The World’s Population, reviewed here in its e-book version, is a concise encyclopedia of global population trends and the associated issues resulting from these trends. The e-book version is an electronic replica of its paper counterpart; therefore, it is not updated beyond its initial content at time of publication. Pricing options range from single user access to unlimited simultaneous users. Access arrangements include authentication by IP recognition, username and password or barcode submission.
Coverage includes country profiles for populations over 40 million and entries on individual places of interest to the study of population issues. Major individual figures in the field of demography are represented as are several organizations dealing with population-related questions. A small selection of excerpts from major works such as Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations (1776) and Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto (1848) provide some historical context to the study of demography. Entries introduce students of demography to terminology such as carrying capacity, eugenics, crude birth rate and diaspora with examples and comparisons to illustrate their meaning. These are perhaps the most useful entries, as they clearly and concisely explain terminology in language accessible to most people. Significant historical natural disasters, famines and diseases are included to provide insight into some noteworthy migrations and the resulting political and economic implications. In many cases, the examples used to explain a concept or event are provided in a US context and could benefit from a broader perspective. City entries are limited to metropolitan areas with populations over 10 million such as Shanghai, Seoul and Jakarta and are ranked by size. These entries provide a very brief historical and economic overview while focusing on changes in population and major reasons for the significant growth, including urbanization and migration.
Content is accessed through straightforward search and browse functions. The layout for each entry is consistent and easy to follow. The text is presented with a preface and an introduction which raises provocative questions about global population issues followed by four sections for easy browsing: entries, countries, cities and documents. A selected bibliography and index follow the main content. Searches may be undertaken by keyword, title or author using standard Boolean operators. Faceted searching by publication date or by topic area is also available to limit results. Items are well-written providing historical context. Terminology within entries is hyperlinked to definitions from the American Heritage College Dictionary (2002). Highlighting a word and selecting dictionary from the menu bar or simply double clicking on the word opens up the dictionary. This is an excellent feature for students and those unfamiliar with some of the terminology used in demographic studies. Entries can be read online from the reading pane or individually printed or emailed. Emailed content is sent as plain text. Although downloading is listed as available through some platform options, it was not offered in the version tested. One feature of note is the availability of the entry citations in Modern Language Association, Chicago and Harvard formats. This feature plus the dictionary function are particularly valuable assets for the student population.
Each entry is followed by a list of cross-referenced terms and several suggested readings. Some of these readings contain hyperlinks where the material is freely available online. Most items vary in length from 500 to 900 words, providing a brief synopsis of the topic area.
This encyclopedia is best suited for secondary school level, community colleges, lower level university and public libraries.
