World Population to Hit Seven Billion by October

By Thalif Deen

Nigeria is the only African nation with a population exceeding 100 million, but 10 others will likely join that club before the close of the century.  Credit:UN Photo/Arpan Munier

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 7, 2011 (IPS) - The United Nations commemorates World Population Day next week against the backdrop of an upcoming landmark event: global population hitting the seven billion mark by late October this year.

According to current projections, and with some of the world's poorest nations doubling their populations in the next decade, the second milestone will be in 2025: an eight billion population over the next 14 years.

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), told IPS seven billion represents a challenge, an opportunity and a call to action.

On World Population Day Jul. 11, he will be launching a campaign called "7 Billion Actions". /.../