History of World population in Timeline

The world population, the total number of living humans, surpassed eight billion in mid-November 2022, according to United Nations estimates. Reaching the first billion took approximately 300,000 years of human history. However, the subsequent increase to eight billion occurred in just 218 years, highlighting a significant acceleration in population growth.

1900: European population increases

Between 1700 and 1900, Europe's population increased from about 100 million to over 400 million.

1900: Brazil's population growth

In 1900, Brazil's population was about 17 million.

1900: Global population

In 1900, the global population was about 1.6 billion.

1920: United States population growth

In 1920, the United States saw its population grow to 106 million.

1927: World population reaches two billion

In 1927, the world population reached two billion.

1941: Population growth in the Indian subcontinent

In 1941, the population of the Indian subcontinent increased to 389 million.

1950: Crude birth and death rates

During the period 1950-55 the crude birth rate was 36.9/1,000 population and the crude death rate was 19.1/1,000.

1950: Population Data

Population data from 1950 to 2015 are from a UN data sheet.

1951: UN issued multiple projections of future world population

Since 1951, the UN has issued multiple projections of future world population, based on different assumptions.

1951: UN's first report on birth and death rates

The UN's first report in 1951 indicated that during 1950–55, the crude birth rate was 36.9/1,000 population and the crude death rate was 19.1/1,000.

1953: China's population rises

By 1953, China's population rose to 580 million.

1955: Global population growth rate increases

In 1955, the global population growth rate saw increases of over 1.8% per year.

July 1959: World population reaches three billion (estimated)

The International Database of the United States Census Bureau estimated the world population reached three billion in July 1959.

1960: World population reaches three billion

In 1960, the world population reached three billion.

1965: World population growth formula

According to the Russian demographer Sergey Kapitsa, the world population grew between 67,000 BC and 1965 according to a formula.

1965: Peak global annual growth rate

During the period 1965–1970, the annual population growth rate peaked at 2.1%.

1965: Global population growth rate peaks

In 1965, the global population growth rate peaked at 2.1%.

1968: Global population growth rate decline

In 1968, the global population growth rate was steadily declining from its peak.

1970: Global population growth rate peaks

By 1970, the global population growth rate peaked at 2.1%.

1970: Peak global annual growth rate

During the period 1965–1970, the annual population growth rate peaked at 2.1%.

April 1974: World population reaches four billion (estimated)

The International Database of the United States Census Bureau estimated the world population reached four billion in April 1974.

1974: World population reaches four billion

In 1974, the global population reached four billion.

1975: Global population growth rate increases

By 1975, the global population growth rate saw increases of over 1.8% per year.

1975: Formula for population growth

In 1975, Sebastian von Hoerner proposed a formula for population growth which represented hyperbolic growth with an infinite population in 2025.

July 1987: "Day of 5 Billion"

The United Nations commemorated the "Day of 5 Billion" on 11 July 1987.

1987: World population reaches five billion

In 1987, the global population reached five billion.

1991: Russia's population declines after the collapse of the Soviet Union

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's population declined significantly, from 150 million in 1991 to 143 million in 2012.

1994: UN Conference

Following the United Nations' 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, framing human population growth as negatively impacting the natural environment became regarded as "anti-human".

1995: Global fertility rate

Assuming the global fertility rate remained at its 1995 level of 3.04 children per woman, one extreme scenario predicted a massive increase to 256 billion by 2150.

1995: Estimates on infant mortality rates

In 1995, Haub estimated that around 40% of those who have ever lived did not survive beyond their first birthday.

1995: Estimate of total humans ever lived

In 1995, Haub prepared another figure, updated in 2002 and 2011, to estimate the total number of humans who have ever lived.

1996: Estimates of the total number of humans who have ever lived

In 1996, Kapitsa cited estimates ranging between 80 and 150 billion for the total number of humans who have ever lived.

October 1999: "Day of 6 Billion"

The United Nations commemorated the "Day of 6 Billion" on 12 October 1999.

1999: World population reaches six billion

In 1999, the global population reached six billion.

