Until the 1800s, population growth was incredibly slow on a global level. The global population was estimated to have been around 188 million people in the year 1CE, and did not reach one billion until around 1803. However, since the 1800s, a phenomenon known as the demographic transition has seen population growth skyrocket, reaching eight billion people in 2023, and this is expected to peak at over 10 billion in the 2080s.
The statistic shows the development of the world population from 1950 to 2050. The world population was around 7.38 billion people in 2015.
The global population
As shown above, the total number of people living on Earth has more than doubled since the 1950s, and continues to increase. A look at the development of the world population since the beginning of the Common Era shows that such a surge in numbers is unprecedented. The first significant rise in population occurred during the 14th century, after the Black Death had killed approximately 25 million people worldwide. Subsequently, the global population increased slowly but steadily until it reached record numbers between 1950 and 2000.
The majority of the global population lives on the Asian continent, as a statistic of the world population by continent shows. In around 100 years, it is estimated that population levels on the African continent will have reached similar levels to those we see in Asia today. As for a forecast of the development of the world population, the figures are estimated to have reached more than 10 billion by the 22nd century.
Growing population numbers pose an increasing risk to the planet, since rocketing numbers equal increased consumption of food and resources. Scientists worry that natural resources, such as oil, and food resources will become scarce, endangering the human race and, even more so, the world’s ecosystem. Nowadays, the number of undernourished / starving people worldwide has decreased slightly, but forecasts paint a darker picture.
Whereas the population is expected to decrease somewhat until 2100 in Asia, Europe, and South America, it is predicted to grow significantly in Africa. While there were 1.5 billion inhabitants on the continent at the beginning of 2024, the number of inhabitants is expected to reach 3.8 billion by 2100. In total, the global population is expected to reach nearly 10.4 billion by 2100. Worldwide population In the United States, the total population is expected to steadily increase over the next couple of years. In 2024, Asia held over half of the global population and is expected to have the highest number of people living in urban areas in 2050. Asia is home to the two most populous countries, India and China, both with a population of over one billion people. However, the small country of Monaco had the highest population density worldwide in 2021. Effects of overpopulation Alongside the growing worldwide population, there are negative effects of overpopulation. The increasing population puts a higher pressure on existing resources and contributes to pollution. As the population grows, the demand for food grows, which requires more water, which in turn takes away from the freshwater available. Concurrently, food needs to be transported through different mechanisms, which contributes to air pollution. Not every resource is renewable, meaning the world is using up limited resources that will eventually run out. Furthermore, more species will become extinct which harms the ecosystem and food chain. Overpopulation was considered to be one of the most important environmental issues worldwide in 2020.
Until 2100, the world's population is expected to be ageing. Whereas people over 60 years made up less than 13 percent of the world's population in 2024, this share is estimated to reach 28.8 percent in 2100. On the other hand, the share of people between zero and 14 years was expected to decrease by almost ten percentage points over the same period.
The United States Census Bureau’s international dataset provides estimates of country populations since 1950 and projections through 2050. Specifically, the dataset includes midyear population figures broken down by age and gender assignment at birth. Additionally, time-series data is provided for attributes including fertility rates, birth rates, death rates, and migration rates.
You can use the BigQuery Python client library to query tables in this dataset in Kernels. Note that methods available in Kernels are limited to querying data. Tables are at bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.
What countries have the longest life expectancy? In this query, 2016 census information is retrieved by joining the mortality_life_expectancy and country_names_area tables for countries larger than 25,000 km2. Without the size constraint, Monaco is the top result with an average life expectancy of over 89 years!
SELECT
age.country_name,
age.life_expectancy,
size.country_area
FROM (
SELECT
country_name,
life_expectancy
FROM
bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.mortality_life_expectancy
WHERE
year = 2016) age
INNER JOIN (
SELECT
country_name,
country_area
FROM
bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.country_names_area
where country_area > 25000) size
ON
age.country_name = size.country_name
ORDER BY
2 DESC
/* Limit removed for Data Studio Visualization */
LIMIT
10
Which countries have the largest proportion of their population under 25? Over 40% of the world’s population is under 25 and greater than 50% of the world’s population is under 30! This query retrieves the countries with the largest proportion of young people by joining the age-specific population table with the midyear (total) population table.
