Open Book

World’s population is expected to reach the seven billion mark

Over the last few years, and through 2014, the United Nations has been involved in helping to coordinate the 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme. This year marks a milestone year for the 2010 global census, and for World Population Day celebrated earlier this week on 11 July.

“This year's World Population Day falls during a milestone year, when we anticipate the birth of the earth's seven billionth inhabitant", said the Secretary-General in his message for the day. "This is an opportunity to celebrate our common humanity and our diversity. It is also a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for each other and our planet”.

For the United Nations, a world census is important for many reasons including for determining population growth, international migration, and for achieving the Millennium Development goals. At the national level, census data helps governments develop social and economic programmes, and helps businesses develop marketing and business plans.

In a recent interview, Mrs.Keiko Osaki Tomita, Chief of the Demographic and Social Statistics Branch of DESA, said that since the 1950s, the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) has promoted population censuses while serving as the Secretariat to the Decennial World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses, under the authority of the UN Statistical Commission. Gathering statistical information can be difficult in some countries, and the UNSD has played a pivotal role in facilitating the process by providing technical assistance, and by compiling and disseminating census results from countries or areas.

According to Mrs. Osaki Tomita, as of 1 July this year, 155 countries and areas have conducted a census since the current global census started in 2005. “This year, 2011, will be one of the peak years of the 2010 round, with 69 countries conducting censuses, enumerating an estimated 2.3 billion people or 33 % of the world population”, she said. "It is expected that by the end of the round in 2014, almost 99 % of the world’s total population will have been enumerated."

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