- The World Population Prospects is a report published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The World Population Prospects 2019 is the 26th edition of the United Nations population estimates and projections. The report shows population estimates from 1950 to 2019 for 235 countries or areas. This report has been made by taking into consideration the results of 1,690 national population censuses conducted between the year 1950 and 2018, as well as the information obtained from vital registration systems and from 2,700 nationally representative sample surveys. The report also shows the population projections till the year 2100.
- This report describes two of the four demographic megatrends i.e. population growth and ageing. The four demographic megatrends are population growth, population ageing, migration and urbanization.
Findings of the World Population Prospects 2019
Global Findings-
- The world's population is continuously increasing however at a slower rate from any time since 1950.
- The world population is estimated to increase by another 2 billion people by 2050. It means the world population which is 7.7 billion in 2019 will rise to 9.7 billion by 2050. It is also projected that the world population can be 8.5 billion in a decade.
- Nine countries will make up more than half the projected growth of the global population between 2019 and 2050. These nine countries are- India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States of America.
- The population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to double by the year 2050.
- Some of the regions can experience a lower rate of population between 2019 and 2050. These regions are- Oceania excluding Australia/New Zealand (56%), Northern Africa and Western Asia (46%), Australia/New Zealand (28%), Central and Southern Asia (25%), Latin America and the Caribbean (18%), Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (3%), and Europe and Northern America (2%).
- The global fertility rate declined from 3.2 births per woman in 1990 to 2.5 in 2019. This rate is further projected to decline to 2.2 in 2050.
- Life expectancy at birth for the world increased from 64.2 years in 1990 to 72.6 years in 2019. It is further expected to increase to 77.1 years in 2050.
- The world’s population is growing older very fast with people above the age of 65. At present, there is 1 person in every 11 people (9%) above the age of 65. By 2050, there will be one in six people in the world will be over age 65 (16%). For the first time in history, persons aged 65 or above were more than children under five years of age globally in the year 2018.
- 27 countries have experienced a reduction of 1% or more in the size of their populations since the year 2010. Between 2019 and 2050, the population of 55 countries is projected to decrease by 1% or more. Out of these 55 countries, 26 countries will see a reduction of at least 10%.
- China's population is projected to decrease by 31.4 million, or around 2.2 per cent, between 2019 and 2050.
- 14 countries will see a net inflow of more than one million migrants between 2010 and 2020, while ten countries will see a net outflow of similar magnitude.
India Specific Findings-
- India is estimated to become the most populous country by 2027 surpassing China. It is projected that the Indian Population will be 1.64 billion people by 2050.
- India is among the 9 countries that will make up more than half the projected growth of the global population between 2019 and 2050.