SELECT
age.country_name,
SUM(age.population) AS under_25,
pop.midyear_population AS total,
ROUND((SUM(age.population) / pop.midyear_population) * 100,2) AS pct_under_25
FROM (
SELECT
country_name,
population,
country_code
FROM
bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.midyear_population_agespecific
WHERE
year =2017
AND age < 25) age
INNER JOIN (
SELECT
midyear_population,
country_code
FROM
bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.midyear_population
WHERE
year = 2017) pop
ON
age.country_code = pop.country_code
GROUP BY
1,
3
ORDER BY
4 DESC /* Remove limit for visualization*/
LIMIT
10
The International Census dataset contains growth information in the form of birth rates, death rates, and migration rates. Net migration is the net number of migrants per 1,000 population, an important component of total population and one that often drives the work of the United Nations Refugee Agency. This query joins the growth rate table with the area table to retrieve 2017 data for countries greater than 500 km2.
SELECT
growth.country_name,
growth.net_migration,
CAST(area.country_area AS INT64) AS country_area
FROM (
SELECT
country_name,
net_migration,
country_code
FROM
bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.birth_death_growth_rates
WHERE
year = 2017) growth
INNER JOIN (
SELECT
country_area,
country_code
FROM
bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.country_names_area
Historic (none)
United States Census Bureau
Terms of use: This dataset is publicly available for anyone to use under the following terms provided by the Dataset Source - http://www.data.gov/privacy-policy#data_policy - and is provided "AS IS" without any warranty, express or implied, from Google. Google disclaims all liability for any damages, direct or indirect, resulting from the use of the dataset.
See the GCP Marketplace listing for more details and sample queries: https://console.cloud.google.com/marketplace/details/united-states-census-bureau/international-census-data
The West Africa Coastal Vulnerability Mapping: Population Projections, 2030 and 2050 data set is based on an unreleased working version of the Gridded Population of the World (GPW), Version 4, year 2010 population count raster but at a coarser 5 arc-minute resolution. Bryan Jones of Baruch College produced country-level projections based on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 4 (SSP4). SSP4 reflects a divided world where cities that have relatively high standards of living, are attractive to internal and international migrants. In low income countries, rapidly growing rural populations live on shrinking areas of arable land due to both high population pressure and expansion of large-scale mechanized farming by international agricultural firms. This pressure induces large migration flow to the cities, contributing to fast urbanization, although urban areas do not provide many opportUnities for the poor and there is a massive expansion of slums and squatter settlements. This scenario may not be the most likely for the West Africa region, but it has internal coherence and is at least plausible.
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License information was derived automatically
Mexico MX: Population Projection: Mid Year data was reported at 150,567,503.000 Person in 2050. This records an increase from the previous number of 150,471,915.000 Person for 2049. Mexico MX: Population Projection: Mid Year data is updated yearly, averaging 99,775,434.000 Person from Jun 1950 (Median) to 2050, with 101 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 150,567,503.000 Person in 2050 and a record low of 28,485,180.000 Person in 1950. Mexico MX: Population Projection: Mid Year data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.
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License information was derived automatically
United States US: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data was reported at 0.450 % in 2050. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.450 % for 2049. United States US: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 0.700 % from Jun 2001 (Median) to 2050, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.980 % in 2006 and a record low of 0.450 % in 2050. United States US: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.
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This dataset provides a comprehensive overview of global population trends, historical data, and future projections. It includes detailed information for various countries and regions, encompassing key demographic indicators such as population size, growth rates, and density.
The dataset covers a broad time span, from 1980 to 2050, allowing for analysis of long-term population dynamics. It incorporates data from reputable sources like the United Nations Population Division and World Population Review, ensuring data accuracy and reliability.
Before 2025, the world's total population is expected to reach eight billion. Furthermore, it is predicted to reach over 10 billion in 2060, before slowing again as global birth rates are expected to decrease. Moreover, it is still unclear to what extent global warming will have an impact on population development. A high share of the population increase is expected to happen on the African continent.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
India Population Projection: Single Year data was reported at 1,667,873,933.000 Person in 2050. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,658,330,351.000 Person for 2049. India Population Projection: Single Year data is updated yearly, averaging 1,394,461,787.000 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2050, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,667,873,933.000 Person in 2050 and a record low of 1,019,001,911.000 Person in 2001. India Population Projection: Single Year data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by CEIC Data. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAI001: Population Projection: Single Year.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Laos LA: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data was reported at 0.650 % in 2050. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.660 % for 2049. Laos LA: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 1.335 % from Jun 1995 (Median) to 2050, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.290 % in 1999 and a record low of 0.650 % in 2050. Laos LA: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Laos – Table LA.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.
Africa is estimated to be the habitat of 25.52 percent of the total global population by the year 2050. In 2025, Africa will house 18.83 percent of the world population.
