WASHINGTON. Dec 31: The United States population will surpass 271 million on New Year's Day 1999. up 2.58 million. or one per cent, from January 1. 1998. the US Commerce Department's Census Bureau reports, says AFP.

The country's population is projected to grow less in 1999 — by some 2.32 million — than in 1998. primarily because of an expected rise in the number of deaths, the department said late Tuesday.

The New Year's Day 1999 population of 271.645 is a 9.2 per cent increase over the 1990 census total of 248,765, the department said.