We are 8.156 billion!

82 million more people in the world than in 2023

The world population is expected to peak at around ten billion people in the mid-2080s.(Bild: AFP)

According to one estimate, 8.156 billion people live on Earth at the turn of the year. This is around 82 million more people than exactly one year ago (8.083 billion).

The figure of eight billion people worldwide was exceeded in November 2022. The UN expects that the 9 billion mark could be broken in 2037. The figure is expected to reach ten billion in the second half of the century.

• According to the DSW, although the absolute number of people is rising steadily, this increase is slowing down. Currently, women worldwide have an average of 2.2 children.
• According to the DSW, the population is growing particularly strongly in Africa, where the population is expected to more than double in the next two decades. By the end of the century, Africa's population is expected to grow from 1.2 billion today to 3.4 billion.

Peak at ten billion
The foundation assumes that the world population will peak at around ten billion people by the mid-2080s. "After that, according to the forecasts, a falling number of births plus a growing number of deaths will ensure that the world's population not only ages but also begins to shrink," it says.

Sexual education is essential
Women have a key role to play in the number of births: they must be able to determine their own lives and family planning. Education and sex education are essential so that girls and young women can decide "when and with whom they have how many children".