Every minute of every day, 255 babies are born. As a result, the world’s population is estimated to reach 7 billion early this year. What’s surprising to many is not the number of births, but that the vast majority occur in less developed countries. Consequently, by 2020, almost 90 percent of the world’s population will live in less developed countries.(1)

As the United States emerges from the worst recession since the Great Depression, trade financing is not only a vital part of the export process, but also an extremely important one to the economy. In addition, export financing can be used as a tool to boost competitiveness.

U.S. unemployment, at 9.1 percent in August, is likely to remain high for years. Economic growth projections continually seem to be revised downward. And the approval ratings for President Obama and Congress, which are at the lowest levels in memory, don’t inspire confidence or encourage business investment.

Although there are many reasons for pessimism, there is a bright spot. The United States has a tremendous advantage over other developed countries due to its population growth projections and the impact on the economy. Emerging markets, recipients of virtually all non-U.S. population growth moving forward, stand to gain even more.

China’s booming economic growth continues to attract huge flows of foreign investment. And the World Expo in Shanghai is drawing still more attention. As a result of this and other factors, the economy grew a robust 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2010, on top of 8.7 percent growth in 2009. During this same period, the United States and Europe were still struggling.