The United Nations (UN’s) World Population Day is annually observed across the globe on July 11 to highlight the urgency of population issues and the connection between population dynamics, the environment, and development.
- 2025 marks the 31st anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action.
Theme:
The 2025 theme for World Population Day is “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world.”
- This theme underscores the importance of youth agency, reproductive rights, and gender equality, highlighting the world’s largest generation of young people.
Background:
i.World Population Day was established in 1989 by the then Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- The idea for World Population Day was inspired by the world population reaching five billion on July 11, 1987, prompting Dr. K.C. Zachariah, a senior demographer at the World Bank, to propose commemorating the milestone annually.
ii.In December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/45/216, officially deciding to observe World Population Day annually.
iii.The first observance of World Population Day took place on July 11, 1990, in more than 90 countries.
- Since then, it has been commemorated annually by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with governments and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the globe.
The Cairo Consensus: ICPD 1994
i.In 1994, the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt, united 179 governments to adopt a groundbreaking Programme of Action.
ii.It prioritized human rights, especially reproductive rights, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and Sustainable development linked to individual well-being, not demographic targets.
World Population Trends:
i.As of 2025, the global population is projected to reach approximately 8.23 billion, showing a significant increase from 7.9 billion recorded in 2021.
- The global population is projected to reach approximately 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and 10.9 billion by 2100.
ii.India has become the most populous country in the world with a population of around 1.46 billion, overtaking China (approximately 1.42 billion) in the year 2023.
iii.2007 marked the first year that more people lived in cities than rural areas; by 2050, around 66% of the global population is expected to live in urban areas.
iv.The global average age at which women give birth has been steadily increasing and currently stands at 28 years.
UNFPA State of World Population Report 2025:
UNFPA released its 2025 State of World Population (SWP) report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World”. This landmark report shifts the global narrative from population decline panic to the unmet reproductive aspirations of millions worldwide.
i.A UNFPA–YouGov survey across 14 countries revealed nearly 1 in 5 adultsglobally cannot achieve their desired family size. 39% cite financial constraintsas the primary barrier, while 20% fear climate change, conflicts, or pandemics.
ii.1 in 3 adults have experienced an unintended pregnancy, highlighting significant gaps in reproductive planning and access. Additionally, 11% of respondents stated that unequal caregiving responsibilities would limit their ability to have children.
iii.Notably, among those aged over 50, 40% reported they were unable to have the number of children they had desired, pointing to long-standing structural and social barriers affecting reproductive choices.
iv.Global fertility fell from 4.5 children per woman (1970s) to <2.5 (2015). Life expectancy rose from 64.6 years (1990s) to 72.6 years (2019)
v.By 2050, 66% of the world’s population will reside in urban areas.
vi.India’s population reached approximately 1.46 billion in April 2025, the largest globally, with projections peaking around 1.70 billion in the early 2060s before gradually declining.
vii.The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India has dropped below the replacement level to 1.9 children per woman, down from nearly 5 in the 1970s.
viii.Adolescent fertility (ages 15–19) rate in India stands at about 14.1 births per 1,000 women, higher than in China (6.6) and Sri Lanka (7.3).
Top 10 Most Populated Cities in the World 2025:
According to the World Population Review’s 2025 list of the Largest Cities by Population, Tokyo (Japan) ranks as the most populous city in the world. Delhi (India) holds the 2nd position, while Mumbai (India) is ranked 9th globally in terms of population size.
Top 10 Most Populated Cities in 2025:
| Rank | City | Country | 2025 Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo | Japan | 37,036,200 |
| 2 | Delhi | India | 34,665,600 |
| 3 | Shanghai | China | 30,482,100 |
| 4 | Dhaka | Bangladesh | 24,652,900 |
| 5 | Cairo | Egypt | 23,074,200 |
| 6 | Sao Paulo | Brazil | 22,990,000 |
| 7 | Mexico City | Mexico | 22,752,400 |
| 8 | Beijing | China | 22,596,500 |
| 9 | Mumbai | India | 22,089,000 |
| 10 | Osaka | Japan | 18,921,600 |
Other Indian Cities on the list: Kolkata, West Bengal(WB)(ranked 16) recorded a population of 15.84 million in 2025, followed by Bangalore(Karnataka)(ranked 22) with 14.39 million, Chennai(Tamil Nadu, TN)(ranked 26) at 12.33 million, Hyderabad(Telangana)(ranked 32) with 11.33 million and Ahmedabad(Gujarat)(ranked 42) with a population of approximately 9.06 million.
About United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
Executive Director (ED) – Dr. Natalia Kanem
Headquarters – New York, United States of America (USA)
Formed – 1969
