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 world's population first reached one billion people in 1805, and reached eight billion in 2022, and will peak at almost 10.2 billion by the end of the century. Although it took thousands of years to reach one billion people, it did so at the beginning of a phenomenon known as the demographic transition; from this point onwards, population growth has skyrocketed, and since the 1960s the population has increased by one billion people every 12 to 15 years. The demographic transition sees a sharp drop in mortality due to factors such as vaccination, sanitation, and improved food supply; the population boom that follows is due to increased survival rates among children and higher life expectancy among the general population; and fertility then drops in response to this population growth. Regional differences The demographic transition is a global phenomenon, but it has taken place at different times across the world. The industrialized countries of Europe and North America were the first to go through this process, followed by some states in the Western Pacific. Latin America's population then began growing at the turn of the 20th century, but the most significant period of global population growth occurred as Asia progressed in the late-1900s. As of the early 21st century, almost two-thirds of the world's population lives in Asia, although this is set to change significantly in the coming decades. Future growth The growth of Africa's population, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, will have the largest impact on global demographics in this century. From 2000 to 2100, it is expected that Africa's population will have increased by a factor of almost five. It overtook Europe in size in the late 1990s, and overtook the Americas a few years later. In contrast to Africa, Europe's population is now in decline, as birth rates are consistently below death rates in many countries, especially in the south and east, resulting in natural population decline. Similarly, the population of the Americas and Asia are expected to go into decline in the second half of this century, and only Oceania's population will still be growing alongside Africa. By 2100, the world's population will have over three billion more than today, with the vast majority of this concentrated in Africa. Demographers predict that climate change is exacerbating many of the challenges that currently hinder progress in Africa, such as political and food instability; if Africa's transition is prolonged, then it may result in further population growth that would place a strain on the region's resources, however, curbing this growth earlier would alleviate some of the pressure created by climate change.

Between 1800 and 2021, the total population of each continent experienced consistent growth, however as growth rates varied by region, population distribution has fluctuated. In the early 19th century, almost 70 percent of the world's population lived in Asia, while fewer than 10 percent lived in Africa. By the end of this century, it is believed that Asia's share will fall to roughly 45 percent, while Africa's will be on course to reach 40 percent. 19th and 20th centuries Fewer than 2.5 percent of the world's population lived in the Americas in 1800, however the demographic transition, along with waves of migration, would see this share rise to almost 10 percent a century later, peaking at almost 14 percent in the 1960s. Europe's share of the global population also grew in the 19th century, to roughly a quarter in 1900, but fell thereafter and saw the largest relative decline during the 20th century. Asia, which has consistently been the world's most populous continent, saw its population share drop by the mid-1900s, but it has been around 60 percent since the 1970s. It is important to note that the world population has grown from approximately one to eight billion people between 1800 and the 2020s, and that declines in population distribution before 2020 have resulted from different growth rates across the continents. 21st century Africa's population share remained fairly constant throughout this time, fluctuating between 7.5 and 10 percent until the late-1900s, but it is set to see the largest change over the 21st century. As Europe's total population is now falling, and it is estimated that the total populations of Asia and the Americas will fall by the 2050s and 2070s respectively, rapid population growth in Africa will see a significant shift in population distribution. Africa's population is predicted to grow from 1.3 to 3.9 billion people over the next eight decades, and its share of the total population will rise to almost 40 percent. The only other continent whose population will still be growing at this time will be Oceania, although its share of the total population has never been more than 0.7 percent.

The world population surpassed eight billion people in 2022, having doubled from its figure less than 50 years previously. Looking forward, it is projected that the world population will reach nine billion in 2038, and 10 billion in 2060, but it will peak around 10.3 billion in the 2080s before it then goes into decline. Regional variations The global population has seen rapid growth since the early 1800s, due to advances in areas such as food production, healthcare, water safety, education, and infrastructure, however, these changes did not occur at a uniform time or pace across the world. Broadly speaking, the first regions to undergo their demographic transitions were Europe, North America, and Oceania, followed by Latin America and Asia (although Asia's development saw the greatest variation due to its size), while Africa was the last continent to undergo this transformation. Because of these differences, many so-called "advanced" countries are now experiencing population decline, particularly in Europe and East Asia, while the fastest population growth rates are found in Sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, the roughly two billion difference in population between now and the 2080s' peak will be found in Sub-Saharan Africa, which will rise from 1.2 billion to 3.2 billion in this time (although populations in other continents will also fluctuate). Changing projections The United Nations releases their World Population Prospects report every 1-2 years, and this is widely considered the foremost demographic dataset in the world. However, recent years have seen a notable decline in projections when the global population will peak, and at what number. Previous reports in the 2010s had suggested a peak of over 11 billion people, and that population growth would continue into the 2100s, however a sooner and shorter peak is now projected. Reasons for this include a more rapid population decline in East Asia and Europe, particularly China, as well as a prolongued development arc in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Throughout most of human history, global population growth was very low; between 10,000BCE and 1700CE, the average annual increase was just 0.04 percent. Therefore, it took several thousand years for the global population to reach one billion people, doing so in 1803. However, this period marked the beginning of a global phenomenon known as the demographic transition, from which point population growth skyrocketed. With the introduction of modern medicines (especially vaccination), as well as improvements in water sanitation, food supply, and infrastructure, child mortality fell drastically and life expectancy increased, causing the population to grow. This process is linked to economic and technological development, and did not take place concurrently across the globe; it mostly began in Europe and other industrialized regions in the 19thcentury, before spreading across Asia and Latin America in the 20th century. As the most populous societies in the world are found in Asia, the demographic transition in this region coincided with the fastest period of global population growth. Today, Sub-Saharan Africa is the region at the earliest stage of this transition. As population growth slows across the other continents, with the populations of the Americas, Asia, and Europe expected to be in decline by the 2070s, Africa's population is expected to grow by three billion people by the end of the 21st century.

