Population

Population Statistics

One of the most astounding facts about population is the sheer speed at which the world population is growing.

  • The world population reached 7.6 billion as of mid-2017.

  • The world has added approximately one billion inhabitants over the last twelve years.

  • Even with the high death rates of those living in poverty, the world population is still expanding at an incredible rate.

  • The world’s population is growing by 1.10 percent per year, or approximately an additional 83 million people annually.

  • The global population is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100.

  • 50.4 percent of the world’s population is male and 49.6 percent is female.

  • The median age of the global population, that is, the age at which half the population is older and half is younger, is 30 years.

FURTHER READING

ONU. (2015). World population, ageing. Suggested Citation: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Population Ageing. https://doi.org/ST/ESA/SER.A/390

Population Reference Bureau. (2016). 2016 World Population Data Sheet. 2015 World Population Data Sheet. https://doi.org/10.2307/1972177

UN-DESA Population Division. (2017). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision. In World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision.

United Nations / Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2009). World Population Prospects : The 2008 Revision. In Population Newsletter. https://doi.org/21 February 2014