The world\u2019s population has reached eight billion people, the United Nations has said, warning of more hardship in store for regions already facing resource scarcity because of climate change.
\nAccording to international media reports, reaching eight billion people is \u201ca sign of human success, but it\u2019s also a great risk for our future,\u201d said John Wilmoth, the director of the UN\u2019s population division on Tuesday.
\nMiddle-income countries, mainly in Asia, accounted for most of that growth, gaining some 700 million people since 2011.
\nIndia added about 180 million people and is set to surpass China as the world\u2019s most populous nation next year.
\nBirths have been steadily declining in the United States, Europe, and Japan. China, too, has struggled with the legacy of its One Child Policy programme and last year urged families to have a second and even third child as it also limited access to non-medical abortions.
\nBut some of the world\u2019s poorest countries, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, witnessed spikes in population as a result of higher fertility rates, putting their development goals at risk.
\n\u201cThe milestone is an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity\u2019s shared responsibility for the planet,\u201d UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
\nThe global population has increased eight-fold since 1800, from an estimated one billion to eight billion, largely due to the development of modern medicine and the industrialisation of agriculture, which boosted global food supplies.
\nThe development of vaccines was key, especially the smallpox jab which helped to eradicate one of the world\u2019s biggest killer diseases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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