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Oceania is made up of 17 independent countries and 6 territories totalling 35 million inhabitants, of which 73% live in Australia and New Zealand. This chronicle describes the major socio-demographic and health trends since the 1950s in the region as a whole, in its four sub-regions (Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Australia - New Zealand) and, where possible, in each country. The most reliable recent data are given in an statistical appendix. An introductory presentation of the region's geographical, institutional and economic diversity is followed by a description of demographic growth rates, population size and structure, nuptiality, fertility and its determinants, mortality (overall, infant, maternal), child health, migration, urbanization and access to education. As in the other regions of the world, the demographic regimes in Oceania have diversified over the last two decades. Natural growth is slowing down, but still ranges between 0.6% and more than 2% per year in the different countries. Fertility is declining everywhere, but levels are highly contrasting (around 2 children per woman in six countries, above 4 in seven others). Life expectancy is also increasing, but varies between 61 years in the sub-region of Melanesia and 80 years in Australia - New Zealand. Likewise, infant mortality ranges from 5 to 50 per 1,000. The proportion of urban dwellers is quite small in most of the island countries. Migration has played a major role in the population dynamics of Oceania, and continues to do so, notably through the emigration of young adults. Access to education is practically universal in the vast majority of countries. Resume: L'Oceanie est composee de 17 pays independants et 6 territoires, comptant 35 millions d'habitants dont 73 % sont en Australie et Nouvelle-Zelande. Cette chronique retrace les grands changements sociodemographiques et sanitaires survenus depuis les annees 1950 dans l'ensemble de la region, les 4 sous-regions qui la composent (Melanesie, Micronesie, Polynesie et Australie - Nouvelle-Zelande) et, dans la mesure du possible, chaque pays. Une annexe statistique presente, pour chacun, les donnees recentes les plus fiables. Apres une presentation de la diversite geographique, institutionnelle et economique de la region, y sont notamment decrits les croissances, effectifs et structures de la population, la nuptialite, la fecondite et ses determinants, la mortalite (generale, infantile, maternelle), la sante des enfants, les migrations, l'urbanisation et l'acces a l'education. Comme dans les autres regions du monde, les regimes demographiques se diversifient depuis 20 ans. Les croissances naturelles ralentissent, mais varient encore de plus de 20 ‰ a 6 ‰ par an selon les pays. La baisse de la fecondite est generale mais les niveaux sont contrastes (autour de 2 enfants par femme dans six pays, plus de 4 dans sept autres). Les esperances de vie augmentent partout, mais varient actuellement de 61 ans dans la sous-region de Melanesie a 80 ans en Australie - Nouvelle-Zelande ; la mortalite infantile de 5 ‰ a 50 ‰. L'urbanisation demeure assez faible dans la plupart des pays insulaires. Les migrations ont joue et jouent toujours un grand role dans la region, notamment par l'emigration des jeunes adultes. L'acces a l'education se generalise dans une grande majorite des pays. Resumen: Oceania esta compuesta de 17 paises y 6 territorios, que cuentan con 35 millones de habitantes de los que 73% residen en Australia o en Nueva Zelanda. Este articulo examina los grandes cambios sociodemograficos y sanitarios sucedidos desde los anos 1950 en la region, en las cuatro subregiones que la constituyen (Melanesia, Micronesia, Polinesia y Australia-Nueva Zelanda) y, en la medida de lo posible, en cada pais. Un apendice estadistico ofrece los datos recientes mas fiables. Despues de una presentacion de la diversidad geografica, institucional y economica de la region, se examinan en particular el crecimiento, los efectivos y la estructura de la poblacion, la nupcialidad, la fecundidad y sus determinantes, la mortalidad (general, infantil, materna), la salud de los ninos, las migraciones, la urbanizacion y el acceso a la educacion. Como en otras regiones del mundo, los regimenes demograficos se diversifican desde hace 20 anos. El crecimiento natural va reduciendose pero varia todavia de mas de 20 ‰ a 6 ‰ por ano, segun el pais. La caida de la fecundidad es general pero los niveles contrastan (2 hijos por mujer en seis paises y mas de 4 en siete de ellos). La esperanza de vida aumenta en todas partes, pero varia actualmente de 61 anos en Melanesia a 80 anos en Australia-Nueva Zelanda; la mortalidad infantil va de 5 ‰ a 50 ‰. La urbanizacion es aun bastante modesta en la mayor parte de los paises insulares. Las migraciones han desempenado y desempenan todavia un papel muy importante en la region, especialmente la emigracion de los jovenes adultos.

Canada and the United States have enjoyed vigorous population growth since the early 1980s. Although mortality is slightly higher in the United States than in Canada, this is largely offset by much higher fertility, with a total fertility rate at replacement level, compared with just 1.5 children per woman in Canada. The United States is also the world’s largest immigrant receiving country, although its immigration rate is only half that of Canada, where today one person in five is foreign-born, versus one in eight in the United States. Based on recent trends in fertility, mortality and international migration, the populations of these two North American countries will continue to grow over the next five decades, but at a progressively slower pace. The most acute demographic issue today is not, as in Europe, that of imminent population decline, but rather of the geographic and social inequalities which have increased steadily since the early 1980s and which are reflected in major fertility and health differentials between regions and social groups.