Geneva, 12 June, 2023 (GNP): Today, on World Population Day, the United Nations draws attention to the pressing issue of global population growth and its implications for the environment and human development.
Over the past year, significant milestones have been reached. In November 2022, the global population officially reached eight billion people, with India surpassing China as the world’s most populous country in April this year, according to UN estimates. However, while the population continues to grow, the rate of growth is actually slowing in many regions.
The global population tripled from 2.5 billion in 1950 to eight billion in 2022, and projects a population of around 9.7 billion by 2050, according to estimates by the United Nations Population Division.
The United Nations is placing a strong emphasis on advancing women’s and girls’ rights and voices on this year’s World Population Day. Recognizing that women and girls make up nearly half of the global population, the UN highlights the critical need to address gender inequality and its impact on various aspects of life, including education, employment, leadership, health, and well-being.
More than 40% of women cannot make their own decisions about their sexual & reproductive health & rights.
On #WorldPopulationDay, @UNFPA says protecting the rights of women & girls is key to ensure a more inclusive & resilient global population. https://t.co/XQwdfbPAuv pic.twitter.com/XAhidNAm5V
— United Nations (@UN) July 11, 2023
The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) State of World Population (SWOP) report underlines the transformative power of gender equality and urges collective action to fulfill the aspirations of all 8 billion people on the planet.
By 2050, Nigeria is expected to become the world’s third most populous nation after India and China. The United States, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh will also feature among the top ten most populous countries.
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The remarkable increase in the global population since 1800, when it stood at around one billion, can be attributed to advancements in modern medicine and agricultural industrialization, which have led to increased food supplies worldwide. However, experts note that the annual growth rate has consistently declined to below 1 percent.
Based on projections, the world’s population is expected to peak at approximately 10.4 billion people in the 2080s, remaining at that level until 2100.