The world now has eight billion people after the birth of the eight billionth baby 

The world's population has officially reached eight billion after the eight billionth baby was born today. Projections by the United Nations Population Division indicate that the population is three times the size it was in 1950. However, the population growth rate is also at its slowest in over 70 years.

A statement from the UN, said: "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 global population is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 and 9.7 by 2050.UN Secretary-General Antenio Guterres, said:

"This year's World Population Day falls during a milestone year, when we anticipate the birth of the Earth's eight billionth inhabitant."This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognise our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates."

He added: "At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another."Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, also stated: "The relationship between population growth and sustainable development is complex and multidimensional."Rapid population growth makes eradicating poverty, combatting hunger and malnutrition, and increasing the coverage of health and education systems more difficult."