Last month, the Earth reached the seemingly impossible milestone of 8 billion people. The current world population growth rate is 0.83% per year, with numbers increasing in all six habitable continents. The countries with the highest growth rate are Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, while the countries with the highest fertility rate are Nigeria, Pakistan, and Indonesia. The United States, Russia, and Brazil lead in growth by migration rate.
Another factor contributing to this population increase is that the global life expectancy has grown from 29 to 73 years since 1800. This indicates better global health and an older world population. The healthiest countries in the world are Spain and Italy, while the unhealthiest are South Sudan, Somalia, and Chad.
This growing world has also affected businesses. Global GDP has slowed and labor shortages are common. However, on the bright side, an older population has increased our productivity, and larger countries lead to an increase in successful multinational corporations.
United Nations experts say that Earth’s population will peak at 10.4 billion in 2080. In fact, many are celebrating this growth and taking it as a sign of our resiliency as a species. In addition, the road towards 9 billion people is not as long as many may think. Africa is predicted to become the fastest growing continent, and Europe’s population will continue to decline. International migration will increase over time as well.
In this ever-growing world, change is the only constant and the only guarantee.
