The United Nations' most recent projections suggest that the global population could reach 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.4 billion in 2100.
The annual World Population Prospect report, released on Monday, also notes that global population growth has slowed to its slowest rate since 1950, with growth expected to fall to less than 1% in 2020. While it took 12 years for the global population to grow from 7 to 8 billion, it will take approximately 15 years until 2037 to reach 9 billion, indicating that the global population's overall growth rate is slowing.
Most populous regions in 2022
The two most populous regions in 2022 will be in Asia: Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (2.3 billion) and Central and Southern Asia (2.1 billion). With over 1.4 billion people each, China and India accounted for the majority of the population in these two regions.
More than half of the projected global population increase between now and 2050 will be concentrated in just eight countries: Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Tanzania. Disparities in growth rates among the world's largest countries will reorder their ranking in terms of size.
India to overtake China as World's most populous country in 2023
According to UN estimates, India will overtake China as the world's most populous country in 2023.
Population growth is fuelled in part by lower mortality rates, which are reflected in higher levels of life expectancy at birth. Life expectancy worldwide reached 72.8 years in 2019, an increase of nearly 9 years since 1990. Further mortality reductions are expected to result in average global longevity of around 77.2 years in 2050.
Countries with the highest fertility rates also have the lowest per capita income.
As a result, global population growth has become increasingly concentrated among the world's poorest countries, the majority of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sustained rapid population growth in these countries can thwart the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which remain the world's best path to a happy and healthy future.
