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World population to reach 8 Bn tomorrow (15), says UN Report

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/14

The report says more than half the projected increase in population up to 2050 will be concentrated in just eight countries.

The United Nations has estimated that the world’s population will reach eight billion by November 15. It has further said in a report that India will replace China as the world’s most populous nation in 2023.The projection was revealed in UN World Population Prospects 2022 released on World Population Day on July 11 this year but is gaining traction now as the projected deadline is just days away. The agency also stated that the global population growth fell below one per cent in 2020 for the first time since 1950.

The report said that more than half the projected increase in population up to 2050 will be concentrated in just eight countries: Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.According to the most recent UN estimates, the population of the world could increase to about 8.5 billion people in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and then peak at about 10.4 billion during the 2080s and is expected to stay at that level till 2100.

The majority of sub-Saharan African nations, as well as some regions of Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, have experienced a “demographic dividend” as a result of recent fertility declines. This increase in the proportion of the working age population (ages 25 to 64) presents an opportunity for accelerated economic growth per capita.

“This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is quoted as saying in the report.

The UN Secretary General also shed light on the responsibility of sustainability and sustainable goals. “At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another,” he continued.A separate report by the UN said: It’s a milestone we can celebrate, and an occasion to reflect: How can we create a world in which all 8 billion of us can thrive?

The growth of our population is a testament to humanity’s achievements, including reductions in poverty and gender inequality, advancements in health care, and expanded access to education. These have resulted in more women surviving childbirth, more children surviving their early years, and longer, healthier lifespans, decade after decade.

Looking beyond the averages, at the populations of countries and regions, the picture is much more nuanced – and quickly takes us beyond the numbers themselves. Stark disparities in life expectancy point to unequal access to health care, opportunities and resources, and unequal burdens of violence, conflict, poverty and ill health.

Birth rates vary from country to country, with some populations still growing fast, others beginning to shrink. But underlying these trends, whichever way they point, is a widespread lack of choice. Discrimination, poverty and crisis – as well as coercive policies that violate the reproductive rights of women and girls – put sexual and reproductive health care and information, including contraception and sex education, out of reach for far too many people.

We face serious challenges as a global community, including the mounting impacts of climate change, ongoing conflicts and forced displacement. To meet them, we need resilient countries and communities. And that means investing in people and making our societies inclusive, so that everyone is afforded a quality of life that allows them to thrive in our changing world.

To build demographic resilience, we need to invest in better infrastructure, education and health care, and ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. We need to systematically remove the barriers – based on gender, race, disability, sexual orientation or migration status – that prevent people from accessing the services and opportunities they need to thrive.

We need to rethink models of economic growth and development that have led to overconsumption and fuelled violence, exploitation, environmental degradation and climate change, and we need to ensure that the poorest countries – which did not create these problems, yet bear the brunt of their impacts – have the resources to build the resilience and well-being of their growing populations.

We need to understand and anticipate demographic trends, so that governments can make informed policies and resource allocations to equip their populations with the right skills, tools and opportunities.

But while demographic trends can help guide the policy choices we make as societies, there are other choices – including if and when to have children – that policy cannot dictate, because they belong to each individual.

This right to bodily autonomy underlies the full range of our human rights, forming a foundation for resilient, inclusive and thriving societies that can meet the challenges of our world. When our bodies and futures are our own, we are #8BillionStrong.

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Wednesdays declared a government holiday with effect from 18th March

Published

41 mins ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

The Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi has announced that, after taking into consideration the current fuel situation in Sri Lanka, the Government has decided to declare Wednesdays of every week as a holiday for government sector employees, all government schools, universities, and courts with effect from March 18, 2026, until further notice

The holiday will not apply to essential service sectors including Healthcare, Ports, Water Supply and Customs.