2000: Global population increase

By 2000, the global population was over 6 billion.

2000: UN estimates annual population growth

During the period 2000–2005, the United Nations estimates that the world's population was growing at an annual rate of 1.3%.

2000: Brazil's population growth

In 2000, Brazil's population was about 176 million.

2001: Findings on food availability

Hopfenberg and Pimentel's 2001 findings support that "First World farmers are fueling the Third World population explosion".

2001: Study on population growth

In 2001, agronomist and insect ecologist David Pimentel, and behavioral scientist Russell Hopfenberg published a study on the topic that any human population predictably grows and shrinks according to available food supply.

2002: Estimate of total humans ever lived

In 2002, Haub updated the figure to estimate the total number of humans who have ever lived.

2003: UN Population Division population projections

In 2003, UN Population Division population projections for the year 2150 ranged between 3.2 and 24.8 billion.

2005: UN estimates annual population growth

During the period 2000–2005, the United Nations estimates that the world's population was growing at an annual rate of 1.3%.

2005: Population in certain countries

The United Nations projects that the population of 51 countries or areas, including Germany, Italy, Japan, and most of the states of the former Soviet Union, is expected to be lower in 2050 than in 2005.

2006: United Kingdom population reaches 60 million

In 2006, the population of the United Kingdom reached 60 million.

March 2007: UN revised world population estimate upwards

On 14 March 2007, the UN's revision of world population projections revised the 2050 mid-range estimate upwards by 273 million.

2009: UN population projections for 2050

In 2009, UN population projections for 2050 ranged between around 8 billion and 10.5 billion.

2010: Decline in global fertility rate

By 2010, the global fertility rate had declined to 2.52.

2010: Population change calculation

Calculating the change in population from 2010 to 2015.

2010: Mexico's population growth

In 2010, Mexico's population grew to about 112 million.

October 2011: "Day of Seven Billion"

The Population Division of the United Nations declared the "Day of Seven Billion" to be 31 October 2011.

October 2011: World population reaches seven billion (United Nations)

The United Nations estimated that the world population reached seven billion in October 2011.

2011: Estimate of total humans ever lived

In 2011, Haub updated the figure to estimate the total number of humans who have ever lived; the figure was approximately 107 billion.

2011: Han Chinese population

In 2011, the Han Chinese constituted over 19% of the global population, making them the world's largest single ethnic group.

2011: World population reached seven billion

In late 2011, according to the UN, the world population reached seven billion.

March 2012: World population reaches seven billion (US Census Bureau)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the world population reached seven billion in March 2012.

March 2012: World population reached seven billion

In March 2012, the US Census Bureau (USCB) asserted that the world population reached seven billion.

June 2012: Total weight of Earth's human population calculated

In June 2012, British researchers calculated the total weight of Earth's human population as approximately 287 million tonnes (630 billion pounds), with the average person weighing around 62 kilograms (137 lb).

2012: Russia's population declines after the collapse of the Soviet Union

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's population declined significantly, from 150 million in 1991 to 143 million in 2012.

2012: UN projections of population increase

In 2012, United Nations projections showed a continued increase in population in the near future with a steady decline in population growth rate.

2013: Russia's population decline appears to halt

By 2013, Russia's population decline appeared to have halted.

2014: Population forecast

In 2014, an estimate forecasts between 9.3 and 12.6 billion people in 2100, and continued growth thereafter.

2015: Crude birth and death rates

By the period 2015–20, the crude birth rate had dropped significantly to 18.5/1,000 and the crude death rate to 7.5/1,000.

2015: Population change calculation

Calculating the change in population from 2010 to 2015.

2015: Global birth rate

Currently, between 2015 and 2020, the total number of births globally is 140 million per year.

2015: Global population growth rate declines

In 2015, the global population growth rate declined to 1.1%.

December 2019: Global population projection

In December 2019, the German Foundation for World Population projected that the global population will reach 8 billion by 2023 as it increases by 156 every minute.

2019: United Nations reports population growth decline

In 2019, the United Nations reported that the rate of population growth continues to decline due to the ongoing global demographic transition.

