8.1 Trends In Human Population Growth Direct

For most of human history, population growth was near zero. High birth rates were almost entirely offset by high death rates due to limited food security, poor sanitation, and frequent disease outbreaks.

| Still Growing | Already Shrinking | Plateauing | |---------------|-------------------|-------------| | Sub-Saharan Africa (will triple) | Eastern Europe, Japan, South Korea | China, USA, Western Europe | | High fertility, declining death rates. | Why? Low fertility, aging, emigration. | Why? Below-replacement fertility, offset by immigration. |

The global population growth rate peaked in the late 1960s at about 2.1% per year. Today, that rate has fallen to less than 1%. We are adding fewer people to the planet each year than we were in the late 20th century, primarily because women are having fewer children. 2. Uneven Distribution (The North-South Divide) Population growth is not happening equally everywhere. 8.1 trends in human population growth

The wealthier and more educated a country gets, the fewer babies people have. Prosperity is the best contraceptive.

While the total number of humans is still increasing, the rate at which we are growing is actually slowing down. Here are the core trends defining our current era: 1. The Slowdown in Growth Rates For most of human history, population growth was near zero

Moving from hunting and gathering to farming provided a stable food supply, allowing for permanent settlements and larger families.

We didn't just grow faster . We changed how we grow. Below-replacement fertility, offset by immigration

Many countries in Europe, along with Japan and South Korea, are experiencing "negative growth" or stagnation, where death rates begin to outpace birth rates. 3. The Aging Population

The triggered a period of unprecedented expansion, with the global population jumping from under 1 billion to over 8 billion by late 2022. Key drivers included: