By 1976, the percentage of young blacks in Harlem using heroin had shrunk to 3 percent from 8 percent six years earlier.

The percentage of the adult population that smokes has shrunk to 25 percent from more than 42 percent in 1965.

The average percentage, or payout rate, shrank to 4.8 percent last year from 5 percent.

Similarly, the percentage of pitchers lasting six innings has shrunk from 65.7 to 60.4 to 59.3.

The percentage of land that can be built on has shrunk.

But the percentage of people who give anything to charity has shrunk.

That percentage has actually shrunk as ball park menus have expanded.

By 1992, the percentage had shrunk to 21.7.

By last year that percentage had shrunk to 9.3 percent.

Whites are now only 13.5 percent of the South African population, and the percentage is steadily shrinking.