WORLD
World's population to reach 11 billion by 2100
Populations in North America, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean are projected to stay below 1 billion each.
The United Nations recently released population projections based on data until 2012. Analysis of these data reveals that, contrary to previous literature, world population is unlikely to stop growing this century. There is an 80% probability that world population, now 7.2 billion, will increase to between 9.6 and 12.3 billion in 2100. Much of the increase is expected to happen in Africa, in part due to higher fertility and a recent slowdown in the pace of fertility decline. Also, the ratio of working age people to older people is likely to decline substantially in all countries, even those that currently have young populations. A new study led by the University of Washington and the United Nations finds that world population is likely to keep growing throughout the 21st century. The number of people on earth is likely to reach 11 billion by 2100, the study concludes, about 2 billion higher than widely cited previous estimates.