Earth’s population expected to reach 7‑billion

Jul 10, 2011 | Bianca Bothma
Popcounter 1
The world population counter at the Maropeng exhibition

Towards the end of 2011, it is expected that the population of the globe will reach 7-billion. To raise awareness of global population issues, World Population Day is observed annually on July 11. This event was established in 1989 by the United Nations Development Programme in response to Five Billion Day, which took place on July 11, 1987 when the world’s population reached five billion people.

At the Maropeng Visitor Centre, the award-winning permanent exhibition not only tells visitors about humankind’s fascinating journey of evolution, but also serves as a reminder of the negative impact that humankind’s growing population has on Earth’s natural resources.

Humankind is one of the biggest contributors to increasing carbon emissions, which are threatening our natural resources. A focus area of the Maropeng exhibition, human mobility and urbanisation, explains that humankind’s need for shelter and material comfort is not good for the planet. We spend a staggering 30% of world energy consumption a year on lighting, heating and cooling. City centres, with their hives of economic activity, are often the hubs of high energy consumption.

According to National Geographic a mega city is made up of a minimum of 10-million people. The top five megacities in the world according to a news article published by The Huffington Post are:

• Tokyo, Japan 36.7-million
• Delhi, India 22.2-million
• Sao Paulo, Brazil 20.3-million
• Mumbai, India 20-million
• Mexico City, Mexico 19.5-million

There are no African cities on the top five list just yet, but the population of the continent is dramatically increasing. Figures from the United Nations Statistics Division, published on GeoHive, show that between 1975 and 2010, population growth has been the highest (4.64%) in Africa compared to Asia (1.72%) and South America (0.52%).

As the most mobile species on Earth, humans are able to travel from one side of the world to the other faster than the speed of sound, thanks to technological inventions. Visit Maropeng this winter to learn more about our fascinating journey from ancient hominid to modern day humans, and remember that the future of our precious Earth lies in our hands. Book online for our fantastic winter special where you can enjoy a luxurious stay over at the Maropeng Boutique Hotel, conveniently located within an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria.