World Population
The world population reached the six billion mark in 1999. It is quite amazing to note that humans took a century to increase their headcount from one million to two million. Another 30 years, from 1930-1960, to become three billion, just 15 years to reach four billion, and twelve years for the five billion benchmark. Experts estimate that given the current trends, the world population will hit the seven billion mark by 2010.
Understanding World Population Trends
The world population figure provides an estimate of the total number of people living on the Earth at a given period of time. The phenomenon of high birth rates, coupled with a declining death rate, resulted in tremendous population growth in the 20th century. Growth in developing nations acted as a catalyst to this trend. India and China, which house almost 36% of the world population, are the finest examples of growing population in the developing world.
According to the 2008 data, the distribution of the world population among different regions was as follows:
· World – 6,707 millions
· Africa – 973 millions
· Asia – 4,054 millions
· Europe - 732 millions
· North America – 337 millions
· Latin America and the Caribbean - 577 millions
· Oceania - 34 millions
The world population figure provides an estimate of the total number of people living on the Earth at a given period of time. The phenomenon of high birth rates, coupled with a declining death rate, resulted in tremendous population growth in the 20th century. Growth in developing nations acted as a catalyst to this trend. India and China, which house almost 36% of the world population, are the finest examples of growing population in the developing world.
According to the 2008 data, the distribution of the world population among different regions was as follows:
· World – 6,707 millions
· Africa – 973 millions
· Asia – 4,054 millions
· Europe - 732 millions
· North America – 337 millions
· Latin America and the Caribbean - 577 millions
· Oceania - 34 millions
World Population: Future Estimates
Since the start of the 21st century, the world population added approximately 80 million people every year. The population growth rate has declined since the last quarter of the 20th century by above 2%. However, experts forecast that a further decline will occur only after 2015. If the population continues to grow at this rate, it is expected that the human population will reach 8.9 billion by 2050.
Experts also highlight that population growth in developing nations would significantly determine the world population by the middle of this century. However, the population rate of developed nations is expected to drop substantially in the coming decades. There will be five Asian nations (India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia) that will account a major part of the world population figures by 2050. The US, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Iran will also contribute their share.
Analysts predict that India is expected to soon out number China to attain of the status of the country with the highest population.
Population Density
Population density is the measurement of the exact number of population per unit area. It is most commonly used to measure the approximate range of human population inhabiting a unit area, usually per square kilometer.
Since the start of the 21st century, the world population added approximately 80 million people every year. The population growth rate has declined since the last quarter of the 20th century by above 2%. However, experts forecast that a further decline will occur only after 2015. If the population continues to grow at this rate, it is expected that the human population will reach 8.9 billion by 2050.
Experts also highlight that population growth in developing nations would significantly determine the world population by the middle of this century. However, the population rate of developed nations is expected to drop substantially in the coming decades. There will be five Asian nations (India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia) that will account a major part of the world population figures by 2050. The US, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Iran will also contribute their share.
Analysts predict that India is expected to soon out number China to attain of the status of the country with the highest population.
Population Density
Population density is the measurement of the exact number of population per unit area. It is most commonly used to measure the approximate range of human population inhabiting a unit area, usually per square kilometer.
Understanding Human Population Density
Human population density is calculated in terms of region, zone, county, city, nation or the entire world. The Earth's area is 510 million square kilometers, which remains constant but the world's population grows constantly. It is 6.7 billion, based on the data released by the US Census Bureau on 15 December, 2008. So, the world population density is 13.1 per square kilometer (total population divided by Earth's total area.) It is still not an accurate figure for human population, considering how many uninhabited regions the Earth has, mostly due to extreme conditions.
Factors Affecting Human Population Density
Cities across the globe face large population density, due to enhanced access to civic facilities such as transportation, communication and employment. As cities go through economic development sprees, they tend to attract migration from rural areas, leading to rapidly increasing population density, and normally over-crowding.
Other geographic factors that affect population density in the world are elaborated below:
· Temperature: Regions with mild temperature suffer from high population density. Examples are the Antarctica or Sahara regions.
· Resources: Areas rich in natural resources such as minerals, oil, wood, flora and fauna are densely populated.
· Relief: Mountainous regions are sparsely populated due to lack of transportations and communication channels. For instance, the Himalayan region has little inhabitancy, while low-land region of Gangetic plains in India is one of the world’s most densely populated regions.
Looking beyond these factors of natural geography, political and economic conditions also affect a region’s population density. Nations with stable political and economic scenario tends to remain heavily populated.
World Population Density Trends : Decreased death rates and ever inflating birth rates lead to rapid population growth in the world’s developing regions.
Human population density is calculated in terms of region, zone, county, city, nation or the entire world. The Earth's area is 510 million square kilometers, which remains constant but the world's population grows constantly. It is 6.7 billion, based on the data released by the US Census Bureau on 15 December, 2008. So, the world population density is 13.1 per square kilometer (total population divided by Earth's total area.) It is still not an accurate figure for human population, considering how many uninhabited regions the Earth has, mostly due to extreme conditions.
Factors Affecting Human Population Density
Cities across the globe face large population density, due to enhanced access to civic facilities such as transportation, communication and employment. As cities go through economic development sprees, they tend to attract migration from rural areas, leading to rapidly increasing population density, and normally over-crowding.
Other geographic factors that affect population density in the world are elaborated below:
· Temperature: Regions with mild temperature suffer from high population density. Examples are the Antarctica or Sahara regions.
· Resources: Areas rich in natural resources such as minerals, oil, wood, flora and fauna are densely populated.
· Relief: Mountainous regions are sparsely populated due to lack of transportations and communication channels. For instance, the Himalayan region has little inhabitancy, while low-land region of Gangetic plains in India is one of the world’s most densely populated regions.
Looking beyond these factors of natural geography, political and economic conditions also affect a region’s population density. Nations with stable political and economic scenario tends to remain heavily populated.
World Population Density Trends : Decreased death rates and ever inflating birth rates lead to rapid population growth in the world’s developing regions.
The World’s Most Populated Cities
Tokyo-Japan; Mexico City-Mexico; Mumbai-India; Sáo Paulo-Brazil; New York City-USA
Shanghai, China; Lagos- Nigeria; Los Angeles- USA; Calcutta-India; Buenos Aires-Argentina
Seóul-South Korea; Beijing-China; Karachi- Pakistan; Delhi- India; Dhaka- Bangladesh; Manila- Philippines
Cairo- Egypt; Õsaka-Japan; Rio de Janeiro-Brazil; Tianjin-China
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