The world's population is set to reach 8 billion on November 15, three times more than the 2.5 billion recorded in 1950, and up from just 1 billion in 1800, according to a report published by the United Nations Population Division. The report indicates that the population will continue to grow in the coming decades, with the average life expectancy projected to reach 77.2 years by 2050.
This increase in average lifespan, along with the number of people of reproductive age, suggests that the UN expects the global population to continue growing, reaching 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and 10.4 billion by the 2080s, as explained by Rachel Snow from the United Nations Population Fund.
She noted that the growth rate has slowed to less than 1 percent globally, a significant decline that continued into last year after peaking in the early 1960s. It is likely to decrease to 0.5 percent by 2050 due to the ongoing decline in fertility rates. Last year, the average fertility rate was 2.3 children per woman over her lifetime, down from approximately 5 in 1950. The UN anticipates that this figure will drop to at least 2.1 by 2050. The report states, "We have reached a stage in the world where people live in countries with a fertility rate below the replacement level," which is about 2.1 children per woman.