News

PM declares open Angunukolapelessa Leisure Island

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that leisure had long been limited to only a privileged segment of society, and that the government’s objective is to create opportunities for all citizens to equally experience and enjoy that leisure.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on Sunday (15th of March) while opening the multi-purpose development project associated with the Angunakolapelessa Tank, developed under the “Pohosath Gamak” programme of the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment for the public.

In parallel with the multi-purpose development project carried out associating the Angunakolapelessa Leisure Island, a boating facility and the Leisure Island cafeteria were also officially opened.

Addressing the gathering the Prime Minister stated:

“The multi-purpose development project associated with the Angunakolapelessa Tank has received voluntary support from the community of more than 700 days.

With the funding from the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, the Angunakolapelessa Pradeshiya Sabha, together with the divisional councils, public safety committees, youth societies, trade associations, and many others in the community, was able to transform this site into a major development project within a remarkably short period of time.

This project serves as a powerful example of what can be achieved when people unite collectively for a noble purpose. Developing a country is not a task that the government alone can accomplish.

When intellectuals, religious leaders, youth, entrepreneurs, and the public come together with strong and responsible leadership, we can build a nation so resilient that no hostile force will be able to weaken it.

People in rural communities who live demanding and hardworking lives also deserve to enjoy. For a long time, leisure was limited to only a privileged segment of society. As a government committed to fostering a dignified cultural life for all citizens, it is important to create more spaces like this where people can relax, walk, enjoy themselves, and spend time with peace of mind.

The occasion was graced by the presence of the members of the Maha Sangha, and attended by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Upali Pannilage, other ministers and parliamentarians, government officials, and local residents.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

Latest News

Navy’s successful high-seas bust nets over 133kg haul of heroin

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

As a key frontline stakeholder in the national mission, ‘A Nation United,’ the Navy continues to conduct maritime operations in the waters surrounding the island, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies.

During a recent successful operation on the high seas south of Sri Lanka, the Navy intercepted a local multi-day fishing trawler and apprehended five suspects (05) in connection with the smuggling of a stock of suspected drugs.

During a special inspection at the Dickowita fisheries harbour today (16 Mar26), the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) confirmed the presence of over one hundred and thirty-three (133)
kilograms of heroin.

The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), accompanied by the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, was present in Dickowita to inspect the seized items.

Addressing the media, the Deputy Minister stated that the tri-forces, particularly the Navy, along with the Coast Guard, Police, and other law enforcement agencies, are executing the
government’s vision for national security. He noted that the recent naval operation in the southern seas, which seized a large consignment of narcotics and weapons, demonstrates the government’s success in combating criminal networks involved in narcotics, arms and human trafficking.

He added that such successful outcomes result from the Navy’s meticulous planning, surveillance, intelligence analysis, and inter-agency coordination. He affirmed that no leniency will be shown to drug trafficking networks, and conveyed admiration, on behalf of the President, for the distinctive contribution made by the Sri Lanka Navy, in collaboration with other stakeholders,
towards ensuring public safety and protecting the younger generation from the menace of drugs.

Highlighting the scale of the Navy’s impact, he revealed that naval operations in 2025 seized narcotics valued over Rs. 75 billion, and operations so far in 2026 have seized over Rs. 20 billion worth of drugs.

The Deputy Minister warned that traffickers are increasingly using the guise of legitimate fishing activities to smuggle narcotics. Besides, he emphasized that the responsibility lies not only with law enforcement agencies but with all sectors of society to eradicate the networks associated with drug trafficking. He issued a firm directive to traffickers, dealers, and distributors to “quit,” asserting that there is no loophole, whether by sea or air, that the security forces cannot close. He
further urged drug users to abandon this destructive habit.

He announced plans for legal amendments to impose stricter penalties for drug offenses. Noting that law enforcement agencies have operational autonomy, he appealed to the public to report information on drug trafficking to hotlines 1818 and 1997.

He also commended the media for their responsible reporting in educating the public on the drug menace.

The trawler, the suspects, the communication equipment and the stock of narcotics held in this operation were handed over to the PNB for onward investigation and legal proceedings.