UN Says World Population Will Rise to 9.1 Billion By 2050

UN says World population will rise to 9.1 billion by 2050

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — World population will increase by 2.6 billion from 6.5 billion to 9.1 billion by 2050 with all growth in less developed countries, the United Nations said Thursday in a study.

The figures are from the 2004 Revision of the official UN population estimates and projections, released by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Almost all growth will take place in the less developed region, where today’s 5.3 billion population is expected to grow to 7.8 billion in 2050.

By contrast, the population of the more developed regions will remain mostly unchanged at 1.2 billion.

“Continued population growth until 2050 is inevitable even if the decline of fertility accelerates,” said the study, which is based on the most recent national censuses available from around the globe.

By July 2005, the world will have 6.5 billion inhabitants, 380 million more than in 2000 or a gain of 76 million annually.

During 2005-2050, eight countries are expected to account for half of the world’s projected population increase: India, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Uganda, the United States of America, Ethiopia and China, listed according to the size of their contribution to population growth.