The world is expected to reach 8 billion people by November 15, according to the UN

The world's population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950. It should nevertheless reach 8 billion people on November 15, according to a UN projection published on Monday, which also predicts that India will overtake China in 2023. as the most populous country in the world.

"As we anticipate the birth of the eight billionth person on Earth", it is "a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we are still falling short of our commitments to each other. towards others,” said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a statement, without citing specific cases.

Towards 9.7 billion people in 2050

It is also "a time to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at the advances in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates," he said. head of the UN.

According to the UN department that authored the forecast, the world's population is currently growing at its slowest rate since 1950. The world population could reach around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050, peaking at around 10, 4 billion people in the 2080s before remaining at this level until 2100.

An increase in the population in India, Pakistan…

While a net drop in fertility has been observed in several so-called developed countries, the increase in population expected in the coming decades will be concentrated for more than half in eight countries, according to the UN department.

These are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.

Read alsoInfertility, stunted growth: how the climate crisis threatens human reproduction

According to previous projections, Asia and Europe are expected to lose people.

They are home to a large part of the 23 countries which should see their population reduced by at least half (Japan, Thailand, Spain, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, etc.).