World
World Population Likely to Begin Falling After 2050, Study Says
- Fertility rates in most countries set to decline dramatically
- 23 countries will see populations shrink by more than half
Pedestrians cross a road in Tokyo, Japan, on May 14.
Photographer: Soichiro Koriyama/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The world’s population will likely shrink after 2050, according to an analysis, a potential threat to the global economy as declining numbers of working-age people hurt production and tax rolls.
It would be the first time in modern history for growth in the number of world inhabitants to halt, researchers said in The Lancet journal. Access to birth control and education for women will help drive fertility rates below the level needed to maintain current populations, the authors said.