The earliest point where scientists can make reasonable estimates for the population of global regions is around 10,000 years before the Common Era (or 12,000 years ago). Estimates suggest that Asia has consistently been the most populated continent, and the least populated continent has generally been Oceania (although it was more heavily populated than areas such as North America in very early years). Population growth was very slow, but an increase can be observed between most of the given time periods. There were, however, dips in population due to pandemics, the most notable of these being the impact of plague in Eurasia in the 14th century, and the impact of European contact with the indigenous populations of the Americas after 1492, where it took almost four centuries for the population of Latin America to return to its pre-1500 level. The world's population first reached one billion people in 1803, which also coincided with a spike in population growth, due to the onset of the demographic transition. This wave of growth first spread across the most industrially developed countries in the 19th century, and the correlation between demographic development and industrial or economic maturity continued until today, with Africa being the final major region to begin its transition in the late-1900s.

The Anthropogenic Biomes of the World, Version 2: 1700 data set describes anthropogenic transformations within the terrestrial biosphere caused by sustained direct human interaction with ecosystems, including agriculture and urbanization c. 1700. Potential natural vegetation, biomes, such as tropical rainforests or grasslands, are based on global vegetation patterns related to climate and geology. Anthropogenic transformation within each biome is approximated using population density, agricultural intensity (cropland and pasture) and urbanization. This data set is part of a time series for the years 1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 that provides global patterns of historical transformation of the terrestrial biosphere during the Industrial Revolution.

Key information about Taiwan population

• The Taiwan population reached 23.4 million people in Dec 2024, compared with the previously reported figure of 23.4 million people in Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 23.6 million people in Dec 2019 and a record low of 8.0 million people in Dec 1950

CEIC extends history for annual Population. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan provides year-end Population. Population prior to 1957 is a Mid-year estimate sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.


Further information about Taiwan population data

• In the latest reports, Taiwan Unemployment Rate increased to 3.4 % in Nov 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Taiwan population was 1,715.7 USD in Nov 2024
• Taiwan Labour Force Participation Rate dropped to 59.3 % in Nov 2024

Although the grey seal Halichoerus grypus is one of the most familiar and intensively studied of all pinniped species, its global population structure remains to be elucidated. Little is also known about how the species as a whole may have historically responded to climate-driven changes in habitat availability and anthropogenic exploitation. We therefore analysed samples from over 1500 individuals collected from 22 colonies spanning the Western and Eastern Atlantic and the Baltic Sea regions, represented by 350bp of the mitochondrial hypervariable region and up to nine microsatellites. Strong population structure was observed at both types of marker, and highly asymmetrical patterns of gene flow were also inferred, with the Orkney islands being identified as a source of emigrants to other areas in the Eastern Atlantic. The Baltic and Eastern Atlantic regions were estimated to have diverged a little over 10,000 years ago, consistent with the last proposed isolation of the Baltic Sea. Approximate Bayesian computation also identified genetic signals consistent with postglacial population expansion across much of the species range, suggesting that grey seals are highly responsive to changes in habitat availability.

Key information about Japan population

• The Japan population reached 123.7 million people in Dec 2024, compared with the previously reported figure of 124.3 million people in Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 128.1 million people in Dec 2010 and a record low of 43.4 million people in Dec 1899

CEIC extends history for annual Population. Statistical Bureau provides year-end Population. Population prior to 1955 is an estimate for October 1st.


Further information about Japan population data

• In the latest reports, Japan Unemployment Rate increased to 2.5 % in Oct 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Japan population was 1,957.4 USD in Oct 2024
• Japan Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 63.5 % in Oct 2024

How were cities distributed globally in the past? How many people lived in these cities? How did cities influence their local and regional environments? This month's map seeks to answer these questions by illustrating the worlds population growth within cities over a span of 6,000 years.According to the map authors, By 2030, 75 percent of of the world's population is expected to be living in cities. Today, about 54 percent of us do. In 1960, only 34 percent of the world lived in cities.The dots on the map represent the approximate location and size of urban populations worldwide.An animated version showing the development of cities over time is available at https://mtc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=fb8666425e0c44a2a77c5bb84ceec6efSource: Metrocosm, June 2016 - Watch as the world’s cities appear one-by-one over 6,000 years

