Egypt One of Nine Countries to Contribute 2 Billion People by 2050
By Farah Mahgoub
A new United Nations (UN) Population Report released on Monday predicts that the world’s population could reach 9.7 billion by 2050 despite current growth moving at a slower pace.
In the span of 30 years, an extra 2 billion people are expected to be added to today’s figure of 7.7 billion. Around the end of the century, the population could potentially reach 11 billion, with Africa’s population presumed to be second only to Asia’s as it reaches 4.3 billion people.
The new predictions show that between now and 2050, there are mainly nine countries that will be responsible for more than half of population growth. India, Nigeria and, Pakistan are expected to show the biggest population increase, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States of America.
In a statement, Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Lu Zhenmin said that many of the fastest growing populations are located in the poorest countries, where additional challenges will be faced in their attempts to eradicate poverty, improve health care and education and promote gender equality.
According to the report, the world’s population is growing older due to increasing life expectancies. By 2050, there will be one in six people over the age of 65, up from the current figure of one in 11. Some regions, including North Africa, Asia,
