We Are Growing Fast

By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY

The USA is closing in on a milestone that seemed unthinkable 25 years ago. Sometime in mid-October, we will become a nation of 300 million Americans.

We will then embark on a relatively quick journey to 400 million. Target date: around 2040.

How did this young country get so big so quickly? Immigration, longevity, a relatively high birth rate and economic stability all have propelled the phenomenal growth. The nation has added 100 million people since 1967 to become the world’s third-most populous country after China and India. It’s growing faster than any other industrialized nation.

The biggest driver of growth is immigration — legal and illegal. About 53% of the 100 million extra Americans are recent immigrants or their descendants, according to Jeffrey Passel, demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center. Without them, the USA would have about 250 million people today.

My Comment: I look at this as a big positive factor. More people equates to more demand for goods and services, more taxes collected, business thrives and prosperity rolls. There are some negatives, but I won’t be here in 2040 to worry about them.

USATODAY.com – A nation of 300 million