World population to reach 7 billion: Timeline

We are living in a world of unprecedented demographic change. With relative initial slow growth, the world's population more than doubled in the last half century to reach 6 billion in late 1999. Thirteen years later, on 31st October 2011, the world population will reach 7 billion. Lower mortality rates, longer life expectancy and large youth populations in countries where fertility remains high all contributed to the rapid population growth in recent decades. The world population is expected to reach 9.3 billion by the middle of this century and hit 10.1 billion by 2100. Most of the growth will take place in less developed countries.

In the coming century, the population of high-fertility countries, which includes most of sub-Saharan Africa, is projected to triple. During the same period, the population of intermediate-fertility countries, such as the United States, Mexico and India, will increase by just 26%, while that of low-fertility countries, which includes most of Europe, China and Australia, will decline by about 20%.

Most people want and are having smaller families than in the past, which has been helped by the wider availability of family planning services. Still, some 215 million women who would like to use contraceptives lack access to them. This underscores the importance of expanding access to family planning, especially in the poorest countries where growth rates are fastest.

Q: What is the situation in South Asia?

A: South Asia is a diverse region of 1.64 billion people (24% of the world's population). The eight countries of South Asia - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - present diversity with respect to population size. However, a significant population trend has been recently observed in this region: the transition from high mortality and fertility rates to low ones. This has given rise to a number of issues, namely the increase in the population of old people.

In all South Asian countries, the increase in the older population is projected to be far greater than during the past four to five decades. The 1950s and 1960s were characterized by high fertility levels in the region. Recognizing this as an impediment to socio-economic development, governments undertook sustained measures to promote family planning and provide increasing access to quality health services. As a result, there was a decline in fertility levels and an improvement in life expectancy in South Asia. The population of older persons is projected to continue to increase rapidly, with a significant increase in the older population after 2025. The population of young people is predicted to subsequently decline, creating a change in the age structure across South Asia.

Q: What is the situation in Sri Lanka?

A: The current population of Sri Lanka is estimated to be 21.3 million. There is a greater concentration of the population in seven districts, each with a population of over one million: Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurunegala and Ratnapura. During the period of 1981 to 2001 the population of Sri Lanka had a low average growth rate of 1.2%, with Jaffna being the only district of Sri Lanka that had a negative growth rate because of the large out migration of people due to conflict.

Current statistics show that Sri Lanka's average population growth rate remains low at 0.93% mainly due to the rapid decline in the total fertility rate (2.4%) and an increase in life expectancy (73 years). Despite this, Sri Lanka is one of the most densely populated countries in South Asia with a density of 300 people per square kilometer. The population density is particularly high in urban areas. According to United Nations projections, more than 40% of the country's population will live in urban areas by 2030.

Follow UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund' 7 billion actions campaign on http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sri-Lanka-in-a-world-of-7-billion-join-UNFPAs-campaign/248730788492072.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.

UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.