Reaching a major milestone in human development, the world’s population has reached eight billion on November 15. The world population surpassed this mark only after 11 years of passing the seven-billion milestone. This was revealed in the World Population Prospects Report 2022 that released on July 11.
With the pace of growth slowing, the global population is set to reach 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100, the United Nations has said. The report said India is likely to surpass China as the world’s most populous country in 2023.
Previously, the UN has selected babies to represent the five, sixth and seven-billionth children previously. On July 11, 1987, Matej Gaspar was designated as the world's five billionth baby. In 2011, Bangladesh's Sultana Oishee was named one of the world's seven-billionth babies. It remains to be seen who the world's eight-billionth baby will be.
On the 'day of 8 billion,' here’s a look at some of the key trends and factors driving population growth since 1950:
In the last five decades, the global population has doubled from four billion to eight billion. In 1950, the global population stood at 2.5 billion. The world has added one billion people since 2010 and two billion since 1998, the report said.
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Since 1950, it took around 37 years for the global population to double, reaching five billion in 1987. It is estimated that more than 70 years will be needed for the global population to double again to more than 10 billion by 2059.
The growth in population is partly caused by declining levels of mortality and increased levels of life expectancy at birth.
The annual growth rate of the world population was the fastest between 1962 and 1965, over the 100-year period between 1950 and 2050, reaching an average of 2.1 percent per year. Since then, the population growth rate slowed by more than half due to lower levels of fertility.
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Around the world, life expectancy reached 72.8 years in 2019, which is an increase of almost nine years since 1990. Average longevity is set to increase to around 77.2 years globally in 2050 due to further reduction in mortality.
The average fertility of the world’s population has come down from about five births per woman in 1950 to 2.3 births per woman over a lifetime in 2021. This is further expected to go down to 2.1 births per woman by 2050.
From 2022 to 2050, more than half of the projected increase in the global population will be concentrated in eight countries – India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Egypt, Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the United Republic of Tanzania.
FAQs
Population Division estimates the world population reached 8 billion on November 15, 2022.
Has the human population doubled in 50 years? ›
In the last five decades, the global population has doubled from four billion to eight billion. In 1950, the global population stood at 2.5 billion. The world has added one billion people since 2010 and two billion since 1998, the report said.
What do the number of years between 7 billion, 8 billion, and 9 billion suggest about the growth rate? ›
While it took the global population 12 years to grow from 7 to 8 billion, it will take approximately 15 years—until 2037— for it to reach 9 billion, a sign that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing.
How long did it take for Earth's human population to double from 4 billion to 8 billion people? ›
| Characteristic | Years taken to double |
|---|
| 1534-1803: 0.5 to 1 billion | 260 |
| 1803-1928: 1 to 2 billion | 125 |
| 1928-1975: 2 to 4 billion | 47 |
| 1975-2023: 4 to 8 bilion* | 48 |
1 more rowFeb 2, 2024
Vinice Mabansag was born at Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital at 1:29 am (local time).
What is the 1% of the world population? ›
The worlds population is about 7.8 billion people. So 10 % is 780 million people and 1 % is 78 Million people.
What will happen to the population in 50 years? ›
20th century
According to their medium projection, the world population would grow to 10.0 billion by 2050, 11.2 billion by 2100, and 11.5 billion by 2150.
What does the cornucopian theory believe? ›
Cornucopian philosophers argue that either the projections of resource limitations and population growth are exaggerated or that technology will be developed as necessary to solve future problems of scarcity.
How many people are on Earth in 2024? ›
The projected world population on Jan. 1, 2024, is 8,019,876,189, an increase of 75,162,541 (0.95%) from New Year's Day 2023. During January 2024, 4.3 births and 2.0 deaths are expected worldwide every second.
When did Earth reach 1 billion? ›
World population did not reach one billion until 1804. It took 123 years to reach 2 billion in 1927, 33 years to reach 3 billion in 1960, 14 years to reach 4 billion in 1974 and 13 years to reach 5 billion in 1987.
Overcrowding leads to further demand for limited resources and this, in turn, can lead to more conflict and warfare. As humans seek out more resources, they take over land that was once the habitat of other species leading to huge biodiversity loss.
How many zeros are in a billion? ›
If you write a 1 followed by nine zeros, you get 1,000,000,000 = one billion! That's a lot of zeros! Astronomers often deal with even larger numbers such as a trillion (12 zeros) and a quadrillion (15 zeros).
What day was the 8 billionth person born? ›
I gave birth on 15 November last year, the day the UN projected the world population to reach 8 billion. It was surreal.
What year will we reach 9 billion? ›
Old estimates put the global population at 9 billion by 2037–2046, 14 years after 8 billion, and 10 billion by 2054–2071, 17 years after 9 billion; however these milestones are likely to be reached far sooner.
Can Earth support 11 billion? ›
In other words, there is a carrying capacity for human life on our planet. In the International Journal of Forecasting study's median scenario, the global population is 11.1 billion in 2100, 10.4 billion in 2200 and 7.5 billion in 2300. World population projected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050, and 11.2 billion in 2100.
Who was the 7th billionth person born? ›
On the Day of Seven Billion, the group Plan International symbolically marked the birth of the 7 billionth human with a ceremony in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh where a birth certificate was presented to a newly born baby girl, Nargis Kumar, to protest sex-selective abortion in the state.
