World /
UN

10 Jarring Population Figures That Are Looming

Expect a billion more people within 15 years
By Josh Rosenblatt,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 22, 2017 12:27 PM CDT
List of Most-Populous Nations Is In for a Big Shakeup
India will soon be the most populous country in the world   (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

The world's population is going to boom over the next 30 years, growing by a billion in just 15 years and 2 billion by 2050, according to a UN report released Wednesday. Half of that growth is projected to come in just nine countries, shaking up the list of the world's most populous nations and potentially affecting migration and employment patterns around the globe, reports the Guardian. Highlights:

  • The world's population is currently 7.6 billion. That number will hit 8 billion in 2023, 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050, and 11.1 billion by 2100.
  • The global population is current growing by 1.1% per year, equal to about 83 million people. That figure is down from 1.2% 10 years ago.
  • More than half of the projected population growth over the next 30 years will occur in Africa. Between now and 2050, Africa is expected to add 1.3 billion people. Asia is expected to be the second largest contributor to the global population during that time, adding 750 million people.
  • India, which currently has a population of 1.3 billion, will replace China as the largest country in the world in just seven years. China currently has 1.4 billion inhabitants.
  • Nigeria, currently the seventh-largest country in the world, is growing the most rapidly among the countries on the top-10 list. The population of Nigeria is expected to pass that of the United States by 2050, making it the third largest country in the world,
  • The nine countries where half of the world's population growth between now and 2050 is expected to be concentrated: India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the US, Uganda, and Indonesia.
  • By 2050, seven of the world's 20 most populous nations will be in Africa.
  • In contrast, every country in Europe is experiencing fertility rates below replacement levels, meaning their populations will decline without immigration. Eastern Europe, in particular, will be affected by this trend, with population levels expected to drop 15% in Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine.
  • The population aged 60 or over is growing faster than all other age groups. The UN report projects that the number of people aged 60 and above will more than double by 2050 and more than triple by 2100. That group will reach 1 billion people for the first time within the next few years.
  • In 1950, the world's population was just over 2 billion.
(More UN stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X