United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects 2019 

On 17 June 2019, the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs released World Population Prospects 2019, the 26th edition of the UN’s population estimates and projections.

Access the World Population Prospects 2019 at: https://population.un.org/wpp2019/.

This latest biennial revision presents population estimates between 1950 and 2020 and projections from 2020 to 2100. World Population Prospects 2019 (a) highlights the latest trends in population growth and population ageing, two demographic “megatrends”, (b) provides estimates of levels of fertility, mortality, and international migration, and (c) documents how demographic trends impact the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Key findings from the World Population Prospects 2019 include: 

• The world’s population continues to grow, albeit at a lower rate than at any time since 1950.
• While many countries are expected to experience continued rapid population growth, other countries are experiencing population decline.
• In most of sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, a recent decline in fertility is creating demographic conditions favourable for accelerated economic growth or “demographic dividend”. 
• While the global increase in longevity is continuing, significant disparities in survival persist across countries and regions.
• The world’s population is facing unprecedented ageing, with the size of population aged 65 years or over expected to double by 2050. 
• International migration has become an important determinant of population growth and change in some parts of the world.