Elon Musk has brought attention back to the big issue of our world’s shrinking population. He shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley that included a scary graph showing how the populations of major countries, like China and India, are expected to drop by the year 2100. They say, “Population collapse is humanity’s greatest threat,” and Musk agreed by replying, “Yes.”
The graph shows alarming projections: India’s population could fall by 400 million to just below 1.1 billion. China might see an even bigger drop—731 million fewer people, leaving them with about 731.9 million. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s population is likely to grow to about 790.1 million, making it the second-most populated country in the world after India.
So why is this happening? Experts point to a few reasons:
– Lower Birth Rates: In many countries, people are having fewer children. For instance, England and Wales reported a very low birth rate of 1.44 kids per woman in 2023.
– Older Population: People are living longer, but fewer babies are being born, which creates a society with more older people and fewer workers.
– Moving Away: Some people are leaving their home countries, causing a loss in population.
Around the world, the number of children born has decreased from 5.3 per woman in 1963 to less than 2.5 today. This decline could lead to issues like fewer workers and slower economies. A study from the University of Washington even suggests that countries like China and India might see population drops happen faster than we thought, raising concerns about their economy and power on the global stage.
On the other hand, countries like the United States are expected to maintain stable populations due to migration, while nations like Canada and Australia will likely keep growing, too. Countries in Africa, like Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are expected to see significant growth, potentially changing who holds power in the world.
Musk has been very clear about his worries regarding this population decline. He believes it could threaten our technology and economy. He urges countries with older populations, like Japan and many in Europe, to create policies that encourage more births because these changes are already impacting economic growth.
His views on population growth also connect to his bigger goals for humanity. With his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, Musk wants to promote sustainable living and space exploration to help humanity thrive long-term. He thinks solving the problem of population decline is essential for a strong future.
Musk’s post highlights the urgent need for countries to work together to tackle the issues brought by shrinking populations. As societies face these changes, it’s important for leaders to come up with plans to help, showing us just how serious these demographic shifts are.
