World Population 2012: 7,000 million

Based on Statistics at www.worldometers.info

Updated in 2019, click here to view this report, with an option to view figures in 2023

Contrast this with the population in 1930, just over 2,000 million, when only a handful of countries, eighteen to be exact, had a population of 20 million or more, based on statistics at www.populstat.info

Nearly 11 billion people have been born since 1900, a phenomenal increase on previous centuries.

1900-1959Births 4.4 billion (Average 35 per 1000 or 74 million each year)
 Deaths 3.1 billion (Average 25 per 1000 or 52 million each year)

Nett growth 1.7 billion in 1900 to 3 billion in 1959

 
1959-2012Births 6.5 billion (Average 25 per 1000 or 123 million each year)
 Deaths 2.5 billion (Average 9.5 per 1000 or 47 million each year)

Nett growth 3 billion to 7 billion in 2012

Averages per 1000 are based on a midpoint of 2.3 billion in 1900-1959 and 5 billion in 1959-2012.
 
In 2014, the average birth rate was 18.7 per 1000 (i.e. 134 million for the year) and the death rate was 7.89 per 1000 (i.e. 56 million).

Average Life Span (Life Expectancy at birth) as shown below is based on statistics at Nation Master in 2011. It showed a weighted average of three score and ten (or 70.17 years to be exact) for all the population.

Click here to view these statistics resorted by population size and displaying (at the end) this weighted average of 70.17 years.

Click here to view these same statistics in a spreadsheet .csv file.

CountriesCensus DataAverage Life Span
 ChristianMuslimOther 
AFRICA 1.1 billion
1. Nigeria 167 million48%50% 48 years
2. Ethiopia 84 million65%34% 56 years
3. Egypt 82 million10%90%  73 years
4. Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) 70 million80%10% 55 years
5. South Africa 52 million80%2% 49 years
6. Tanzania 45 million35%30% 53 years
7. Kenya 42 million85%7% 59 years
8. Algeria 38 million2%90% 75 years
9. Uganda 37 million84%12% 53 years
10. Sudan 37 million1½%97% 61 years
11. Morocco 33 million1%99% 76 years
12. Mozambique 25 million41%23% 52 years
13. Ghana 25 million69%16% 61 years
14. Madagascar 22 million41%1% 64 years
15. Cameroon 22 million40%18% 54 years
16. Angola 21 million90%1% 39 years
17. Cote d'Ivoire 20 million33%37% 57 years
18. Niger 18 million5%95% 53 years
19. Burkina Faso 17 million23%59% 54 years
20. Malawi 16 million80%13% 52 years
21. Mali 15 million5%92% 53 years
22. Zambia 15 million98%½% 52 years
23. Zimbabwe 14 million85%1% 50 years
24. Senegal 14 million7%93% 60 years
25. Chad 13 million34%56% 48 years
26. Rwanda 12 million94%2% 58 years
27. Guinea 11 million10%84% 58 years
28. South Sudan 11 million60%6% 54 years
29. Tunisia 10 million0.2%99% 75 years
30. Somalia 10 million0.01%99% 50 years
31. Burundi 9 million67%2% 59 years
32. Benin 9 million43%24% 60 years
33. Sierra Leone 6 million30%60% 56 years
34. Libya 6 million2%97% 78 years
35. Togo 6 million29%12% 63 years
36. Eritrea 6 million51%37% 63 years
37. Central African Republic 4 million50%9% 50 years
38. Republic of the Congo 4 million91%  55 years
39. Mauritania 3 million0.1%99% 61 years
40. Liberia 3 million40%12% 57 years
41. Lesotho 2 million90%  52 years
42. Namibia 2 million90%½% 52 years
43. Botswana 2 million72%½% 58 years
44. Gambia 2 million9%91% 64 years
45. Guinea-Bissau 2 million10%42% 49 years
46. Gabon 1 million72%10% 52 years
47. Mauritius 1 million32%17%Hinduism 48-50%74 years
48. Swaziland 1 million83%0.2% 49 years
49. Comoros 700 thousand2%98% 64 years
50. Equatorial Guinea 600 thousand99%  62 years
51. Djibouti 500 thousand6%94% 61 years
52. Cape Verde 400 thousand95%  71 years
53. Western Sahara 400 thousand0.04%99½% 54 years
54. Mayotte 200 thousand   77 years
55. Sao Tome and Principe 200 thousand   63 years
56. Seychelles 80 thousand95%1% 74 years
57. Saint Helena 8 thousand   78 years

 

