The Asian Age

World population 10 billion by 2050

- — PTI

New York: The world population will reach 9.9 billion in 2050, increasing by 33 per cent from an estimated 7.4 billion now, the latest report from the Population Reference Bureau ( PRB) has predicted.

New York, Aug. 28: The world population will reach 9.9 billion in 2050, increasing by 33 per cent from an estimated 7.4 billion now, the latest report from the Population Reference Bureau ( PRB) predicted.

If the assumption­s underlying 2050 projection­s by the PRB’s World Population Data Sheet are applied to subsequent years, the world population would hit the 10 billion mark in 2053, with Asia set to gain about 900 million to 5.3 billion.

“Despite declines in fertility rates around the world, we expect population gains to remain strong enough to take us toward a global population of 10 billion,” said Jeffrey Jordan, president and CEO of PRB.

“Significan­t regional difference­s remain, though. For example, very low birth rates in Europe will mean population declines there while Africa’s population is expected to double,” said Mr Jordan.

The PRB’s projection­s show Africa’s population will reach 2.5 billion by 2050, while the number of people in the Americas will rise by only 223 million to 1.2 billion.

World population likely to hit the 10bn mark in 2053

Asia’s population may rise by about 900 million

Africa’s population may reach 2.5 billion by 2050; number in the Americas to rise by only 223 million

Europe registers a decline from 740 million to 728 million. Oceania ( which includes Australia and New Zealand) would rise from 40 million to 66 million.

The Data Sheet’s midcentury population projection­s indicate that the combined population of the least developed countries in the world will double by 2050 to 1.9 billion.

The population in 29 countries will be more than double. Nearly all of these countries are in Africa. In Niger, the country with the highest birth rate, the population will more than triple.

The data showed that, 42 countries will register population declines.

These countries are scattered throughout Asia, Latin America and Europe.

Some European countries will post significan­t declines, such as Romania, which is projected to have a population of 14 million in 2050, down from 20 million today, researcher­s said.

The population of the US will be 398 million, up 23 per cent from 324 million today.

According to the Data Sheet’s estimates of current population, over 25 per cent of the world’s population is under 15- year- old. The figure is 41 per cent in least developed countries and 16 per cent in more developed countries. — PTI

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