Oct. 31st, 2011, marks the official recognition of a world population of 7 billion people. Is that a scary thought?
According to the United States Census Bureau, the projected U.S. population today, based on 2010 Census estimates, is 312,530,196. It’s estimated that our population has a birth every 8 seconds and a death every 12 seconds, for a net gain of 1 person every 13 seconds.
This map shows the nighttime distribution of our population in the United States and Puerto Rico:
Nighttime Map of the U.S. Population, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations provides much more information about world population growth.
As we welcome our seven billionth world citizen, should we be concerned about population growth? Yes, says the United Nations Population Fund, which sponsors the program 7 Billion Actions, A Global Movement for All Humanity. Learn more about global population, read stories of people who are trying to make a difference in their communities–and maybe even share your own story with the world!
