Is population growth over?

Answer: Today there are over 1 billion young people in the world between the ages of 15-24, and nearly 2 billion under the age of 15. The large number of people in or entering their childbearing years means that there will be continued population growth due to "population momentum" into the future, even if today’s youth choose to have smaller families than their parents. In 62 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, over 40 percent of the population is under the age of 15, guaranteeing growth in those regions for decades to come.

Depending on the decisions made by today’s youth about the timing and size of their future families, the earth’s population could be 7 billion, 9 billion or 11 billion in 50 years. Often at risk and underserved, young people require equitable access to health, education and employment opportunities. If they are enabled to make educated choices about their lives, they have the potential to become an unprecedented human resource for the future.