World population to hit 9.8 bln by 2050, despite nearly universal lower fertility rates, UN says

The United Nations said here Wednesday that the world population is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, and to hit 9.8 billion by 2050, despite nearly universal lower fertility rates.

The world population is now at least 7.6 billion, up from 7.4 billion last year, spurred by the relatively high levels of fertility in developing countries -- despite an overall drop in the number of children people have around the globe, revealed World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision.

The concentration of global population growth is in the poorest countries, presenting a challenge as the world seeks to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which is aimed to end poverty and preserve the planet, according to the report.

"With roughly 83 million people being added to the world's population every year, the upward trend in population size is expected to continue, even assuming that fertility levels will continue to decline," said the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which produces the UN report.

• At this rate, the world population is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and surpass 11.2 billion in 2100, it said. 

The growth is expected to come, in part, from the 47 least developed countries, where the fertility rate is around 4.3 births per woman, and whose population is expected to reach 1.9 billion people in 2050 from the current estimate of 1 billion.

In addition, the birth rates in African countries are likely to "at least double" by 2050, said the report.

 [globaltimes.cn/Xinhua]

22/6/17
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