Global demographic forecasts for 2026 indicate a rapid shift in the geography of population growth worldwide.
Modern.az reports that, according to the latest estimates by the United Nations (UN), approximately 133 million newborns will be born worldwide next year, with the vast majority of them being born in poor and developing countries.
According to an analysis based on UN data, 85 percent of newborns will be born in only two continents – Asia and Africa. Based on statistics: 64.9 million babies (49%) will be born in Asia, and 47.6 million babies (35.9%) in Africa. Thus, almost 8-9 out of every 10 babies worldwide will open their eyes in these two continents.
According to the UN classification, the share of births across the entire European continent, including Russia which is geographically part of Europe, remains quite low. Forecasts indicate that 4.6% of global births will occur in Europe. This means only 6.1 million babies will be born in the old continent.
This indicator shows the continued demographic aging and declining birth rates in Europe. The American continent, however, remains at an average level in terms of birth rates. The total share of births in the American continent will be 10 percent. Thus, 4 million babies (3%) will be born in North America, and 9.3 million babies (7%) in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Experts believe that this statistic once again confirms that the world's demographic center is rapidly shifting towards Asia and Africa. The main burden of population growth falls precisely on these regions, and this trend could also alter the global economic, social, and political balance in the coming decades.
UN analysts note that if high birth rates continue, particularly in Africa, the African continent will be the main driver of global population growth by the middle of the 21st century.
