UN says world’s population to hit 8 billion mark by November

The United Nations said the world’s population is expected to hit 8 billion mark by November.

The organization’s report, released on World Population Day, also said that while population is growing slower than anytime since 1950, partially due to falling fertility rates, India is set to become the most-populous country in the world sometime next year.

The UN projects the population to hit 9.7 billion sometime in 2050 and peak at 10.4 billion in the 2080s before slowing again until the 2100s.

“This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates,” António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, said in a statement.

“At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another.”

The report projects, though, that nearly half of the growth will occur in a handful of countries, including Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.