World Population Day 2024, Themes, History and Significance

World Population Day, observed on July 11, aims to raise awareness of the issues and effects of population growth in the world. Check Out Details on World Population Day 2024 here.

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World Population Day, observed on July 11, aims to raise awareness of the issues and effects of population growth in the world.

According to Worldometer, the current global population is 8,120,886,060 and rising. The world’s population has experienced a significant surge in recent times. While it took centuries for the population to reach 1 billion, it has grown sevenfold in just a few hundred years. According to the UN, the population reached 7 billion in 2011. This rapid growth presents numerous significant challenges.

World Population Day 2024

World Population Day is an annual event observed on July 11, established to raise awareness about global population growth and its impact on development and sustainability. This year, the theme is “Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone,” emphasizing the importance of inclusive and thorough data collection in population censuses.

World Population Day 2024 Theme

The theme for World Population Day 2024, “Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone,” draws attention to the inclusive and thorough data collection process in population censuses. This theme ensures that everyone is fairly represented in the numbers—regardless of background, nationality, geography, or socioeconomic standing.

10 Most Populated Countries in World

On World Population Day, we aim to raise awareness and understanding of global population issues, including demographic trends, growth projections, and their impact on sustainable development. Explore the most populous countries in the world as of 2024. Here are the top 10 most populated countries in the world, as of 2024:

Rank	Country Name	2024 Population	2023 Population	Growth Rate	World %
1	India	1,441,719,852	1,428,627,663	0.92%	18.01%
2	China	1,425,178,782	1,425,671,352	-0.03%	17.80%
3	United States of America	341,814,420	339,996,563	0.53%	4.27%
4	Indonesia	279,798,049	277,534,122	0.82%	3.50%
5	Pakistan	245,209,815	240,485,658	1.96%	3.06%
6	Nigeria	229,152,217	223,804,632	2.39%	2.86%
7	Brazil	217,637,297	216,422,446	0.56%	2.72%
8	Bangladesh	174,701,211	172,954,319	1.01%	2.18%
9	Russia	143,957,079	144,444,359	-0.34%	1.80%
10	Ethiopia	129,719,719	126,527,060	2.52%	1.62%

India has only 38 years before its population starts shrinking: UN Report

The UN World Population Prospects report forecasts India’s population to peak at 1.70 billion in 2062, signifying 38 years of growth until then.
Currently holding the title of the world’s most populous country, India is projected to maintain this position by the century’s end.
UN data suggests India’s population will reach its peak around July 2062. While the population is expected to grow by approximately 222,000 that year, a decline is projected to begin soon thereafter. Estimates indicate a population decrease of around 115,000 in 2063, with this decline accelerating in subsequent years. By 2065, the annual population loss is projected to reach 793,000.

History of World Population Day

World Population Day originated on July 11, 1987, when the global population reached an estimated five billion people, sparking worldwide attention and conversations about population growth. This day became known as the “Day of Five Billion.”

Following the momentum from the Day of Five Billion, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) established World Population Day in 1989. The first World Population Day was celebrated in more than 90 countries in 1990. The UN states, “World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, was established by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.”

By resolution 45/216 of December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly decided to continue observing World Population Day to enhance awareness of population issues, including their relations to the environment and development.

Significance of World Population Day

World Population Day holds significance for several reasons:

Increasing Awareness: It provides a worldwide platform to highlight important concerns related to the growing population, including family planning, reproductive health, and demographic changes affecting sustainable development.
Addressing Challenges and Opportunities: The day addresses issues such as poverty, resource scarcity, and environmental stress brought on by population growth. It also highlights the advantages of a larger population, such as innovation and a more diversified labor force.
All-Inclusive Data Gathering: Ensuring accurate counts of all people in worldwide censuses has been a recent goal of World Population Day. Policymakers need this information to comprehend population requirements and develop long-term solutions.

How to Celebrate World Population Day 2024

World Population Day is celebrated through various activities and initiatives aimed at raising awareness about population issues. Here are some ways to observe this important day:

Public Awareness Campaigns

Governments, NGOs, and international organizations conduct campaigns to educate people about family planning, reproductive health, and population issues.

Seminars and Public Lectures

Events at local, national, and international levels provide in-depth understanding of population challenges and solutions.

Art and Cultural Events

Art exhibitions and performances creatively raise awareness about population issues.

Health Camps and Services

In underserved communities, health camps and outreach programs offer reproductive health services, family planning counseling, and maternal healthcare.

Youth Engagement

Activities targeted at young people educate them about their rights, responsibilities, and choices regarding their bodies.

World Population Day Quotes

“The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.” – Thomas Malthus
“Family planning could bring more benefits to more people at less cost than any other single technology now available to the human race.” – John Bongaarts
“There are no passengers on spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” – Marshall McLuhan
“Reproductive freedom is critical to a whole range of issues. If we can’t take charge of this most personal aspect of our lives, we can’t take care of anything. It should not be seen as a privilege or as a benefit, but a fundamental human right.” – Faye Wattleton
“Overpopulation leads to increased poverty and to increased ignorance. In order to fight overpopulation, we must educate all the children of the world, which is why we are promoting birth control. With birth control, you can have a healthier family and a healthier planet.” – Anne Lamott
“By improving health, empowering women, population growth comes down.” – Bill Gates
“The whole of the global economy is based on supplying the cravings of two per cent of the world’s population.” – Bill Bryson

World Population Day 2024 FAQs

What is the theme of World Population Day?

The 2024 World Population Day theme is “To Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone”.

What is the world's population in 2024?

8,118,835,999 (till 1st July 2024)

Why is 11 July celebrated as World Population Day?

The United Nations declared World Population Day in 1989. This unique occasion was created when the world's population crossed five billion on July 11, 1987. The Dr KC Zachariah suggested the idea of World Population Day.