World population reaches 8 billion

United Nations World Population Prospects reports the planet's population reached 8 billion people Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Earth hit the 7 billion mark in October 2011 and is expected to surpass 10 billion by the year 2100.

Previous population benchmarks

• 1900: fewer than 2 billion
• 1950: 2.6 billion
• 1987: 5 billion

India, the 2022 U.N. report projected, will become the world's most populous nation in 2023, surpassing China.

Lifespan

Globally, average life expectancy reached 72.8 years in 2019, an increase of nearly nine years since 1990, the report said.

Average longevity is expected to be 77.2 years by 2050.

Currently, female life expectancy is 73.8 years globally, compared to 68.4 years for men.

In 2021, the average fertility worldwide stood at 2.3 births per woman compared to nearly 5 births in 1950.

Global fertility is projected to decline further to 2.1 births per woman by 2050.

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