人口學研究在國際學術界的發展至為蓬勃，而在國內發展則方興未艾，預料國內尚有不少人包括學術界及一般的國民中尚有不少人對於人口研究的重要性及在國內外發展的情況及趨勢尚有不甚明瞭之處。為能使更多的人對於此種學術研究的重要性及中外發展情況有所認識，藉以支持並參與此種學術發展，增進參與研究動機並知如何與有關的機關接觸，乃撰此文。 文中的論點係作者多年來致力這門學問的研究之後的心得，而所用資料則係由各有關機構搜集而來的次級性資料，經作者加以重組並詮釋。 本文內容分成三大部份，第一部份為說明人口研究的重要性，先說明受重視的現象，再分析重要的理由。第二部份係敘述台灣地區人口研究的發展，先說明政府在收集及整理資料方面的發展過程及內容，而後再分析學術機關的教學及研究發展情形，繼而再分析民間組織對人口研究的重視及運用。第三部份則著重分析並說明國際推動人口研究發展的機構與組織。在這部份特列舉聯合國人口組(United Nations Population Division )國際人口科學研究聯盟( IUSSP )及國際人口研究機構合作委員會(CICRED)等三個機關的性質及功能。最後再列舉各國公私立國際性人口專業組織及贊助機關。皆分別列舉了數十個組織或機關的名稱及所在地點，期能使於讀者認識並利用。 本文未將人口研究資料最發達的美國含蓋在內，實因作者於多年前早已體認美國人口研究之進步，會撰寫過一篇「美國人口研究」的專文，故在本文中從略。

Population Studies has been well developed in many countries of the world, but not so in Taiwan. Many academic people and general citizens in Taiwan Area are still not very familiar with the significance of population research within and outside of the nation. The purpose of this paper is to help readers understand the importance and development situation and trend of the field of population studies, so that they can be motivated to carry out population research and can become more knowledgeable of institutions and organizations both in Taiwan and abroad. Concepts of the importance and the development situation and trend of population studies presented in this paper are developed by the author through studying population for many years. Most sources used in this present paper are secondary, which appears in various population references and documents of population organizations. The paper is composed of three main parts: the importance of population studies, the development of population studies in Taiwan, and international population research and sponsoring organizations and agencies. In the first part, the important situation of population studies and its reasons have been comprehensively discussed. In the second part, discussions are extended to three subjects: (1)government’s role on data collection and data analysis; (2) teaching and research developments in academic institutions; (3) private organizations’ role in the promotion and application of population studies. In the third part, more than seventy international institutions and agencies of population studies have been introduced and examined. Particular attention has been paid to characteristics and functions of three organiza­tions, i.e. United Nations Population Divisions, IUSSP and CICRED. In addition, many other international public and private agencies in different countries have been listed and their locations mentioned. In this paper the discussion has not included the development of population studies in the United States. It is because the development status in this country is unusually important and it needs a special report. The author had made such a report on population studies in the United States a decade ago, and it will not be repeated here.