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In the global arena, a predominant demographic crisis looms, transforming nations and challenging long-held beliefs about population growth and economic stability. From Russia, China, Japan to the farthest corners of the world, countries are confronting falling birth rates and shrinking populations. The figures are alarming and indicate an impending shift in the world order, thus sparking conversations about the necessity of addressing this trend.
The United Nations estimates that the global population, which crossed the 8 billion mark in November 2022, is set to reach 9 billion by 2037. Despite the falling global fertility rate, the momentum of past growth embedded in our current youthful population will drive a steady increase. The population is predicted to peak at around 10.4 billion by the 2080s before gradually declining towards the end of the century.
Nonetheless, the drop in fertility rates presents a stark picture. Currently, it stands at 2.3 births per woman, but forecasts suggest it will decline to 2.1 by 2050. This is particularly true in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea. China, for instance, recorded its first population decline in over six decades in 2022. By 2100, the nation is expected to plunge from 1.4 billion to less than 800 million. Japan, too, is experiencing a population decline, with its population expected to…
