World’s population up, Russia’s down – American experts
Russia’s population in 2009 made about 142 million. By 2925, it is expected to go down to 133 million, by 2050 — to 117 million, the US Population Reference Bureau said in its report, which was presented on Wednesday.
As the world’s population grows, Russia’s population will be declining, the experts forecast. The world’s population in 2009 made 6.8 billion, and by 2025 it will make up to 8.1 billion, and a quarter of a century later — up to 9.4 billion.
Africa’s population will be growing most quickly. By 2050, it will double to reach 2.1 billion. Asia’s population makes 4.2 billion now, and may add 1.3 billion by 2050.
The growth will depend mostly on demographic situations in two countries — India /1.2 billion now, 1.7 billion by 2050/ and China /1.3 billion and 1.4 billion respectively/.
Europe will be «most likely the first region ever where the population will decline long-term due to low birth level, first of all in Eastern Europe and Russia,» the research said. Presently, there are 738 Europeans, and by 2050 there may remain only 702 million.
As for the United States of America, the present population makes 310 million. By 2050, it may grow to 399 million, or 423 million, or even 458 million, which will depend on the immigration processes.
The experts believe that by 2050 the USA will be the only ‘first world’ country among the world’s top ten leaders in population.
Present-day leaders are: China, India, the USA, Indonesia /235 million/, Brazil /193 million/, Pakistan /185 million/, Bangladesh /164 million/, Nigeria /158 million/, Russia and Japan /127 million/. American experts forecast that by 2050 the same countries will keep first eight positions, though the order may change, while the two last positions will be taken by Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
