According to the latest statistics provided by the International Programs Center, U.S. Census Bureau the current human population on the planet has reached 6,927,069,030 people. Every minute it increases by 145 people, while every day this number already reaches 209,416 . The same source estimates that already by the 1st of July the population will grow to 6,928,198,253, which represents an increase by 6,224,008 over only a month. Annual population growth in 2011 is calculated at 1.08%, with the urban population growing three times as fast. If the current prognosis of the U.S. Census Bureau is true, then already in 2045 total world population will reach 9 bln, with the major growth occurring in the developing regions. Already now almost half of all the people on the Earth live in China and India, which have a combined population over 2.5 bln.
Rapid growth of the population has a great impact on the ecosystems, the regional environments comprised both of the living organisms and physical components, such as air, water etc. Some areas of the world are already so overpopulated, that they cannot satisfy their current demand for food and water. Despite improved productivity and extensive use of fertilizers, the availability of the arable land is constantly declining. Access to fresh water has become one of the biggest problems for the ever-growing population. Some of the countries, such as Egypt and Libya, are already using more than 100% of their sustainable water resources. Moreover, extensive use of technology to satisfy our needs leads to pollution and a significant decline in water quality. Water contamination and excessive use impacts river and lake ecosystems and harms local fish and animal populations. Finally, human activity is claimed to be the major force responsible for global warming and sea level increase. This particular threat endangers the ecosystems of the low-lying coastal regions and threatens the mere existence of the ecosystems of the coral reefs, river deltas and small islands. Although the general population growth rate is expected to fall in the upcoming years, the momentum it has gained poses serious questions of sustainability and safety of the ecosystems.
References
Hassan, R., Scholes, R., & Ash, N. (2005). Ecosystems and human well-being: current state
and trends : findings of the condition and trends working group. Washington, DC:
Island Press.
Rosenberg, M. (2011). Most Populous Countries Today. The 24 Most Populous Countries on
Earth Today. About.com guide. Retrieved June 25, 2011, from
http://geography.about.com/cs/worldpopulation/a/mostpopulous.htm
U.S. Census Bureau. (2011, June 25). World popclock projection. Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/popclockworld.html
