A study by the World Bank (World Development Report) indicates that the annual population growth in IDA and former IDA-recipient countries in Africa varied from 1.8 percent to 3.4 percent in the decade 1970 to 1980. The list includes about 40 countries in Africa, virtually all of those where hydro development is expected to take place to any extent in the future. The same study predicts an annual population growth of from 1.9 percent to 4.3 percent for the same countries for the two decades from 1980 to 2000. The picture is generally one of increasing population growth and a very large increase in population in absolute terms by the year 2000. (An increase from 542 million in 1990 to 739 million in the year 2000 is indicated). If the trend to urbanization continues, settlement will be mostly in the major towns and cities. The demand for electrical service is expected to increase proportional to population growth.
