The world population could reach around 8.5 billion in 2030, according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which notes that this population is currently growing at its slowest rate since 1950.
According to this projection published on Monday, the world population should increase to 8 billion souls next November while in 2050 the number should reach 9.7 billion, with a peak at around 10.4 billion people in the 2080s before remaining at this level until 2100.
The increase in population expected in the coming decades will be concentrated for more than half in eight countries, namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, from the Philippines and Tanzania.
In a statement on this occasion, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that as “we anticipate the birth of the eight billionth person on Earth”, it is “our shared responsibility to take care of our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to each other.”
It is also “a time to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at the advances in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates,” he said. senior UN official.
The UN report titled “World Population Prospects 2022″ also indicates that fertility has declined markedly in recent decades for many countries.
“Today, two-thirds of the world’s population live in a country or area where lifetime fertility is below 2.1 births per woman, roughly the level required for long-term zero growth for population with low mortality,” the report said, adding that the population of 61 countries or areas is projected to decline by 1% or more between 2022 and 2050, due to persistently low fertility rates and, in some cases, high emigration rates.
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