IN THE next 30 years, a quarter of the world’s population will be African, according to a new report. 

The projections hint at a massive increase of African influence across the globe, economically and culturally.

The United Nations World Population Prospects 2019 shows that by 2050 Africa’s population will reach 2.5 billion people – making up 25% of the world’s population. 

More than half of the 54 countries in Africa will see their populations at least double in the next 30 years.

Improving mortality rates across the continent and stable fertility rates are believed to be key reasons behind the predictions. 

The new figures also found that by 2050, most countries will see African women having on average between three and four births, which is a stark contrast to predictions for the birth rate of many western countries. 

According to the data, Europe and North America will see their birth rate fall to an average of two live births and Japan is predicted to see a population decrease of 22 million by 2050. 

With 40% of the total population of Africa being children under the age of 14, it is being dubbed “the continent of the future.”

According to the African Development Bank, 22% of Africa’s working-age population are starting new businesses  – a figure which is the highest globally. 

The 2019 Revision of World Population Prospects is the twenty-sixth round of official United Nations population estimates and projections that have been prepared by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. 

The growth in Africa’s population is a huge difference from 1950, when it made up less than 10% of the world’s population.

To read the full predictions, please visit: https://population.un.org/wpp/