World’s Population Hits Eight Billion – UN

A baby born somewhere on Tuesday will be the world’s eight billionth person, according to a projection by the United Nations.

“The milestone is an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity’s shared responsibility for the planet,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement issued.

The UN attributes the growth to human development, with people living longer thanks to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine.

Also, it is the result of higher fertility rates, majorly in the world’s poorest countries, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, putting their development goals at risk.