This statistic depicts a projection of the global population aged 65 and over between 2010 and 2050, sorted by geographic area. In 2025, there will be some *** million people aged 65 and over in Europe. That would be some ** percent of the total European population.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Estonia EE: Population Projection: Mid Year data was reported at 923,335.000 Person in 2050. This records a decrease from the previous number of 934,322.000 Person for 2049. Estonia EE: Population Projection: Mid Year data is updated yearly, averaging 1,272,439.000 Person from Jun 1950 (Median) to 2050, with 101 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,570,926.000 Person in 1989 and a record low of 923,335.000 Person in 2050. Estonia EE: Population Projection: Mid Year data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Estonia – Table EE.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.
A computerized data set of demographic, economic and social data for 227 countries of the world. Information presented includes population, health, nutrition, mortality, fertility, family planning and contraceptive use, literacy, housing, and economic activity data. Tabular data are broken down by such variables as age, sex, and urban/rural residence. Data are organized as a series of statistical tables identified by country and table number. Each record consists of the data values associated with a single row of a given table. There are 105 tables with data for 208 countries. The second file is a note file, containing text of notes associated with various tables. These notes provide information such as definitions of categories (i.e. urban/rural) and how various values were calculated. The IDB was created in the U.S. Census Bureau''s International Programs Center (IPC) to help IPC staff meet the needs of organizations that sponsor IPC research. The IDB provides quick access to specialized information, with emphasis on demographic measures, for individual countries or groups of countries. The IDB combines data from country sources (typically censuses and surveys) with IPC estimates and projections to provide information dating back as far as 1950 and as far ahead as 2050. Because the IDB is maintained as a research tool for IPC sponsor requirements, the amount of information available may vary by country. As funding and research activity permit, the IPC updates and expands the data base content. Types of data include: * Population by age and sex * Vital rates, infant mortality, and life tables * Fertility and child survivorship * Migration * Marital status * Family planning Data characteristics: * Temporal: Selected years, 1950present, projected demographic data to 2050. * Spatial: 227 countries and areas. * Resolution: National population, selected data by urban/rural * residence, selected data by age and sex. Sources of data include: * U.S. Census Bureau * International projects (e.g., the Demographic and Health Survey) * United Nations agencies Links: * ICPSR: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/08490
In 2023, about 17.7 percent of the American population was 65 years old or over; an increase from the last few years and a figure which is expected to reach 22.8 percent by 2050. This is a significant increase from 1950, when only eight percent of the population was 65 or over. A rapidly aging population In recent years, the aging population of the United States has come into focus as a cause for concern, as the nature of work and retirement is expected to change to keep up. If a population is expected to live longer than the generations before, the economy will have to change as well to fulfill the needs of the citizens. In addition, the birth rate in the U.S. has been falling over the last 20 years, meaning that there are not as many young people to replace the individuals leaving the workforce. The future population It’s not only the American population that is aging -- the global population is, too. By 2025, the median age of the global workforce is expected to be 39.6 years, up from 33.8 years in 1990. Additionally, it is projected that there will be over three million people worldwide aged 100 years and over by 2050.
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This data package includes nine population proximity index layers for 2005, 2030 and 2050, for rural, urban and total populations. The layers are distributed as 1km GeoTIFFs and GeoJPGss at 1km. The aim of these layers is to describe the population which may be likely to visit a specific locality where access is determined by Euclidean distance. By using the layers alongside other geographic datasets relating to disease risk it may help identify where people may come into contact with a disease. Human population layers are often used in models to identify risk areas where humans and viruses interact, however most pathogens are not restricted to areas of human habitation: many are found in lesser populated areas such as forests. This dataset will help identify less populated areas that may well still receive high visitor numbers. The layers have been projected to 2030 and 2050 to enable projections of human/disease interfaces in the medium-term which are required to inform policy makers at country and continental level. Urban and rural populations have been separated into individual layers as in some cases it is useful to distinguish between the behaviour and associated risks attributed to the different population segments. There may be a different risk of contacting diseases in rural habitats for rural workers than for than urban visitors.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Projection of total population 2020-2050 Territorial entities: arrondissements (Wallonie), départements (Lorraine), Grand-Duché (Luxembourg), Kreise (Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz) Statistical data sources: INSEE, Statec, Statbel-DEMOBEL, Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz, Statistisches Amt Saarland / Destatis. Calculations: OIE/IBA 2020 Geodata sources: ACT Luxembourg 2017, IGN France 2017, GeoBasis-DE / BKG 2017, NGI-Belgium 2017. Harmonization: SIG-GR / GIS-GR 2020
Until the 1800s, population growth was incredibly slow on a global level. The global population was estimated to have been around 188 million people in the year 1CE, and did not reach one billion until around 1803. However, since the 1800s, a phenomenon known as the demographic transition has seen population growth skyrocket, reaching eight billion people in 2023, and this is expected to peak at over 10 billion in the 2080s.