Global Scans · Demographics · Weekly Summary

• [New] Africa faces the dual challenges of having the highest rate of population growth compared to the rest of the world - expected to increase from 926 million to 2.2 billion by 2050 - in addition to being the continent most vulnerable to impacts from climate change. GMO Answers
• [New] Urban living will inexorably increase as a result of diminishing living space resulting inter alia from global warming-caused rising sea levels, increasing extreme weather events and wildfires, and reducing habitability of affected regions, coupled with growth in the world population. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The growing global population, projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, demands greater food production, underscoring the need to preserve and build healthy topsoil. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] WHO projects Southeast Asia's 60+ population will rise from 12.2% in 2024 to 22.9% by 2050, while the broader region's elderly population will nearly triple to 1.3 billion, or 25% of the total population. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The rising demand for services and an ever growing elderly population projected to be nearly 30% of Europe's population by 2050 is facing chronic illness and mobility issues that require continued physical therapy. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The Census Bureau anticipates that by 2050 the U.S. population will reach 439 million; the SSA projects a population size of 410.7 million in that year; and the Network forecasts between about 410 million and 418 million in 2050, depending on the mortality assumption used. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The population decrease has been compounded by an apparent national sex recession - with America's fertility rate projected to average just 1.6 births over the next 30 years, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. New York Post
• [New] The United States could see its population shrink for the first time ever in 2025 as immigration numbers and birth rates have plummeted. New York Post
• [New] The Norwegian Ministry of Defence's Norwegian Defence Pledge document identifies demographic changes as a critical threat to Norway's defence capabilities, highlighting the challenges of an aging population, urban migration, and a shortage of skills and labour. The Arctic Institute - Center for Circumpolar Security
• [New] Norway is expected to see a decline in its youth population, particularly in Nordland and Finnmark, where the population of children and adolescents under the age of 19 is projected to decrease by 9% and 5.6%, respectively, by 2050. The Arctic Institute - Center for Circumpolar Security
• [New] Australia's population growth is expected to remain robust by historical standards (driven by skilled migration targets and natural increase), meaning housing demand will continue to grow steadily. TS2 Space
• [New] Nigeria's fertility rate remains above four, and its population is projected to grow by another 76% by 2050, which will make it the world's third-most-populous country. Scientific American
• [New] By 2050, the UN projects the global population will reach 9.8 billion. Challenger Research
• [New] Americans aged 65 and older are projected to grow from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050 - a 47% increase-raising their share of the total population from 17% to 23%. / USA AJMC
• [New] The growth of cities is expanding the share of the global population subject to the urban heat island effect, increasing heat risk and vulnerability for millions. Climate Proof
• Tesla's driverless taxis could reach half of the United States population by the end of 2025, significantly outpacing Waymo's current coverage of about 3%. Reuters
• Over the forecast period, the Asia Pacific region is anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR fueled by a massive and rapidly growing population, coupled with increasing disposable incomes and a strong focus on industrial modernization. Stratistics MRC
• India's current elderly population of 153 million is expected to reach a staggering 347 million by 2050. Precedence Research
• A general statement like More than half of Americans over age 45 will develop heart disease at some point is based on statistical averages across the entire U.S. population. NIH News in Health
• Dubai's population is expected to soon grow to four million residents, while Sharjah's population is about 1.8 million people. The National
• While China leads in overall size with a projected $42.2 trillion economy by 2030, its ageing population and rising debt are challenges. MIT OpenCourseWare

Last updated: 07 September 2025