The UN says the world population of 7.6 billion will balloon in the coming decade‚ driven largely by high birth rates in Africa.
India will surpass China as the most populous country inside the next seven years‚ while Nigeria will overtake the US and become the world's third most populous country shortly before 2050.
Europe‚ which currently has a birth rate of 1.6 children per woman‚ is set to see a decline in population in the coming decades.
The report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Population Division said roughly 83 million people are added to the world’s population every year.
The upward trend is expected to continue even with a continuing decline in fertility rates‚ which have fallen steadily since the 1960s.
John Wilmoth‚ director of the Population Division‚ said: “The population in Africa is notable for its rapid rate of growth‚ and it is anticipated that over half of global population growth between now and 2050 will take place in that region.”