World Population Exceeds 8 Billion, Significant Increase in India and Africa

According to the United Nations, the world's population will exceed 8 billion on the 15th.

Population growth is remarkable in India and African countries, and it is expected that India will overtake China next year to become the world's most populous country.

The world's population continues to grow against the backdrop of increased life expectancy and a decline in maternal and child mortality, with an increase of approximately 1 billion people over the past 12 years, and the United Nations said it will exceed 8 billion on the 15th.

According to the United Nations, the population of some countries in South Asia and Africa is expected to continue to increase significantly in the future, and India is expected to surpass China next year and become the most populous country in the world.

By 2050, more than half of the world's population is expected to be in sub-Saharan Africa.

On the other hand, in 61 countries and regions including Japan, it is predicted that their populations will decline by 1% or more by 2050 due to declining birth rates and other factors.

The pace of global population growth is also gradually slowing, and it is believed that there is a possibility of a decline after reaching a peak of about 10.4 billion people in the 2080s.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs says that countries with rapidly growing populations need to secure education and job opportunities for young people, while countries that cannot expect population growth need to prepare for declining birthrates and aging populations. pointing out.

Eight countries will experience significant population growth by 2050

The United Nations has identified eight countries that will experience significant population growth by 2050: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Philippines, and Tanzania.

As a factor that is expected to significantly increase the population in these countries, the United Nations points out that while the average life expectancy is increasing, the mortality rate of infants and others is decreasing.

On the other hand, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs says that the rapid population growth and continued high birth rate could hinder the development of society because the education of children cannot keep up.

On top of that, by promoting gender equality, etc., it will be possible to shift the too high birth rate to a more stable level.

The background to India's population growth is

India's current population is approximately 1.4 billion.

Since the 1950s, the government has implemented policies aimed at limiting the number of children for married couples to two in order to curb the population. there is no.

Recently, the population is increasing by 1% every year, and one of the reasons is believed to be the decrease in infant mortality rate due to improvements in the sanitary environment.

According to government statistics, the infant mortality rate dropped from 68 per 1,000 people in 2000 to 28 per 1,000 in 2020.

In addition, as the economy continues to grow rapidly, the average life expectancy has increased from 49.7 years in the early 1970s to 69.7 years in the late 2000s, an increase of 20 years.

The population structure is also shaped like a bell, with a high percentage of young people who are expected to have children in the future. It is also estimated that it will exceed

By 2050, 1 in 4 people will be Africans

The wave of population growth is also hitting Africa, and according to the United Nations, the population of Africa in 2022 will be over 1.4 billion, about 18% of the world's total. It is predicted that 1 in 4 of the population will be African people.

High fertility rates are behind the rapid population growth. According to United Nations data, sub-Saharan countries have an average index of 4.5 children per woman in their lifetime. This is well above the global average of 2.3.

Furthermore, not only is Africa's population increasing, but the average age is younger than the rest of the world, making it a highly attractive market and drawing attention from around the world.

In recent years, with the spread of the Internet, many local start-up companies have been born to create new services in fields such as healthcare, logistics, and agriculture that have had problems in the past. In Japan, the public and private sectors are mobilizing to increase investment.

On the other hand, education and employment have not kept up with the ever-growing population, and widening disparities have become major problems. In addition, poverty and hunger are becoming more serious in some countries. Africa's population problem is an issue that must be addressed by the world. has become

United Nations Population Fund “Policies Based on Population Growth Data”

Regarding the world population surpassing 8 billion, Ian McFarlane, Director of the Communications and Strategic Partnerships Division of the UNFPA = United Nations Population Fund, who was visiting Japan, told NHK in an interview, "People live longer and women give birth. First of all, we should congratulate the fact that the number of lives lost in the disaster has decreased.On the other hand, there will also be voices of concern about the impact on the world, such as the burden on the environment."

On top of that, regarding concerns about food shortages and widening disparities, he said, "In addition to accurately grasping the situation of population fluctuations, we need a legal framework that allows people to enjoy services equally and contribute to society." He pointed out the need to promote policies based on data on population fluctuations, as issues and responsibilities to be addressed by each country will arise.

"In Niger, one of the countries with the highest fertility rate, each woman has nearly seven children, and women often don't want that many children," he said. “Creating an environment where women and girls are guaranteed access to health services and contraceptive methods, and can make their own decisions about marriage and childbirth will bring about change,” she stressed the importance of providing education and options to women.