World population and alarming numbers

(Baonghean.vn) - According to United Nations statistics, the world population as of March 22, 2017 was 7.49 billion people. The world population is estimated to reach 8 billion people in 2023 and 10 billion people in 2056.

“Despite declining fertility rates worldwide, the momentum of the population wheel is still strong enough to take us to 10 billion people by 2056,” said Jeffrey Jordan, President and CEO of PRB. “However, there are significant regional differences. For example, very low fertility rates in Europe are leading to population declines while Africa’s population is expected to double.”

World Population Day, to remind nations and every person on earth about the danger of rapid population growth.

Africa’s population is expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, while the Americas’ population will increase by just 223 million to 1.2 billion. Asia will grow by about 900 million to 5.3 billion, while Europe will shrink from 740 million to about 728 million. Most modestly, Oceania (which includes Australia and New Zealand) will grow from 40 million to 66 million.

1. Current numbers

If the current population growth rate continues, by 2100 the world will have more than 11 billion people.

More than 25% of the world's population is under the age of 15. This figure is 41% in the least developed countries and 16% in developed countries.

Japan has the oldest population, with more than a quarter of its citizens over the age of 65. Qatar and the UAE are at the other end of the spectrum, with each region having just 1% over the age of 65.

The world's top 10 fertility rates are all in sub-Saharan Africa, with nearly all of them above six children per woman, with Niger at the top with a fertility rate of 7.6. In Europe, the average is just 1.6.

More than half of the population is under 30, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The fertility rate in the US is 1.8 children per woman, down from 1.9 in 2014. But in the US, demographers use the concept of “Replacement”, a more accurate concept than the fertility rate to reflect the increase of the next generation compared to the current generation, excluding the effects of migration, the number is 2.1 children per woman.

Thirty-three countries in Europe and Asia have more people over 65 than under 15. Countries with “aging” populations will face many challenges in terms of imbalances in labor, health care, and the burden on national pension funds, especially in agricultural and heavy industrial countries that require human labor and countries with many health and social insurance problems.

2. World population in the mid-21st century

It comes as no surprise to many that China's population remains the largest in the world, at 1.385 billion people.

The total population of the world's least developed countries will double to 1.9 billion by 2050. There are 48 countries in this group, based on UN criteria, most of them in Africa.

29 countries will see their populations double. And because the size of the countries is virtually unchanged, their population densities will also increase. Nearly all of these are in Africa.

Forty-two countries are expected to “register” population declines. These countries are scattered across Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Some European countries “commit” to significant declines, such as Romania, which is projected to have a population of 14 million in 2050, compared to 20 million today. The population of the United States will be 398 million, up 23% from 324 million today.

3. At this rate, we will reach 8 billion people by 2024.

Just 20 countries account for 70% of the world's total population.

The population of the Blue Planet is less than 500 million away from reaching 8 billion. More than half of the current population is under 30 years old, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Nigeria has the youngest population in the world, with more than half of its 189 million people under the age of 15. In contrast, Monaco has the oldest population in the world, with more than half of its population over 50.

There are currently about 65 million more men than women, according to the latest United Nations data. American Samoa has the highest gender ratio, with about 1.36 men for every woman. Conversely, Haiti has the smallest gender gap, with 1.01 men for every woman.

It should come as no surprise that China’s population remains the largest in the world, at 1.385 billion. However, the United Nations predicts that India’s population will soon surpass China’s within the next five years, as the country’s population grows by 15.7 million people a year, contributing more than 20% of the world’s annual population growth.

But the world's population story isn't dominated by big numbers alone; the world's smallest country – Pitcairn Island – has a permanent population of just 50 people.

Peace

(Synthetic)