World population milestones

Estimated and projected populations of the world and its inhabited continents from 1950. The shaded regions correspond to range of projections by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; for example, it estimates that the world population will reach 8 billion between 2022 and 2035.^[1]

World population milestones, such as reaching particular population counts, have been unnoticed until the 20th century, since there were no reliable data on global population dynamics. ^[2]

It is estimated that the population of the world reached one billion for the first time in 1804. It would be another 122 years before it reached two billion in 1927, but it took only 33 years to rise by another billion people, reaching three billion in 1960. Thereafter, the global population reached four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987, six billion in 1999 and, by some estimates, seven billion in October 2011 with other estimates being in March 2012.^[3] It is projected to reach eight billion by 2025–2030. According to current projections, the world's population is likely to reach around nine billion by 2045–2050, with alternative scenarios ranging from a low of 7.4 billion to a high of more than 10.6 billion.^[4] Projected figures vary depending on underlying statistical assumptions and which variables are manipulated in projection calculations, especially the fertility variable. Long-range predictions to 2150 range from a population decline to 3.2 billion in the 'low scenario', to 'high scenarios' of 24.8 billion. One scenario predicts a massive increase to 256 billion by 2150, assuming fertility remains at 1995 levels.^[5]

World population milestones (USCB estimates)

Population (in billions)	1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9
Year	1804		1927		1960		1974		1987		1999		2011		2027		2046
Years elapsed	––		123		33		14		13		12		12		16		19

Billionth milestone days

There is no estimation for the exact day or month the world's population surpassed each of the one and two billion marks. The days of three and four billion were not officially noted, but the International Database of the United States Census Bureau places them in July 1959 and April 1974.

The Day of 5 Billion

The Day of Five Billion, 11 July 1987, was designated by the United Nations Population Fund as the approximate day on which world population reached five billion. Matej Gašpar from Zagreb, Croatia (then SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia), was chosen as the symbolic 5-billionth concurrently alive person on Earth. The honor went to Zagreb because the 1987 Summer Universiade was taking place in the city at the time.^[6][7]

The Day of 6 Billion

The United Nations Population Fund designated October 12, 1999 as the approximate day on which world population reached six billion following the birth of Adnan Mević, the first son of Fatima Helać and Jasminko Mević, in Sarajevo, Bosnia.^[8] It was officially designated The Day of Six Billion.

Demographers do not universally accept this date as being exact. In fact there has been subsequent research which places the day of six billion to be nearer to June 18 or June 19, 1999.^[9] The International Programs division of the United States Census Bureau estimated that the world population reached six billion on 21 April 1999.^{[citation needed]}

Adnan Mević, born in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 12 October 1999, was chosen by the United Nations as the symbolic 6 billionth concurrently alive person on Earth.^[8] He is the first son of Fatima Helać, 29, and her husband Jasminko Mević. The child was born weighing 3.5 kilograms in the Koševo hospital in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He had been proclaimed by the United Nations Population Fund and welcomed by the secretary-general of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, as the six billionth baby. He was born on the designated day two minutes after midnight.^[10]

The Day of 7 Billion

Main article: Day of Seven Billion

The "Day of 7 Billion" was targeted by the United States Census Bureau to be in March 2012,^[11] while the Population Division of the United Nations suggested 31 October 2011, ^[12] and the latter date has been officially designated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as the approximate day on which the world's population reached seven billion people.^[13] United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon is to speak at the United Nations building in New York City on this new milestone in the size of world population and the issues that it will raise, along with promoting the UNFPA's new program named 7 Billion Actions,^[14] which will seek to: "[build] global awareness around the opportunities and challenges associated with a world of seven billion people" and inspire individuals and organizations to take action.^[15]

See also

• Population Clock

References

1. ^ World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision
2. ^ Vaclav Smil, "Global Population: Milestones, Hopes, and Concerns", Medicine & Global Survival, October, 1998; Vol. 5, No. 2, 105-108
3. ^ "Population seven billion: UN sets out challenges". BBC. 2011-10-26. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15459643. Retrieved 2011-10-27. 
4. ^
   • "Ch. 5: Population Size and Composition". World Population Prospects, the 2000 Revision. Vol.III. United Nations Population Division. p. 171. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2000/chapter5.pdf. Retrieved 3 July 2010 
   • "Executive Summary". World Population Prospects: The 2002 Revision Volume III: Analytical Report. 2002. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2002/English.pdf. Retrieved 3 July 2010 
   • World Population to 2300. New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Population Division. 2004. pp. 3, 14. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/longrange2/WorldPop2300final.pdf. Retrieved 3 July 2010 
   • World Population: 1950-2050. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Update as at June 2010. http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/worldpopgraph.php. Retrieved 3 July 2010 
   • 2009 World Population Data Sheet. Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. 2009. http://www.prb.org/pdf09/09wpds_eng.pdf. Retrieved 3 July 2010 
5. ^ "Key Findings". Long-Range Population Projections. New York: United Nations: Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2003. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/longrange/longrangeKeyFind.pdf. Retrieved 3 July 2010 
6. ^ Ankica Barbir-Mladinović (19 July 2011). "Petomilijarditi "Zemljanin": Ne slušati stereotipe" (in Croatian). Radio Free Europe. http://www.slobodnaevropa.org/content/petomilijarditi_zemljanin_ne_slusati_stereotipe/24269206.html. Retrieved 1 October 2011. 
7. ^ "And Baby Makes Five Billion: U.N. Hails a Yugoslav Infant". New York Times. 12 July 1987. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE7DB123EF931A25754C0A961948260. Retrieved 1 October 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Edith M. Lederer (12 October 1999). "World Population Hits 6 Billion". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/19991012/aponline181217_000.htm. Retrieved 12 October 2010. 
   "Nević" is a common misspelling of Adnan's name; Bosnian language sources tend to use "Mević".
9. ^ "Population Clock". http://www.math.berkeley.edu/~galen/popclk.html. 
10. ^ World UN chief welcomes six billionth baby
11. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau - World POPClock Projection". http://www.census.gov/population/popclockworld.html. Retrieved 2011-10-27. 
12. ^ World Population Prospects, the 2008 Revision Frequently Asked Questions Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, updated 10 November 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
13. ^ World Population Prospects, the 2008 Revision Frequently Asked Questions Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat updated November 10, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2011
14. ^ "Day of 7 Billion". UNFPA. https://www.unfpa.org/public/home/news/events/pid/8533. Retrieved October 16, 2011. 
15. ^ "About 7 Billion Actions". 7 Billion Actions. http://www.7billionactions.org/about. Retrieved October 16, 2011.