'Day of Eight Billion': UN Begins Countdown As World Population Set To Reach 8 Billion By November 15

The United Nations has projected that the global population will reach 8 billion by November 15. It is further reported that India is estimated to overtake China as the most populous nation in 2023.

New Delhi: The United Nations has projected that the global population will reach 8 billion by November 15. It is further reported by the UN that India is estimated to overtake China as the most populous nation in 2023.

The UN has begun a 'Day of Eight Billion' countdown to mark the occasion.

This unprecedented growth across the globe is the result of increases in human lifetime brought about by advancements in diet, personal cleanliness, public health, and medicine. It is also a result of some countries' high and persistent fertility rates.

The prediction was first made in the UN World Population Prospects 2022 report, which was released on July 11, 2022, on World Population Day, but it is currently attracting attention because the estimated end date is only three days away.

According to the report, while it took the global population 12 years to grow from 7 to 8 billion, it will take approximately 15 years—until 2037— for it to reach 9 billion, a sign that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing. The UN also stated that the global population growth fell below one per cent in 2020 for the first time since 1950.

The UN analysis showed that just eight countries — Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Tanzania—will account for more than half of the anticipated population growth up to 2050.

"This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. 

He further added, "At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another." 

The UN estimates that the world's population will reach 8.5 billion people in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and peak at 10.4 billion in the 2080s.