World Population Day 2024: Date, history, theme and quotes

World Population Day 2024: Today is Thursday, June 11 and every year World Population Day is observed on this day. It highlights the issues arising out of burgeoning population and also to bring awareness among the people about the impact of human overpopulation on the environment and development. 

As per reports, the world population never reached the 1 billion mark until 1800 and it recorded a sevenfold increase in a span of just 200 years. Currently, the world population stands at 8.1 billion and is projected to hit 8.5 billion mark in 2030 and 10.9 billion in 2100, as per United Nations (UN). 

As the world is observing population day today, let’s take a look at the history, theme, and significance of World Population Day 2024. 

History

With an aim to raise awareness about the rising population, the United Nations started observing World Population Day for the first time on 11th July 1989 and today, in 2024, the World will mark its 35th Population Day.

The world's population reached five billion people on July 11, 1987 and the day gained prominence as Five Billion Day and this gave birth to the idea of observing a World Population Day.

Theme

Every year,the UN comes up with a specific theme to observe World Population Day and the theme of World Population Day 2024 is "Leave no one behind, count everyone". 

“As the theme of this year’s World Population Day reminds us, investing in data collection is important to understanding problems, tailoring solutions, and driving progress. So is finance. I urge countries to make the most of the Summit of the Future this year to unleash affordable capital for sustainable development,” said  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. 

Quotes

“Population growth is the primary source of environmental damage.” — Jacques Yves Cousteau

“You cannot control your own population by force, but it can be distracted by consumption.” — Noam Chomsky

“Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio. Subsistence only increases in an arithmetical ratio.” — Thomas Malthus
"The greatest threat to human existence is our inability to control our own numbers." — Isaac Asimov

“Almost half of the population of the world lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of poverty. Such inequalities in human development have been one of the primary reasons for unrest and, in some parts of the world, even violence." —  APJ Abdul Kalam