The Earth’s population passed seven billion on October 31, 2011. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it will reach eight billion by November of this year and surpass nine billion by 2035.
While this seems like a frightening thought, the continued growth of the world’s population will likely create more opportunities than it poses challenges in the years to come. Many problems associated with an increasing population will be resolved as time goes on, meaning that these challenges are less daunting than they seem at first glance.
The world’s population is growing
The current population of 7.9 billion is expected to reach 8 billion by the middle of November. This increase in global population has been fueled by a combination of factors, including lower mortality rates and higher fertility rates in developing countries.
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As a result, the world’s population is growing rapidly and people are living longer than ever before. The largest segment of this growth, however, is occurring in Africa where birthrates remain high. In fact, according to United Nations projections, Africa will account for more than half of the world’s population growth over the next 50 years.
For example, Nigeria will have close to 400 million inhabitants by 2050 — surpassing both China and India as the continent with the most inhabitants.
The global population is set to reach eight billion
The world’s population is set to hit eight billion people by the middle of November, according to new figures released by the United Nations. Based on data collected in July 2016, the UN predicts that there will be 8,031,075,000 people living on earth.
This would mean there are now over five million more people than this time last year. It also means that the rate at which our population is growing has slowed slightly from a growth rate of 1.1% per year from 1960 to 2015, to 0.5% for 2015-2050.
China and India currently have a staggering one-fifth of the world’s population between them, but as their populations age and fertility rates fall (both countries have below replacement fertility levels) they may lose their positions as demographic giants relatively soon.
This growth will have consequences
As the world population continues to grow, there will be more people needing food, water, housing and other resources. This means that it will be even more difficult for countries to provide these necessities.
It’s predicted that by 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities – which could lead to overpopulation and higher levels of poverty in urban areas. As the world becomes increasingly populated, we’re going to need innovative solutions that allow us all to work together towards a brighter future.
We need to be prepared for this growth
The new age of humanity is upon us. We are soon to reach 8 billion people on this planet, and it will be an eventful and monumental journey. Within the next 10 years, we will have a population greater than ever before in human history.
Considering that the world population was only 2 billion in 1960, this is a dramatic change–a change which we need to be prepared for.
