The World Bank predicts there will be nearly 3 billion more people in the world by the year 2030 than there are now, including 2 billion in countries where the average person earns less than $2 a day.
It estimates total global population will reach 8,474,017,000, compared with 5,692,210,000 in 1995.The World Bank also estimates the U.S. population will grow from 263,119,000 next year to 327,987,000 in 2030. Life expectancy in North America should increase to 82 years from 77, it said.
The estimate Wednesday came in advance of next month's United Nations conference on population in Cairo, Egypt. The conference is expected to be the scene of a major debate on abortion and birth control, with the Vatican and governments of some Catholic countries vehemently opposed to any approval of them.