As the global population continues to increase, there are mounting concerns about the impact of human overpopulation on the environment, as well as concerns about increased demand for natural resources. In this narrative visualization, we examine the population dynamics of the world by individual countries.
In the graph below, we can see that the world population has been increasing at a nearly linear rate since approximately 1960. However, the population of individual countries has been changing at a much more varied rate by country. Many developed countries are seeing their population growth begin to stagnate, and in some cases, the population for certain countries has even been declining for a number of years. Conversely, population growth in many underdeveloped countries shows no signs of slowing down.
Use the drop-down menu below to select a country to see how its population has changed over time. Use the links at the top of the page to view additional charts and analyses.