The United Nations has said that World’s population hit the eight billion mark on Tuesday, just 11 years after crossing the milestone of seven billion. It could take approximately 15 years to reach nine billion and the UN doesn't expect to reach 10 billion until 2080.
The latest projections by the United Nations suggest that the global population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.4 billion in 2100. It's hard to accurately calculate the number of people in the world, and the UN admits its sums could be out by a year or two.
In Previous Years, The UN Has Selected Babies To Represent The Five, Six, And Seven Billionth Children.
Five Billionth Baby: Matej Gasper
According to the BBC, Matej Gasper, born in July 1987 had a flashing camera on his tiny face and politicians surrounding him and his tired mother. British UN official Alex Marshall, who was stuck at the back of a motorcade outside, considered himself partially responsible for the chaos.
After thirty-five years the world's five-billionth baby is trying to forget his ceremonious entry into the world. His Facebook page suggests he lives in Zagreb, is happily married, and works as a chemical engineer. But he avoids interviews and declined to speak to the BBC.
Six-Billionth Baby: Adnan Mevic
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, one of the most rapidly declining populations in the world, 23-year-old Adnan Mevic thinks about this a lot. Adnan lives outside Sarajevo with his mum, Fatima, who has surreal memories of his birth.
"I realised something was unusual because doctors and nurses were gathering around but I couldn't tell what was happening," Fatima says. When Adnan arrived, the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was there to christen him the world's six-billionth baby. "I was so tired, I don't know how I felt," Fatima recalls, laughing, as reported by the BBC. "There is going to be nobody left to pay for pensions for retired people," BBC quoted Adnan Mevic as saying. "All the young people will be gone."
Being the six-billionth baby led to an invitation to meet his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, at Real Madrid, when he was 11. Adnan finds it stunning that in 23 years the world population has grown by two billion people. "That's a lot," he says. "I don't know how our beautiful planet will cope." He has a masters in economics and is in search of a job. If he can't find one he'll move to the EU.
Seven-Billionth Child: Sadia Sultana Oishee
Sadia Sultana Oishee was named one of the world's seven-billionth babies. She was born in 2011. She is the youngest and the family's lucky charm. According to BBC, Oishee helps her mother peel potatoes for dinner outside Dhaka in Bangladesh. She's 11 and would rather be outside playing football but her parents run a pretty tight ship.
The family had to move here when the pandemic hit their business, selling fabric and saris. They can still afford to pay school fees for their three daughters in the village. Oishee's mum was clueless. She hadn't even expected to give birth that day. After a doctor's visit, she was sent to the labour ward for an emergency Caesarean section.
Oishee arrived one minute past midnight, surrounded by TV crews and local officials craning over each other to see her. The family was stunned but delighted.
Oishee's father had hoped for a boy but now he's happy with his three hard-working, intelligent daughters. His eldest is already in university and Oishee is determined to become a doctor. Since Oishee was born another 17 million people have been added to Bangladesh's growing population.
(With BBC Inputs)