The United Nations Population Fund and the National Commission for Population and Development launch the study “Green Book of Moldova's Population” on October 13. The study focuses on such indicators as birth rate, death rate and aging and contains forecasts for the future decades, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communique from the UNFPA. The study includes a comprehensive analysis of the demographic situation during 18 years , from 1990 until 2008. It was carried our by academicians, doctors habilitate and lecturers of the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova. According to the study, the birth rate over 18 years dropped about two times, from 17.7% in 1990 to 10.9% in 2008. The families prefer to give birth to only one child, when they are older. The death rate in 2008 was 11.8%. At the start of 2000, the mortality rate in rural areas was by 60-65% higher than the rate in urban areas. The study forecasts that if these demographic trends persist, Moldova's population will decrease by about 1 million by 2050, down to 2.6 million.