Global population hits 8 billion; adds 1 billion people in last 17 years: United Nations Population Fund
By Team Newsable | First Published Nov 15, 2022, 3:16 PM ISTIndia is projected to have a population of 1.668 billion in 2050, way ahead of China's 1.317 billion people by the middle of the century.
In a milestone for humanity, the global population on Tuesday (November 15) hit 8 billion after having added a billion people in the last 12 years. According to reports, India is on the cusp of overtaking China as the world's most populous country next year.
The United Nations said the global milestone signals major improvements in public health that have lowered the risk of death and increased life expectancy but the moment is also a clarion call for humanity to look beyond the numbers and meet its shared responsibility to protect people and the planet, starting with the most vulnerable.
Latest Videos
Also read: 'Energy Observer' drops anchor in Kochi to deliver a message
In a tweet, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said, "8 billion hopes. 8 billion dreams. 8 billion possibilities. Our planet is now home to 8 billion people."
"As we become 8 Billion Strong, @DieneKeita explains how a world of 8 billion is a global success story. Together we can build a world that allows 8 billion of us to thrive," it said in another tweet.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said unless the world bridges the yawning chasm between the global haves and have-nots, "we are setting ourselves up for an 8-billion-strong world filled with tensions and mistrust, crisis and conflict."
Also read: PM Modi tells G20 on Russia-Ukraine: 'Our turn to take path of peace'
India is projected to surpass China as the world's most populous country in 2023. The population prospects report said that India's population stands at 1.412 billion in 2022, compared with China's 1.426 billion.
India is projected to have a population of 1.668 billion in 2050, way ahead of China's 1.317 billion people by the middle of the century.
Also read: Exiled Iranian man who inspired Spielberg's 'The Terminal' dies at Paris airport
The population clock flashed 8,000,000,000 on November 15, with the world having added one billion people in the last 12 years. The UN described the global population reaching 8 billion as a "remarkable milestone" given that the human population numbered under 1 billion for millennia until around 1800, and that it took more than 100 years to grow from 1 to 2 billion.
By comparison, the increase of the world's population over the last century has been quite rapid and despite a gradual slowing in the pace of growth, the global population is projected to surpass 9 billion around 2037 and 10 billion around 2058, according to UN estimates.
(With inputs from PTI)
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here. For more reliable and latest news
subscribe to Asianet Newsable Telegram channel by clicking here.