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The world has as of today 8 billion people. It was only 11 years ago that the population reached 7 billion, which translates into a growth never achieved in the history of humanity. By 2080, it is predicted that the world will reach a peak of 10.4 billion people, a number that is estimated to remain until 2100. Asia and Africa were the continents that contributed most to the population development that has been witnessed.
“This number, the 8 billion, is not really the limit. At the end of the century, we will be something around 10 billion”, reinforces Paulo Machado, president of the Portuguese Demographic Association (APD).
According to the United Nations, the population more than tripled between 1950 and 2020. However, it is currently not growing at the same rate. The world’s population is now increasing at the slowest rate since the 1950s, having dropped to less than 1% per year by 2020. Higher life expectancy has also contributed to reaching 8 billion, at a time when the number of people reaching 100 is increasing.
Read more in Diário de Notícias
