The world's population is now more than three times that of the mid-twentieth century. In 1950, the global population was about 2.5 billion, and by mid-November 2022, that number had reached 8 billion, an increase of 1 billion since 2010 and 2 billion since 1998. The world's population is expected to increase by nearly 2 billion over the next 30 years, from 8 billion today to 9.7 billion in 2050, and could peak at nearly 10.4 billion in the mid-2080s.
The rapid growth of the global population is mainly due to the increasing number of people surviving to childbearing age, the gradual increase in human lifespan, increasing urbanization and accelerating migration. Fertility rates have also changed dramatically. These trends will have far-reaching consequences for future generations.
On November 15, 2022, the world's population reached 8 billion, a milestone in human development. It took 12 years for the global population to grow from 7 billion to 8 billion, and about 15 years (by 2037) to go from 8 billion to 9 billion, suggesting that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing. However, fertility rates remain high in some countries. Countries with the highest fertility rates tend to have the lowest per capita incomes. As a result, over time, global population growth will become more and more concentrated in the world's poorest countries, most of which are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
Fifty-five percent (4.4 billion) of the global population lives in Asia, 17 percent (1.3 billion) in Africa, and 14 percent (11.)200 million) live in Europe and North America, 8% (65.8 billion) live in Latin America and the Caribbean (region) and the remaining 1% in Oceania (43 million). China (1.4 billion) and India (1.4 billion) remain the two most populous countries in the world, both with more than 1 billion people, each accounting for nearly 18 of the world's total population. However, by April 2023, India's population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850, which is comparable to that of Chinese mainland and will surpass that of Chinese mainland thereafter.
India's population is expected to continue to grow in the coming decades. At the same time, China's population has reached its maximum in recent times. The Chinese population has been on a downward trend since 2022. According to **, China's population will continue to decline and may fall below 1 billion by the end of the century. (Source**: UN DESA Policy Brief No. 153).
Africa is projected to account for more than half of global population growth between now and 2050. Africa has the highest population growth rate of any major region, with the population of sub-Saharan Africa expected to double by 2050. It is estimated that Africa's population will continue to grow at a high rate, even if fertility levels decline significantly in the near future. While there is some uncertainty about the future trend of fertility in Africa, one thing is certain: the continent currently has a large number of young people who will reach adulthood and have children in the coming years, so Africa will play a central role in the size and distribution of the world's population in the coming decades.
In stark contrast to Africa, 61 countries or territories in the world are expected to have their populations reduced by 2050, and 26 of them will have their populations reduced by more than 10%. Countries such as the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine are expected to lose their populations by more than 15 per cent by 2050. Currently, fertility rates in all European countries are below the level at which full population replacement is achieved (about 2 births per woman on average).1 child), fertility rates in most European countries have been below replacement levels for decades.
The world's population is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 and will continue to grow thereafter, reaching 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100. There is a degree of uncertainty in any population, and the latest population is no exception. The above demographic results are based on the median variable, assuming a decline in future fertility in countries where extended families are still prevalent, and a slight increase in future fertility in some countries where women have fewer than two children on average. It also assumes that in the future the chances of survival of people in all countries will be enhanced.