World Population Day 2024: Date, Theme, History And Significance

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11. This day is observed to recognise the challenges posed by the burgeoning population, including economic issues, poverty, resource crunch and several such issues.

The world's population is more than three times larger than it was in the mid-twentieth century, according to the United Nations.

The global human population reached 8.0 billion in mid-November 2022 from an estimated 2.5 billion people in 1950. The world's population is expected to increase by nearly 2 billion persons in the next 30 years, from the current 8 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050 and could peak at nearly 10.4 billion in the mid-2080s.

According to the UN, there is a surge in the levels of urbanisation and migration. The UN said more people lived in cities than in rural areas in 2007 and 66% of the world population will reside in cities by 2050.

World Population Day is observed on July 11 annually to create awareness and acknowledge population-related challenges worldwide.

This day was established by the then United Nations Development Programme in 1989, after the world marked the five-billion population benchmark on July 11, 1987.

However, it was officially observed for the first time on July 11, 1990, in over 90 countries as the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) announced this day as World Population Day in December 1990.

This day is observed to bring attention to the urgency and significance of different population issues. The UN population division collaborates with several agencies, programmes, funds, and bodies of the UN system to execute programmes on population.

"The theme for the World Population Day 2024 is "To leave no one behind, count everyone."

"As the theme of this year's World Population Day reminds us, investing in data collection is important to understanding problems, tailoring solutions, and driving progress. So is finance. I urge countries to make the most of the Summit of the Future this year to unleash affordable capital for sustainable development," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his message for World Population Day.  

World Population Day is significant as it serves as a reminder of the growing population and several problems caused due to it. It is a reminder that people, bodies, and governments around the world need to work on these problems for a sustainable future.

There is a need for awareness, cooperation, and creative strategies that can address population-related issues and to seek opportunities to manage the global population.

Gender inequality, poverty, education, and healthcare are common population-related concerns. Family planning and health-related initiatives are recommended for a sustainable future.

According to the UN, the following countries need to prioritise their population issues:

• India

• China

• United States

• Indonesia

• Pakistan

• Nigeria

• Brazil

• Bangladesh

• Russia

• Mexico