As of today, you might be wondering, How Many People Live On Earth? It’s a question that reflects our curiosity about the scale of humanity and our place in the world. The answer is constantly changing, but let’s delve into the most recent figures and explore the fascinating story of world population milestones.
Approaching 9 Billion: The Next Population Milestone (2037)
Looking ahead, projections from the United Nations indicate that the world population is on track to reach a staggering 9 billion around the year 2037. This rapid growth underscores the incredible expansion of humanity in recent times.
10 Billion on the Horizon: A Future Population Milestone (2060)
Further into the future, the UN projects that the global population will continue to climb, reaching a monumental 10 billion people by the year 2060. These projections help us understand the long-term trends shaping our world and the resources required to sustain a growing population.
8 Billion and Counting: The Current World Population (Present)
Currently, the global population is estimated to be around 8.2 billion people. To be precise, as of Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the most recent estimates from the United Nations, elaborated by Worldometer, place the figure at 8,206,049,958. “World Population” refers to the total number of living humans on Earth at any given time.
Reaching 8 Billion: A Recent Milestone (2022)
The world officially crossed the 8 billion mark relatively recently, in the first half of 2022, according to the United Nations. While the UN initially estimated this milestone would be reached on November 15, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau’s International Database (IDB) offered a slightly different estimate, suggesting it occurred on September 26, 2023. The U.S. Census Bureau noted the inherent uncertainty in such global population estimates, highlighting that “Emphasis on the word estimates. There are many sources of uncertainty in estimating the global population, and it’s unlikely this population milestone was reached on that exact date.”
7 Billion People: A Milestone in Recent History (2010)
Going back further, the United Nations’ latest revisions (released in 2024) indicate that the world population reached 7 billion in the first half of 2010, earlier than their previous estimate of October 31, 2011. The U.S. Census Bureau’s estimation placed this milestone around March 12, 2012.
6 Billion Inhabitants: A Late 20th Century Landmark (1998)
The 6 billion population mark, according to the United Nations’ revised data from 2024, was reached in the first half of 1998. This was previously celebrated on October 12, 1999, as the “Day of 6 Billion.” However, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated this milestone occurred on July 22, 1999, at approximately 3:49 AM GMT. The Census Bureau also pointed out that these dates are subject to change as population estimates are continuously refined.
Past Population Milestones: A Historical Perspective
Here’s a quick look at previous milestones in world population history:
- 5 Billion: 1986
- 4 Billion: 1974
- 3 Billion: 1960
- 2 Billion: 1930
- 1 Billion: 1804
Summary of World Population Growth
The journey to 8 billion people is a story of accelerating growth, particularly in recent centuries:
- Years to reach the first billion (from a population of 200 million): Approximately 1803 years (from year 1 to 1804).
- Years to grow from 1 billion to 8 billion: Only 218 years (from 1804 to 2022).
This table summarizes key population milestones throughout history:
| Year | 1 | 1000 | 1500 | 1650 | 1750 | 1804 | 1850 | 1900 | 1930 | 1950 | 1960 | 1974 | 1980 | 1987 | 1998 | 2010 | 2022 | 2029 | 2037 | 2046 | 2060 | 2100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (billions) | 0.2 | 0.275 | 0.45 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2 | 2.55 | 3 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.2 |
Global Population Distribution by Region (2024)
While we know how many people live on earth in total, it’s equally important to understand how the population is distributed across different regions. Here’s a breakdown of world population by region as of 2024:
| # | Region | Population (2024) | Yearly Change | Net Change | Density (P/Km²) | Land Area (Km²) | Migrants (net) | Fertility Rate | Median Age | Urban Pop % | World Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asia | 4,806,898,007 | 0.6 % | 28,893,521 | 155 | 31,033,131 | -2,335,416 | 1.9 | 32 | 52.9 % | 58.9 % |
| 2 | Africa | 1,515,140,849 | 2.32 % | 34,370,324 | 51 | 29,648,481 | -644,272 | 4 | 19 | 44.5 % | 18.6 % |
| 3 | Europe | 745,083,824 | -0.07 % | -519,051 | 34 | 22,134,900 | 1,566,027 | 1.4 | 43 | 75.6 % | 9.1 % |
| 4 | Latin America and the Caribbean | 663,466,072 | 0.69 % | 4,574,555 | 33 | 20,139,378 | -382,944 | 1.8 | 31 | 85.2 % | 8.1 % |
| 5 | Northern America | 385,295,105 | 0.62 % | 2,392,363 | 21 | 18,651,660 | 1,654,440 | 1.6 | 39 | 82.2 % | 4.7 % |
| 6 | Oceania | 46,088,716 | 1.15 % | 525,929 | 5 | 8,486,460 | 142,167 | 2.1 | 33 | 66.1 % | 0.6 % |
World Population Density: Understanding Distribution
Population density provides a visual representation of how many people live on earth in different areas relative to land size.
