Evidence is emerging that fertility rates are declining in many countries, both rich and poor, on every continent.  Through the technique of "fertility silhouettes," age-specific fertility rates--the number of live births per thousand women by 5-year groups from ages 14 to 59--can be charted at different points in time.  Thus, one can view proportionate change in fertility at various ages and relate such changes to what is known concerning the time, strategy, and technology of family planning programs in those countries.  10 charts depict age-specific fertility rates for countries in all parts of the world.  There is also a chart depicting changes in crude birth rates since 1960 and a map showing world fertility pattern in 1972.  From the latest available data it is possible to contrast fertility changes during the 1960s in 12 developing countries with relatively vigorous family planning programs with 12 countries without such programs for most of this period.  It is clear that a rapid fertility decrease did occur in the 12 countries with strong family planning programs.  In the 12 without, fertility did not decline despite considerable economic and social improvement in a number of these countries.  The data strongly suggest that over the short run, the most important factor in sharp fertility decline is the availability of effective methods of contraception distributed throughout the nation.  The geographic distribution of high and low fertility is distinctive, with a band of high fertility around the Equator and with the lowest fertility areas mostly in the far northern hemisphere.  In most southerly regions, areas of medium fertility appear interspersed throughout Asia and Latin America.  High fertility prevails in Africa.  All countries with low levels of fertility are highly developed.  Yet latest fertility data suggest that many less developed countries may soon move into the lower fertility category before they become truly developed.  The general movement toward fertility decrease is apparent everywhere but is most striking in East Asia.