The United Nations has projected that the world’s population will increase by over 2 billion people in the coming decades, peaking at approximately 10.3 billion in the 2080s.
This marks a significant change from previous estimates, highlighting a shift in global demographic trends.
According to the report released on World Population Day, the global population is expected to decline slightly to around 10.2 billion by the end of the century. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) emphasized the importance of reliable population data, noting the uneven changes across different regions.
“Changes in global population are uneven, and the demographic landscape is evolving, with rapid population growth in some places and rapid ageing in others,” stated the UNFPA.
As of 2024, 63 countries, including China, Germany, Japan, and Russia, have already seen their populations peak and are projected to experience a 14 percent decline over the next 30 years. Another 48 countries, such as Brazil, Iran, Turkey, and Vietnam, are expected to reach their population peak between 2025 and 2054. In contrast, 126 countries, including India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United States, will continue to see population growth through 2054, with some potentially peaking later in the century.
In nine of these rapidly growing countries, such as Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Somalia, populations are expected to double between 2024 and 2054.
The demographic shift will also see a significant increase in the elderly population. By the late 2070s, individuals aged 65 and older will surpass the number of children under 18. Additionally, by the mid-2030s, the number of people aged 80 and above will exceed the number of infants under one year old. Even in countries with youthful populations and rapid growth, the number of elderly people is projected to rise over the next three decades.
This evolving demographic landscape underscores the need for robust and accurate population data to address the challenges and opportunities presented by these shifts.
