The two graphs illustrate global population trends from 1800 to 2100 and provide information on urban populations in developed and developing regions between 2015 and 2040.
Overall, the world’s population grew slowly until the 20th century, after which it experienced rapid growth, peaking in the mid-21st century before a projected decline. In terms of urbanization, the number of people living in cities is expected to rise steadily, with developing regions accounting for the vast majority of this growth.
Looking first at the world population growth, the figures remained relatively stable between 1800 and 1900, fluctuating around one billion. After 1950, however, the population rose sharply, reaching approximately 6 billion by 2000. This upward trend is forecast to continue until around 2050, when the global population is expected to peak at nearly 9 billion, before gradually declining to about 7 billion by 2100.
Turning to urban populations, both developed and developing regions are predicted to see growth, but at very different scales. In developed regions, urban populations rise modestly from just under one billion in 2015 to roughly 1.2 billion in 2040. By contrast, developing regions show a dramatic increase, from about 2 billion in 2015 to nearly 4 billion by 2040. This indicates that the overwhelming majority of global urbanization will take place in less economically advanced parts of the world.
In summary, while overall global population growth is expected to slow down and eventually reverse, urban populations – particularly in developing regions – are projected to expand rapidly over the coming decades.