Population
Where a people has been, where it is now, and what is changing — measured against the UN World Population Prospects 2024.
World Population, 1950–2100
UN WPP 2024 medium variant
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 · https://population.un.org/wpp/
Accessible data table
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,500,000,000 |
| 1960 | 3,000,000,000 |
| 1970 | 3,700,000,000 |
| 1980 | 4,400,000,000 |
| 1990 | 5,300,000,000 |
| 2000 | 6,100,000,000 |
| 2010 | 6,900,000,000 |
| 2020 | 7,800,000,000 |
| 2030 | 8,500,000,000 |
| 2040 | 9,100,000,000 |
| 2050 | 9,700,000,000 |
| 2060 | 10,000,000,000 |
| 2070 | 10,200,000,000 |
| 2080 | 10,300,000,000 |
| 2090 | 10,300,000,000 |
| 2100 | 10,200,000,000 |
What the data show
World population reached about 8.23B in 2024. Under the medium variant it is projected to peak near 10.29B around 2084 before settling around 10.18B by 2100.
Why it matters for continuity
The total and the age structure together determine how many people will be of working age, how many will be children, and how many will rely on the institutions that transmit culture and care across generations.
By region
World, 1950–2100
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 · https://population.un.org/wpp/
Accessible data table
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,500,000,000 |
| 1960 | 3,000,000,000 |
| 1970 | 3,700,000,000 |
| 1980 | 4,400,000,000 |
| 1990 | 5,300,000,000 |
| 2000 | 6,100,000,000 |
| 2010 | 6,900,000,000 |
| 2020 | 7,800,000,000 |
| 2030 | 8,500,000,000 |
| 2040 | 9,100,000,000 |
| 2050 | 9,700,000,000 |
| 2060 | 10,000,000,000 |
| 2070 | 10,200,000,000 |
| 2080 | 10,300,000,000 |
| 2090 | 10,300,000,000 |
| 2100 | 10,200,000,000 |
Global aggregate.
The zero-migration scenario
The zero-migration scenario is an analytical projection. It shows the population trajectory under the scenario's fertility and mortality assumptions with international migration set to zero. It is not a policy recommendation. Explore it on the Projections page.