INCREASE. At no time since recorded history began has the increase of population been so rapid as during the nineteenth century. espe cially the second half of it, when the outflow of people from Western Europe to America. Aus tralia. and South Africa added great numbers to the population of those continents without a cor responding decrease in the countries from which they set forth. (See EMIGRATION.) Between 15011 and 1850 the population living within the present area of the German Empire in Europe increased about 43 per cent., and be tween 1850 and 1900. notwithstanding the great currents of emigration, it increased about 61 per cent. The population on the present terri tory of Italy increased in the first half of the century about 43 per cent. and in the last half about 35 per cent. The population of Great Britain and Ireland increased in the first half of the century about 70 per cent.. and in the last half about 50 per cent. The United States of
America increased in population during the first half of the century 340 per cent. and during the second half 228 per cent. But in a case where the initial population is small, percentages are less significant than figures of actual increase. The United States added to its population be tween 1800 and 1850 nearly 18,000.000 people. and between 1550 and 1900. disregarding the ac ces,ions of territory since 1590. it added nearly 52.500.000. At the present time there is no great country except Argentina in which population is increasing at a higher rate than in the United States. Notwithstanding the comparative sparse ness of settlement in Canada, Mexico, and Austra lia, the percentage of increase in those countries is less, and in Europe there is no country in which the rate of growth approaches that of the United States.