To Our Readers

We became the editors of Population in September 2002. Over the last six and a half years, a total of thirty-two issues have been published in French, and the same number in English. With Henri Leridon, the previous editor, the journal became bilingual. It was our task to continue and develop this innovation. Population is currently the only social science and humanities journal in France with equivalent French and English versions.

The journal content has also evolved. In 2004, we introduced a new annual feature on demographic trends in the major regions of the world. Following on from the demography of sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab World and the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South Asia, the current issue presents the demographic situation in East and Southeast Asia. Since 2004, the French version of Population also includes a book review section, covering publications in the field of demography and related disciplines. More than 300 books were reviewed from 2004 to 2008. And Population has also received a facelift, with a new cover design and page layout and the introduction of colour.

With its focus on the developing world, alongside the industrialized countries, Population holds a unique position among the community of major demographic journals. Its inter-disciplinary scope calls for a truly open approach in terms of article format. Alongside the quest for intellectual rigour that is crucial to an international journal, we have always sought to ensure clarity of expression as a vehicle for scientific dialogue.

Population has been available in electronic form via JSTOR for several years. The journal is now also hosted by Ingenta, Muse and Proquest, and by the Cairn and Persée portals, and certain articles are freely accessible on the INED website. Population is now more fully indexed in international databases, and this will have a visible impact over the next few years. Everything is in place to ensure that the articles published in our journal achieve the broad dissemination that they deserve.

The editorial preparation of Population is a truly collegial process. We wish to extend our warmest thanks to the editorial committee members and to our external reviewers for their assistance in the often difficult task of article assessment, and for their suggestions and remarks which often lead to substantial improvements in the texts.

Last, we wish to thank the editorial team, always working on the front line, come rain or shine, to bring the journal to press!

We believe that Population is well armed to confront the new millennium in the capable hands of our successors, to whom we convey our best wishes for success.