Global Population Surpasses 8 Billion

In a report released on Thursday, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that the world’s population has surged by 75 million people in the past year, reaching a staggering 8 billion on the eve of the New Year. The global growth rate for the year was just under 1%, with projections suggesting 4.3 births and two deaths occurring worldwide every second as of January 1, 2024.

Interestingly, the United States exhibited a growth rate of 0.53%, approximately half of the global average. With an addition of 1.7 million people in the past year, the U.S. population is expected to stand at 335.8 million on New Year’s Day. Notably, if current trends persist, demographer William Frey from The Brookings Institution anticipates that the 2020s might become the slowest-growing decade in U.S. history. The projected growth rate for the period from 2020 to 2030 is estimated to be less than 4%, contrasting sharply with the 7.3% growth observed in the aftermath of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Frey commented on the potential factors contributing to this slow growth, stating, “Of course, growth may tick up a bit as we leave the pandemic years. But it would still be difficult to get to 7.3%.”

As of the start of 2024, the United States is expected to witness one birth every nine seconds and one death every 9.5 seconds. However, due to immigration, the population is projected to maintain stability. Net international migration is anticipated to add one person to the U.S. population every 28.3 seconds. This combined effect of births, deaths, and net international migration is forecasted to increase the U.S. population by one person every 24.2 seconds.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s figures highlight the complex dynamics shaping global and national population trends, prompting discussions about the potential implications for societal, economic, and demographic landscapes in the coming years.