A critical boundary
Estimates and projections are different
Historical values reconcile censuses, registration systems and surveys. Future values describe a scenario based on demographic assumptions; they are not promises.
Historical estimates + medium projection
World population by year
The world grew from about 2.49 billion people in 1950 to a projected 8.30 billion in 2026. The same UN revision projects about 9.66 billion in 2050 under its medium scenario.
Solid points through 2023 are estimates; later values are UN medium-variant projections. The visual scale begins at 2.49 billion rather than zero.
Selected milestones
1950–2050 population table
Percentage change compares each displayed milestone with the preceding displayed row, so intervals vary.
| Year | World population | Change since prior row | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,493,092,848 | — | estimate |
| 1955 | 2,740,213,792 | +9.91% | estimate |
| 1960 | 3,015,470,894 | +10.05% | estimate |
| 1965 | 3,334,533,703 | +10.58% | estimate |
| 1970 | 3,694,683,794 | +10.8% | estimate |
| 1975 | 4,070,735,277 | +10.18% | estimate |
| 1980 | 4,447,606,236 | +9.26% | estimate |
| 1985 | 4,868,943,465 | +9.47% | estimate |
| 1990 | 5,327,803,110 | +9.42% | estimate |
| 1995 | 5,758,878,982 | +8.09% | estimate |
| 2000 | 6,171,702,993 | +7.17% | estimate |
| 2005 | 6,586,970,132 | +6.73% | estimate |
| 2010 | 7,021,732,148 | +6.6% | estimate |
| 2015 | 7,470,491,872 | +6.39% | estimate |
| 2020 | 7,887,001,292 | +5.58% | estimate |
| 2022 | 8,021,407,192 | +1.7% | estimate |
| 2023 | 8,091,734,930 | +0.88% | estimate |
| 2024 | 8,161,972,572 | +0.87% | projection |
| 2025 | 8,231,613,070 | +0.85% | projection |
| 2026 | 8,300,678,395 | +0.84% | projection |
| 2030 | 8,569,124,911 | +3.23% | projection |
| 2035 | 8,885,210,181 | +3.69% | projection |
| 2040 | 9,177,190,203 | +3.29% | projection |
| 2045 | 9,439,639,668 | +2.86% | projection |
| 2050 | 9,664,378,587 | +2.38% | projection |
Use the series
Download machine-readable data
The selected world series and 2026 country snapshot are available as CSV and JSON with source and field notes.
Open the dataset page →Primary evidence
One named source, visible limits
Figures use the Medium variant of the 2024 Revision. The UN series covers 237 countries or areas; estimates and projections from 1950 to 2100 and is built from 1,910 population censuses and 3,189 nationally representative sample surveys, alongside vital-registration and other demographic systems.
These are demographic estimates and projections for world population over time, not a live register of identifiable people. Mid-year values refer to 1 July; moving counters interpolate between the original January and July population anchors. Demographic indicators use the original 2026 workbook rows. Urban share uses World Bank 2024 and land area uses World Bank 2023 indicators, not 2026 projections.