Every year on July 11, World Population Day is commemorated with the goal of drawing attention to the need for cooperative development plans as well as the search for answers to the world’s population’s common issues.
On July 11, 1987, the world’s population surpassed 5 billion for the first time. The general public has gathered a number of statistics that will aid in understanding the present status of the world’s population and the direction in which mankind is heading.
1. The population will grow significantly
Today, the world’s population is almost 7.8 billion people. However, according to UN forecasts, by 2050 the number of people in the world will be 9.7 billion, and by the end of the century will reach 11 billion.
2. Decreased fertility
Currently, the average birth rate worldwide is 2.5 children per woman, and by 2030, according to the UN, it will decrease to 2.4 births per woman. According to forecasts, in 2050 more than 70% of the world’s population will live in countries where the overall birth rate will be lower than that required for population reproduction.
3. The world’s population will age
If we talk about people 65 years and older, their share, according to forecasts, will grow. At present, they are about 19% in Europe and 16% in North America, but by 2050 the figures could increase to 28% and 23% respectively. The share of older people in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean are also expected to increase over the same period, from 8% to 18%. In Africa, where today the youngest population, by 2050 the share of older people will be 9%. At the same time, according to the UN, almost half of the elderly in the world do not receive a pension.
4. Life expectancy will increase
According to forecasts, total life expectancy will increase significantly from 72.6 years in 2019 to 77.1 years by 2050. The largest increase in this indicator was observed in Africa, where life expectancy increased by 6 years in the 2000s, while during the previous decade it increased by only two years.
5. The majority of the population lives in cities
About 56% of the world’s population now lives in cities, and in general, almost all population growth in the future will occur precisely by increasing the number of urban residents. According to forecasts, in 2030 the urban population will be 60% of the world’s population, and by 2050 – 68%.
6. The most populous countries are China and India
If you look at the distribution of the population by region, then 61% are in Asia (4.7 billion), 17% – in Africa (1.3 billion), 10% – in Europe (750 million), 8% – in Latin America, and The Caribbean (650 million), 5% – North America (370 million) and Oceania (43 million). The countries with the largest population are China (1.44 billion people) and India (1.39 billion), which is 19% and 18% of the world’s population, respectively. According to forecasts, by 2027 India will overtake China and take first place.
7. There are 79.5 million refugees in the world
More than 79.5 million people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence, natural disasters, or fear of persecution. This is almost twice as much as 10 years ago. In 2019 alone, 8.7 million people left their homes, most of the residents of developing countries. Among the main causes of forced relocations are numerous wars and conflicts around the world.
