For much of the modern era, the world’s population seemed to be heading in only one direction: sharply upward. Better medicine, safer childbirth, cleaner water, and falling child mortality helped billions more people survive and live longer, while birth rates remained high.
But that era is now fading. Global population growth peaked some time ago, and fertility has fallen across much of the world. Indeed, experts estimate that, within the next 80 to 100 years, almost every nation on Earth will have a death rate that exceeds its birth rate. Curious? Click on to learn more about the world’s future.