World Population to Hit 8 Billion This Week

By Matis Glenn

The world’s population is projected to hit 8 billion this week, according to a United Nations study released in July. The U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs made the announcement on July 11, World Population Day, and said that their research indicates that on November 15, the world’s eight billionth baby would be born.

The study also projected that China, having long been home to the world’s largest population – and some of the cruelest methods of controlling that population – will become second to India in 2023. China currently has 1.412 billion people, while India has 1.393 billion.

The last billionth milestone was reached on October 31 2011.

While the world’s population is growing, the U.N. says that the rate of increase has been steadily declining, with current trends falling below 1 percent growth; the slowest pace since 1950.

Some countries are predicted to have higher numbers of increases than others. More than half of the projected increases from now until 2050 are believed to be concentrated in eight countries; the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.

The study also looked at global life expectancy. The global average hit 72.8 years in 2019, an improvement of almost 9 years since 1990; researchers say that number will increase to 77.2 years in 2050, which is the current life expectancy in the U.S.