Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New York City (Fides Service) - World Population Day will be celebrated next week. According to the United Nations Organization (UNO), in October, the number of inhabitants of the planet will reach 7 billion. The statistics state that over the next ten years, some of the poorest countries in the world's population will double in 2025 and will record 8 billion people globally. Concerning this, the campaign "7 billion shares" with which "one wants to make people aware of the significance of living in a world with 7 billion people and will begin to take action in favor of issues that affect all" said the chief executive of the United Nations Fund Population (UNFPA), Babatunde Osotimehin, in a statement released by Inter Press Service.
In addition, "we must strive for the future with young people, promote the rights of adolescents and women, safeguard the natural resources on which we all depend", he added. It is expected that this increase will have a devastating effect on some 215 million women who would like to have access to health care services on reproductive health and family planning but will not have the opportunity. Currently the 5 most populated countries in the world are China, with 1,300 million inhabitants, India, 1,200 million, the United States, 310.2 million, Indonesia, 242.9 million, and Brazil 201.1 million.
A new study entitled "The demographic multiplication in Africa", notes that the population of this continent has more than tripled during the second half of the twentieth century, from 230 million to 811 million. Nigeria, which is the most populated country on the African continent, with 158 million people and will accommodate 730 million by the end of the century, surpassing the total European population, expected to reach 675 million. Nigeria is currently the only African country with a population of over 100 million inhabitants, however, it is expected that the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia will reach these figures. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/14/2011)
