The numbers announced this week were preliminary figures, and the study will continue for the rest of the year.

Preliminary figures suggest the number will rise even higher in 2002.

Preliminary figures show the city with 384,000, down from 425,000 in 1980 and well below the figure of 420,000 projected two years ago.

A month ago, the preliminary figures had shown a decline.

The population dropped 0.5 percent, according to preliminary figures; it did not rise by that amount.

Earnings per share went from 44 cents to $1.18 to $3.20 last year, according to the company's preliminary figures.

Given the volatile nature of the preliminary figure, however, there is a real chance that the numbers could be stronger.

Over all, the population count, including the overseas personnel, was about 1.1 percent greater than the preliminary figure of 245.8 million.

All but six counties in Iowa lost population, according to preliminary figures.

Preliminary figures for the first three months of this year suggest that the numbers have fallen even further.