NewsTracker Answers for week of Sep. 13, 2010

Q: A government survey of Japan's antiquated record-keeping system found 234,354 centenarians who are listed as still alive but whose addresses could not be confirmed. The study even found 884 people listed as alive who would be 150 or older. Where is Japan?

Circle the area on this map

Q: Japan celebrates a national holiday called Respect for the Aged Day to honor its elderly citizens. Japan's elderly population is . . .

A. Increasing

B. Decreasing

C. Stable

A. The Japanese population is rapidly aging, and Japan outweighs all other nations with the highest proportion of elderly citizens - 22.2 percent of the population is 65 years or older.

Q: In Japan, life expectancy at birth is 82.12 years, the third highest in the world. What is the life expectancy at birth in the United States?

A. 81.23 years

B. 78.11 years

C. 76.06 years

D. 60.78 years

B. The United States ranks 49th in life expectancy, well behind its northern neighbor Canada at 81.23 years. Our southern neighbor, Mexico, has a life expectancy of 76.06 years. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has a life expectancy of 60.78 years.

Q: Japan is the 10th most populous nation in the world. Overall, Japan's population is . . .

A. Increasing

B. Decreasing

C. Stable

B. The Japanese Health Ministry estimates the nation's total population will decrease by 25 percent from 127.8 million in 2005 to 95.2 million by 2050.

Q: One of the wealthiest nations, Japan has the second lowest birthrate in the world. Which nation has the highest birthrate?

A. India

B. Singapore

C. China

D. Niger

D. Niger in western Africa is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. Along with the highest birthrate, it has one of the youngest populations in the world.