The population of African countries, typical of developing countries, is characterized by the large proportion of children and young people. An almost perfect pyramid illustrates the age distribution of Ghana's population (Text-fig. 1).

Projections of future population point to a further rise in the proportion of children (0–15 years of age) from the present 45% to 47–49% by the year 1980. The children of today will be the parents of tomorrow and for the adolescents the statement can be taken literally; the study of adolescents and their sexual and fertility problems, therefore, needs urgent attention. Especially in black Africa, these problems cannot be studied in isolation from the traditional, cultural and socio-economic environment. Indeed much of the psychosexual trauma of this group is closely interwoven with their complex backgrounds.