, ulation Of the eighteen provinces OF China
proper. Their estimate OF the total popula-
ton OF the world Is 46.0Oo.o0O over that OF
the "Bevolkerung der Erde" for 1882. or
an annual increase Of $4,000.
The latest data, so conscientiously coll
looted and so critically examined as to in
spire confidence that they afford the best
approximation that can To made in our
present state Of Information. give the fol-
lowing figures as the population OF the
great divisions OF the earth's surface:
Europe. oS7.37s 600. or o. to the square mile
Asia. e25. 9S4Ooo. or 81 20 the square mile.
Africa. le3. $50 600. or IL to the square mile.
ThsAmeress III. TlaoOo. or TO the square mile
Australia. 100000. or ! to the sQuAts mile.
oceanic islands. 1890 COO or 10 70 the square mile
Polar regions. 5000.
Grand total 1.I79.7:o.+oo
Up to 1881 the Bev5lkerungen der Erde"
was Issued about once In two years, but
owing to the death Of Dr.. GEH,I one OF its
editors. DR.. WAGNER. his colleague, was I'M
able to assume alone the great labor in
yolved. and the publication was suspended
until the present year. when DR.. SUPAy
I,ara ma aasnpiafad with him