Key information about Iran population

• The Iran population reached 84.0 million people in Mar 2021, compared with the previously reported figure of 83.1 million people in Mar 2020
• The data reached an all-time high of 84.0 million people in Mar 2021 and a record low of 16.4 million people in Mar 1950

CEIC extends history for annual Population. The Statistical Center of Iran provides Population. Population prior to 1957 is a Mid-year estimate sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population is in annual frequency, ending in March of each year

Key information about Spain population

• The Spain population reached 48.1 million people in Dec 2023, compared with the previously reported figure of 47.5 million people in Dec 2022
• The data reached an all-time high of 48.1 million people in Dec 2023 and a record low of 28.1 million people in Dec 1950

CEIC extends history for annual Population. National Statistics Institute provides year-end Population. Population prior to 1997 is a Mid-year estimate sourced from the International Monetary Fund.


Further information about Spain population data

• In the latest reports, Spain Unemployment Rate dropped to 11.2 % in Sep 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Spain population was 2,545.5 USD in Sep 2024
• Spain Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 59.0 % in Sep 2024

Key information about Canada population

• The Canada population reached 41.3 million people in Jun 2024, compared with the previously reported figure of 40.1 million people in Jun 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 41.3 million people in Jun 2024 and a record low of 14.0 million people in Jun 1950

CEIC extends history for annual Population. Statistics Canada provides Mid-year Population. Postcensal estimates, which are based on the latest Census counts adjusted for Census Net Undercoverage (CNU), including adjustment for Incompletely Enumerated Indian Reserves (IEIR) and the components of demographic growth that occurred since that census. Intercensal estimates are produced using counts from two consecutive censuses adjusted for CNU (including (IEIR) and postcensal estimates) Population prior to 1971 is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population is in annual frequency, ending in June of each year.


Further information about Canada population data

• In the latest reports, Canada Unemployment Rate increased to 6.6 % in Aug 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Canada population was 3,656.6 USD in Jun 2024
• Canada Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 66.2 % in Aug 2024

Demographic fluctuations are crucial for assessing species’ threat levels, yet their global spatiotemporal patterns and historical drivers remain unknown. Here, we used single whole-genome sequence data for 527 extant and widespread terrestrial vertebrates to investigate their demographic fluctuations during the Late Pleistocene. Effective population size (Ne) simulations indicated that all taxa experienced a population decline from the Last Interglacial to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). After the LGM, birds, and amphibians underwent population expansion, whereas mammals and reptiles’ populations declined. Regions with high Ne shifted from Neotropical to Afrotropical and to Palearctic, some overlapping with recognized glacial refugia and biodiversity hotspots. In addition, climate-related factors exerted long-term effects on Ne, while human disturbances might confine to specific regions around the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. This study underscores the significance of quantifying vertebrate genetic vulnerability to guide biodiversity conservation in response to environmental changes.

Data from the 'Life history traits of birds, and population responses to global change: the case of tits' Observing Task, part of the Population ecology observatory (ECOPOP) Observation Service of the Montpellier Research Observatory of Environment (OSU OREME, oreme.org).

The Historical Urban Population, 3700 BC - AD 2000, originally developed by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, is the first spatially explicit global data set containing location and size of urban populations over the last 6,000 years. The data set was created by digitizing, transcribing, and geocoding historical, archaeological, and census-based urban population data. Each data point consists of a city name, latitude, longitude, year, population, and a reliability ranking to assess the geographic uncertainty of each data point. Despite spatial and temporal gaps, no other geocoded data set at this resolution exists. It can therefore be used to investigate long-term historical urbanization trends and patterns, evaluate the current era of urbanization, and build a richer record of urban population through history.

Labour Relations in Japan: 1800, 2000

An abridged data format, created by Daan Jansen (IISH) and continuing on earlier work by Joris Kok (IISH), is being offered as an alternative in October 2020. This new version of the dataset includes only records that contain labour relations, leaving out all population data. This update also involved (depending on the dataset in question, substantial) data cleaning, separating male and female individuals, and removing any duplicate records. Hence, the aggregated number of people mentioned in these updated datasets should equal the total population.

behaviour demography ecology ecopop environmental-monitoring-facilities evolution fauna genetic-composition-allelic-diversity genetic-composition-co-ancestry genetic-composition-population-genetic-differentiation habitats-and-biotopes pathogens population-ecology populations species-distribution species-populations-population-abundance species-populations-population-structure-by-age-size-class species-traits-body-mass species-traits-demographic-traits species-traits-natal-dispersion-distance species-traits-phenology

Key information about Laos population

• The Laos population reached 7.5 million people in Jun 2023, compared with the previously reported figure of 7.4 million people in Jun 2022
• The data reached an all-time high of 7.5 million people in Jun 2023 and a record low of 1.7 million people in Jun 1950

CEIC extends history for annual Population. Lao Statistics Bureau provides Mid-year Population. Population prior to 2000 is sourced from the International Monetary Fund. Population is in annual frequency, ending in June of each year