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What’s happening
The world’s population reached an estimated 8 billion people on Tuesday, according to estimates from the United Nations.
It took just 12 years for the global population to increase from 7 billion to 8 billion, a period of unprecedented growth made possible by advances in public health, nutrition and economic development that have increased survival rates for children and allowed older generations to live longer than in the past.
“The milestone is an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity’s shared responsibility for the planet,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said.
The boom wasn’t distributed evenly around the