UN: World population reaches 8 billion

The world’s population reached 8 billion people on November 15, a milestone in human development, Report informs, citing the UN

"This unprecedented growth is due to the gradual increase in human lifespan owing to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine. It is also the result of high and persistent levels of fertility in some countries," the UN said in a statement.

"While it took the global population 12 years to grow from 7 to 8 billion, it will take approximately 15 years—until 2037— for it to reach 9 billion, a sign that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing," the statement reads.