2020: Global average life expectancy

According to the World Health Organization, as of 2020, the global average life expectancy is 73.3 years, with women living an average of 75.9 years and men approximately 70.8 years.

2020: Europe's population

As of 2020, Europe's 747 million people make up 10% of the world's population.

2020: Estimate of total humans ever lived

As of 2020, the PRB puts the figure of total humans ever lived at 117 billion.

2020: Global sex ratio

As of 2020, the global sex ratio is approximately 1.01 males to 1 female, with 24.7% of the global population aged under 15, 65.2% aged 15–64, and 10.1% aged 65 or over.

2020: Largest religious categories in the world

As of 2020, the largest religious categories in the world are estimated as Christianity (31%), Islam (25%), Unaffiliated (16%) and Hinduism (15%).

2020: Median age of human beings

As of 2020, the median age of human beings is 31 years.

2020: Global population growth rate declines

Between 2015 and 2020, the global population growth rate declined to 1.1%.

2020: Java population growth

In 2020, Java had a population of over 139 million.

2021: Estimate of the number of people who have ever lived

In 2021, The National Institute of Corrections estimated that the number of people who have ever lived will rise to 121 billion by 2050, 4 billion more than their 2021 estimate.

2021: Nominal gross world product

The IMF estimated nominal 2021 gross world product at US$94.94 trillion, giving an annual global per capita figure of around US$12,290.

November 2022: Most densely populated countries

As of November 2022, population data from The World Factbook, was used to determine the world's most densely populated countries.

November 2022: World population exceeds 8 billion

In November 2022, the United Nations estimated that the world population exceeded eight billion people.

November 2022: Birth of the eight billionth person

The United Nations marked the birth of the eight billionth person on 15 November 2022.

July 2023: Population in ten countries

Approximately 4.6 billion people live in these ten countries, representing around 57% of the world's population as of July 2023.

2023: Projected world population

In December 2019, the German Foundation for World Population projected that the global population will reach 8 billion by 2023.

January 2024: Global Internet Users

As of January 2024, there were about 5 billion global Internet users, constituting 66% of the world population.

2024: Population doubling

According to linear interpolation and extrapolation of UNDESA population estimates, after 2024, it is unlikely that there will be another doubling of the global population in the 21st century.

2025: Infinite population in 2025

In 1975, Sebastian von Hoerner proposed a formula for population growth which represented hyperbolic growth with an infinite population in 2025.

2030: UN estimates population

The 2019 Revision of the UN estimates the "medium variant" population as nearly 8.6 billion in 2030.

2037: Projected world population of nine billion

It is projected that the world population will reach around 9 billion by 2037.

2040: Global birth rate projected to peak

It is projected that the number of births will peak between 2040 and 2045 at 141 million per year.

2040: Projected peak in global births

It is projected that the total number of births globally will peak during the period 2040–45 at 141 million/year.

2045: Global birth rate projected to peak

It is projected that the number of births will peak between 2040 and 2045 at 141 million per year.

2050: Alternative scenarios for world population

Alternative scenarios for the world population in 2050 range from a low of 7.4 billion to a high of more than 10.6 billion.

2050: UN projects world population

By 2050, the UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs projects the world population to be between 9 and 10 billion people.

2050: UN revised world population estimate upwards

In 2007, the UN revised its 2050 mid-range population estimate upwards by 273 million.

2050: UN population projections for 2050

In 2009, UN population projections for 2050 ranged between around 8 billion and 10.5 billion.

2050: Projected median age of the world's population

It is expected that the median age of the world's population will rise to 37.9 years by 2050.

2050: Estimate of the number of people who have ever lived

The National Institute of Corrections estimates that the number of people who have ever lived will rise to 121 billion by 2050.

2050: Population projection

2057: Projected world population of ten billion

It is projected that the world population will reach 10 billion by 2057.

2064: Modeled future projection by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

In a modeled future projection by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the global population was projected to peak in 2064 at 9.73 billion people and decline to 8.79 billion in 2100.