Celebrate World Population Day today, July 11, with 7.58 billion others currently sharing the Earth. The annual Source: U.S. Census Bureau International DatabaseSource: U.S. Census Bureau International Databaseevent was established by the U.N. Development Programme in 1989 to focus attention on sustainability and the socioeconomic issues associated with population growth.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that global population has increased by more than 50% in the 32 years since the 5 billion mark was passed in 1987. Annual population growth will slip under 1.0% in 2020-2021 for the first time since 1950 due to declining trends in global total fertility rates. New projections indicate that the 8 billion mark will be reached in 2025 and 8.5 billion by 2030.

China, India and the U.S. are expected to remain the nations with the largest populations, although their growth rates are not among the fastest. According to data recently released by the Population Reference Bureau, that distinction belongs to 20 countries in Africa and Asia, where populations have surged in recent years. The rapid population growth is expected to continue into 2050, fueled by increased life expectancy and declining mortality and high fertility rates associated with a largely youthful – and booming – population.

Keep tabs on population numbers in the U.S. and globally by viewing the U.S. Census Bureau population clock.

To contact the author of this article, email shimmelstein@globalspec.com