Day of Eight Billion facts for kids

The Day of Eight Billion was on November 15, 2022. This was the day the United Nations announced that the world population had reached eight billion people.

António Guterres has described the milestone as an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity's shared responsibility for the planet.

Global historical population growth according to Our World in Data

António Guterres, who is the head of the United Nations, said this was a special moment. He said it was a time to celebrate how different we all are. He also said it was a time to remember our shared responsibility to take care of our planet and each other.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) used special data to figure out this date.

Why Did the Population Grow?

The world population grew to eight billion people in 2022. This is a big jump from five billion in 1987, six billion in 1999, and seven billion in 2011. This growth shows good progress in areas like global health and fighting poverty.

For example, fewer babies and mothers are dying now. This has led to people living much longer lives. When people live longer, the overall population grows.

Dr. Natalia Kanem, who leads the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), called this a "success story." She said that even with challenges, more people are getting educated. Also, more people are living healthier lives than ever before.

What Do People Think About This Growth?

Global population size, estimates (1950–2022) and medium scenario with 95 percent prediction intervals, 2022–2100

Some people, like David Attenborough, worry about the future. They are concerned about how a growing population might affect our planet. This is especially true with big challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historically, some people have worried about too many people on Earth. An economist named Thomas Malthus from the 1700s thought humanity would grow too fast. He believed we would not have enough resources to feed everyone.

However, experts who study populations have different ideas. They point out that population trends are different in various countries. They don't think there will be a "doomsday" scenario.

Michael Herrmann, an expert from UNFPA, explained this in 2022. He said that population growth is mostly happening in the world's poorest countries. At the same time, some of the richest countries are seeing their populations start to shrink.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs thinks the global population will keep growing. They believe it might reach about 10.4 billion people around the 2080s. They expect it to stay at that level until the year 2100.

See also

In Spanish: Día de los 8000 millones para niños