World Population Density Map. Courtesy of Junuxx at en.wikipedia, licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0
This map illustrates population density across the globe, showcasing concentrations in certain regions and sparseness in others. For a more detailed view, explore the World Map.
Global Population by Religion (2010 Estimate)
Another interesting perspective on how many people live on earth is to look at the distribution by religion. According to a 2010 study by The Pew Forum (based on a world population of 6.9 billion):
- Christianity: 2,173,180,000 (31% of world population)
- Islam: 1,598,510,000 (23%)
- No Religion: 1,126,500,000 (16%)
- Hinduism: 1,033,080,000 (15%)
- Buddhism: 487,540,000 (7%)
- Folk Religions: 405,120,000 (6%)
- Other Religions: 58,110,000 (1%)
- Judaism: 13,850,000 (0.2%)
World Religions Map. By Sergey V. Mamaev, via Wikimedia Commons
World Population Breakdown by Country (2024)
To further answer the question of how many people live on earth, examining population by country provides even greater detail. Here’s a table showing the top 100 most populous countries in 2024:
| # | Country (or dependency) | Population (2024) | Yearly Change | Net Change | Density (P/Km²) | Land Area (Km²) | Migrants (net) | Fertility Rate | Median Age | Urban Pop % | World Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 1,450,935,791 | 0.89 % | 12,866,195 | 488 | 2,973,190 | -630,830 | 1.962 | 28 | 36.6 % | 17.8 % |
| 2 | China | 1,419,321,278 | -0.23 % | -3,263,655 | 151 | 9,388,211 | -318,992 | 1.013 | 40 | 66.4 % | 17.4 % |
| 3 | United States | 345,426,571 | 0.57 % | 1,949,236 | 38 | 9,147,420 | 1,286,132 | 1.622 | 38 | 82.4 % | 4.2 % |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 98 | Israel | 9,387,021 | 1.41 % | 130,707 | 434 | 21,640 | 10,612 | 2.785 | 29 | 91.3 % | 0.1 % |
| 99 | Austria | 9,120,813 | -0.11 % | -9,616 | 111 | 82,409 | 8,813 | 1.321 | 43 | 58.1 % | 0.1 % |
| 100 | Belarus | 9,056,696 | -0.65 % | -58,984 | 45 | 202,910 | -3,119 | 1.217 | 41 | 83.6 % | 0.1 % |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 234 | Holy See | 496 | 0 % | 0 | 1,240 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 59 | N.A. | 0 % |
View full table of all countries
How Many People Have Ever Lived? A Historical Estimate
Beyond how many people live on earth today, it’s intriguing to consider the total number of humans who have ever lived. While estimates vary, it’s believed that approximately 106 billion people have been born since the emergence of modern Homo sapiens (around 50,000 B.C.). This means the current global population represents roughly 6% of all humans who have ever lived.
Other estimates range from 45 billion to 125 billion, with a common consensus in the 90 to 110 billion range. These figures highlight the relatively short period of time that the vast majority of humanity has been alive.
Sources and Accuracy of World Population Data
The world population figures presented by Worldometer are based on data from two primary sources: the United Nations and the U.S. Census Bureau. These organizations are leading authorities in global population statistics and employ robust methodologies for data collection and estimation.
Worldometer’s Population Clock: Ensuring Global Consistency
Worldometer’s population clock utilizes the latest UN estimates (July 2024) to provide a globally consistent population figure. Unlike some counters that may vary based on a visitor’s local time zone, Worldometer aims to present a unified number, regardless of location. This approach ensures that the answer to “how many people live on earth” is the same for everyone, everywhere. While UN data relies on estimations and cannot be perfectly precise, it represents the most reliable and widely accepted figures available for tracking global population trends.
