Global Scans · Population · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The global population is expected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030, up 1 billion from 2016. Western economies are declining in numbers and emerging economies witnessing burgeoning growth.

• [New] Asia, the world's most populous region, will see its population rise 10% by 2050, reaching 5.3 Billion from 4.8 Billion in 2024. IMARC Group
• [New] East Asia is facing a looming demographic crisis with significant population reductions expected in countries like China and Japan. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] By 2030, a portion of the EU population will be aged sixty or above, creating urgency around functional longevity. Market Data Forecast
• [New] By 2050 the global population aged 60 years or older will reach 2.1 billion, nearly double the 2019 figure of 1.0 billion. Persistence Market Research
• [New] By 2040, a significant proportion of the world's working-age population will be concentrated in Africa and South Asia, regions projected to experience robust population growth. GOV.UK
• [New] In Indonesia specifically, the share of the population that owns an air conditioning unit is expected to rise from 14% in 2023 to 85% by 2050, driven in large part by an improvement in living standards. Euronews
• [New] Population growth is the largest contributor to the projected prevalence changes in central, eastern, western, and southern regions of sub-Saharan Africa. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] More than half of the world's population will be affected by water shortages by 2032, causing severe health consequences, unless urgent action is taken. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] As of a matter of weeks from now, one third of the American population will live where some form of assisted suicide is legal. AlbertMohler.com
• By 2030, for the first time in history, the U.S. population will be made up of more older Americans than people 18 and under. Mexico Star
• Using the high-variant projection, which assumes slower fertility decline, world population will reach 10.6 billion in 2050 and 12 billion in 2065. PubMed Central (PMC)
• Using the low-variant projection, which assumes faster fertility decline, world population reaches a maximum of 8.1 billion in 2046, then falls to 6.2 billion by 2100. PubMed Central (PMC)
• An undeniable demographic shift will push over 14.8% of ASEAN's population past the age of 60 by 2030, with the total number of senior citizens expected to reach 127 million by 2035. Philippine Information Agency
• In coming decades, China's working-age population is expected to contract and the dependency ratio, which is the ratio of non-working-age to working-age population, is expected to increase substantially. Reserve Bank of Australia
• The Middle East's share of the global ultra-wealthy population has risen from 2.4% to 3.1% over the past five years, while Saudi Arabia is forecast to record the world's fastest growth in billionaires through 2031. Euronews
• Japan's working-age population is projected to decline by 31% between 2023 and 2060. Memeburn
• Climate change is a major threat to the small-scale fishing communities, particularly in South Asia, a region characterized by widespread coastlines, extreme population density, and high dependence on marine resources for food, income, and employment. Ocean Acidification
• Global meat consumption is projected to increase by 13%, with 45% of global consumption growth occurring in upper-middle-income countries as a result of rapid population and income growth. Frontiers
• The world's population is aging rapidly, reshaping how healthcare systems, corporations and investors approach long-term growth opportunities. Yahoo Finance
• The U.S. population will continue ageing, on average, over the 2026-2056 period, with the number of people aged 65 and older expected to increase at an average annual rate of 1.6% through 2036. Yahoo Finance

Last updated: 25 June 2026