The world today
This section provides an overview of current trends and issues in global population, including growth rates, fertility and mortality.
A note on growth rates
Many of the population growth rates discussed over the following pages may seem small, at one or two percent a year. However, consider the following:
- A population with a growth rate of 1% per annum will double in size every 70 years.
- A population with a growth rate of 2% per annum will double in size every 35 years.
- A population with a growth rate of 3% per annum will double in size every 23 years.
Based on these doubling times, it is easy to see why a growth rate of two or three percent can have huge consequences for a population in a short period of time.