World Population

In 2004 world population reached the amount of 6.4 billion people. According to the information, publicized by U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004 total number of people living on our planet was 6,375,006,404, and in 2005 this number came up to 6,451,429,868 people. Therefore, in 2004 average population change totaled +76,423,464 people, and the index of average annual population growth was 1.18% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007).

According to the information from one of the most popular online information databases the World Factbook publicized by Central Intelligent Agency, currently (June 14, 2007) population of the world has already exceeded 6.6 billion people (CIA, 2007). National demographers inform that in 2007 the index of average annual population growth is estimated to reach 1.17% and average population change is expected to amount to +77,430,945 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007).

It is necessary to say that lately both index of average annual population growth and average population change have a strong tendency to decline. Thus, in 1950 population growth rate was at the level of 1.47%, in 1963 it peaked at 2.19%, and after this peak the rate started decreasing. At that, annual increase of world population peaked in 1989, reaching +87,823,244 people, and now it is also slightly decreasing (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007).

Nevertheless, world population is still growing quite rapidly. Specialists predict that in 2050 there will be 9,404,296,384 people living on earth, though by that time average annual population growth rate will have gone down to 0,49% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007). It is estimated that world population can hypothetically grow up to 90-125 billion people. 

References:

• World Facts. (2007, June 14). CIA. Central Intelligence Agency. 
• World Population Info. (2007, June 17). U.S. Census Bureau. Online International Database.