World Populations Resources

According to estimates made by the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the total global population as of July 2012 was 7,021,836,029. China, India, and the United States have the highest populations, with an estimated 1,343.24 million, 1,205.07 million and 313.85 million people, respectively. At present, the current global growth rate is roughly 1.092 percent per year.

Population growth rates can be affected by numerous external factors; these factors can  impact a local region, or they can have implications that affect nearly the entire globe. For instance, during the Middle Ages, the Black Plague killed nearly 75 million people total, including residents of central Asia, where it is thought to have originated, and those living in the Mediterranean and Europe. The bulk of this damage took place in Europe, where the population was reduced anywhere from 30 to 60 percent. Global wars can be another major force that greatly alters population. World War II claimed an estimated 72 million casualties, although a baby boom occurred in the United States and other Allied countries shortly thereafter. Also, periods of  industrial growth tend to have positive effects on population growth. For example, during the 1700’s Industrial Revolution, the global population grew by nearly 57 percent.

Trends in population growth can vary around the world. In some regions, population density is distributed relatively evenly, while in others regions, higher- and lower-density regions are distributed more unevenly. Urban and rural populations also are defined by different population growth rates. To learn more about this, as well as other facts concerning world population, one must explore population trends and statistics throughout various regions.

Africa

• The World Factbook, Africa: Contains updated statistical information for all of the various countries and regions throughout Africa, including information about population and population density. Put together by the CIA.
• Population Distribution, Settlement Patterns and Accessibility across Africa in 2010: A peer reviewed article written by Catherine Linard, Marius Gilbert, Robert W. Snow, Abdisalan M. Noor, and Andrew J. Tatem, and originally published in PLoS One. The article discusses how the distribution of population in Africa affects the accessibility of basic resources in the region.
• Sub-Saharan Africa, Population and Settlement Geography: A look at population trends in Sub-Saharan Africa, with information about demographics, rural settlement patterns, and urban structions. The webpage contains information as recent as 2012.
• Africa and Asia to Lead Urban Population Growth in Next 40 Years: An article detailing the results of a 2012 United Nations report, in which researchers determined that Africa and Asia will experience 86 percent of the world urban population growth within the next four decades. The article discusses some of the causes and effects of this projection.
• Emerging Land Constraints in Kenya’s Densely Populated Rural Areas: An outline, written by Milu Muyanga and T. S. Jayne from Michigan State University, detailing the way that land constraints in Africa, specifically in and around Kenya, affect the way that food and institutions develop.

Asia

• The World Factbook, East and Southeast Asia: Contains updated statistical information about the countries of East and Southeast Asia, as assembled by the CIA.
• Population and Society in Southeast Asia: A Historical Perspective: Discusses how changes in population density throughout Southeast Asia have impacted the region throughout history and in the present age.
• Southeast Asia, Where Do People Live?: An overview of the different regions, both urban and rural in form, in which people live throughout Southeast Asia.
• Research on Asian Urban Population Environment Dynamics: An article, written by Gayl Ness for The Journal of the International Institute, in which the author discusses how the shift from rural to urban life within Asia has impacted the relationship between the population and the environment there.
• Emerging Patterns of Urban Sustainability in Asia: Written by Xuemei Bai for The Bridge on Urban Sustainability. The article explores current trends throughout Asia regarding urban population growth and discusses how well this urbanization can be managed.

Europe

• The World Factbook, Europe: Contains updated statistical information for all the countries in Europe, including information about population and population density. Put together by the CIA.
• Eurostat Yearbook: The European Commission’s official publication on statistical information for European countries. This publication includes population information, such as population density, and as back issues available online with information about the past two decades.
• European Social Statistics, Migration: Contains statistical information and analysis regarding migration patterns and changes in population throughout Europe.
• Classification of Rural Areas in Europe Using Social Sustainability Indicators: Discusses the results of research performed at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. This research deals with population and social trends in rural parts of Europe.
• Rural Areas Under Urban Pressure: A report on the relationship between rural and urban Europe and the populations that reside in those separate regions.

North America

• The World Factbook, North America: Contains updated statistical information for all the countries in North America, including information about population and population density. Put together by the CIA.
• Urban Population Density of North America: A satellite image from Our Changing Planet, measuring approximate population density by monitoring city light data.
• North America’s Fastest-Growing Cities: A Forbes article discussing which urban areas of North America are growing in development and population at the quickest paces.
• Mapping Global Urban and Rural Population Distributions: A look at present population densities and a prediction of future population amounts in urban and rural areas. North America is covered in this essay along with additional regions in other parts of the globe.
• The Coastal Population Explosion: Discusses how population density in North America and Europe has increased in the past few decades and what the possible results of this trend might be.

South America

• The World Factbook, South America: The CIA’s online publication listing current statistical information for the countries of South America. Information about population is also included.
• Map Page of South America: Shows several maps revealing information about South America. A population density map is included.
• South America: A basic statistical information page on South America, which includes information about population.
• South America: Lists and briefly analyzes statistical information on South America, including population distribution and ethnic information.
• Urban Settlement, Data, Measures, and Trends: Details trends in urban settlement and migration from around the world, with statistics on South America being among those regions presented.
• Rural and Rural Development: Explains the way in which rural areas are developing globally, South American rural regions included, in terms of population.

Latin America

• Latin American Data & Statistics: A database of public surveys and statistical population resources with information about the region of Latin America.
• Urbanization and Internal Migration Patterns in Latin America: An essay detailing population shifts in Latin America with a focus on shifts toward urban regions.
• Population, Agricultural Land Use and the Environment in Latin America at the Dawn of the 20th Century: A historical look at population trends and statistics in Latin America.
• The Population, Agriculture, and Environment Nexus in Latin America: Discusses the rapid population growth that began in Latin America in the late twentieth century, also noting how land use in rural and urban areas changed as a result.
• Latin America and Caribbean: The World Bank’s statistics on Latin America, including statistics about total population and urban population.

Caribbean

• The World Factbook, Central America and Caribbean: The CIA’s online publication focusing on statistical information for the countries of the Caribbean. Population statistics are among those included.
• Unemployment in Latin America and the Caribbean: An article noting recent unemployment rates and trends in the Caribbean. The authors explore how unemployment rates are influenced by rural population and how unemployment influences population, in turn.
• Geography and Socioeconomic Development in Latin America and Caribbean: Looks at how the geography and economy of the Caribbean affects the population of the region. Also discusses the same trends in Latin America.
• A Demographic Profile of the Caribbean: Presents demographic and population information for the Caribbean. Among the statistics observed are birth rate, death rate, and population growth rate.
• Characteristics and Processes of Urbanization in the Caribbean: An essay looking in detail at population growth rates of the urban Caribbean.

World Population Pie Chart

(Image taken by Britannica. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)