Between AD 1 and AD 1000 population growth was slow, but by 2000 there were 10x as many people living than in 1700. The world's population has grown exponentially - the rate of increase is increasing
Population grew especially quickly during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Between 2006 and 2007, the world's population increased by 211,090 people each day. Growth is predicted to continue, but the rate is slowing down. The population is likely to rise to 9.2 billion by 2050 and peak in 2150 at 10 billion. This should be followed by a stable period of zero growth or even natural decrease. In line graphs, exponential growth is shown as a J-curve graph, where the line becomes steeper over time. Today, growth rates are slowing down, an S-curve. |