CountriesCensus DataAverage Life Span
 ChristianMuslimOther 
NORTH and CENTRAL AMERICA 550 million
1. U.S.A. 315 million78%1%Judaism 1%
Buddhism 1%
78 years
2. Mexico 120 million95%  76 years
3. Canada 34 million77%2%Buddhism 1%
Hinduism 1%
81 years
4. Guatemala 15 million98%  71 years
5. Cuba 11 million85%  78 years
6. Dominican Republic 10 million95%  77 years
7. Haiti 9 million84%  62 years
8. Honduras 8 million83%  71 years
9. El Salvador 6 million82%  73 years
10. Nicaragua 6 million90%  72 years
11. Costa Rica 4 million84%  78 years
12. Puerto Rico 4 million97%  79 years
13. Panama 3 million92%1% 78 years
14. Jamaica 3 million65%  73 years
15. Trinidad and Tobago 1 million58%6%Hinduism 22%71 years
16. Bahamas 300 thousand96%  71 years
17. Belize 300 thousand77%  68 years
18. Barbados 280 thousand95%  74 years
19. Netherlands Antilles 220 thousand   76 years
20. Saint Lucia 160 thousand   77 years
21. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 120 thousand   74 years
22. Virgin Islands U.S. 110 thousand   79 years
23. Aruba 100 thousand90%  76 years
24. Grenada 90 thousand97%  73 years
25. Antigua and Barbuda 85 thousand74%  75 years
26. Dominica 70 thousand89%  76 years
27. Bermuda 70 thousand67%  81 years
28. Cayman Islands 50 thousand74%  81 years
29. Saint Kitts and Nevis 40 thousand   75 years
30. Saint Martin 30 thousand   79 years
31. Virgin Islands British 25 thousand96%  78 years
32. Turks and Caicos Islands 20 thousand   79 years
33. Anguilla 15 thousand90%  81 years
34. Saint Barthelemy 7 thousand    
35. Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7 thousand   80 years
36. Montserrat 5 thousand   73 years

 

CountriesCensus DataAverage Life Span
 ChristianMuslimOther 
SOUTH AMERICA 400 million
1. Brazil 200 million90%  73 years
2. Colombia 46 million98%  75 years
3. Argentina 41 million93%2% 77 years
4. Peru 30 million94%  72 years
5. Venezuela 30 million98%  74 years
6. Chile 16 million87%  78 years
7. Ecuador 14 million99%  76 years
8. Bolivia 9 million97%  68 years
9. Paraguay 7 million97%  76 years
10. Uruguay 3 million58%  76 years
11. Guyana 800 thousand57%7%Hinduism 28-33%67 years
12. Suriname 500 thousand48%16%Hinduism 20-27%74 years

 

CountriesCensus DataAverage Life Span
 ChristianMuslimOther 
ASIA and MIDDLE EAST 4.164 billion
1. China 1.350 billion5%2%Buddhism 8%-80%75 years
2. India 1.210 billion2%13%Hinduism 80%67 years
3. Indonesia 240 million9%86%Hinduism 3%
Buddhism 2%
71 years
4. Pakistan 180 million2%96% 66 years
5. Bangladesh 150 million 90%Hinduism 10%70 years
6. Japan 130 million2% Buddhism 45-71%82 years
7. Philippines 95 million91%5%Hinduism 2%
Buddhism 2%
72 years
8. Vietnam 90 million8% Buddhism 16-85%72 years
9. Turkey 75 million 98% 73 years
10. Iran 75 million½%99% 70 years
11. Thailand 65 million½%4½%Buddhism 95%74 years
12. South Korea 50 million29% Buddhism 23%79 years
13. Burma (Myanmar) 50 million4%4%Buddhism 90%65 years
14. Afghanistan 30 million0.02%99.7%Buddhism 0.2%45 years
15. Nepal 30 million1%4%Hinduism 81%
Buddhism 11%
66 years
16. Iraq 30 million3%97% 71 years
17. Saudi Arabia 30 million5%95% 74 years
18. Uzbekistan 30 million5%95% 73 years
19. Malaysia 25 million9%60%Buddhism 22%
Hinduism 6%
74 years
20. North Korea 25 million2% Buddhism 65%69 years
21. Yemen 25 million 99% 64 years
22. Taiwan 23 million  Buddhism 35-93%78 years
23. Sri Lanka 20 million7%8%Buddhism 70%
Hinduism 7-15%
76 years
24. Syria 20 million10%90% 75 years
25. Kazakhstan 15 million45%55% 69 years
26. Cambodia 14 million2%1½%Buddhism 95%63 years
27. Azerbaijan 8 million5%95% 67 years
28. Tajikistan 7 million1%84% 66 years
29. Israel 8 million2%16%Judaism 76%81 years
30. Hong Kong 7 million10% Buddhism 10-90%82 years
31. Laos 7 million1% Buddhism 67%62 years
32. Jordan 6 million6%94% 80 years
33. Kyrgyzstan 5 million17%83% 70 years
34. Turkmenistan 5 million9%91% 69 years
35. Georgia 5 million89%10% 77 years
36. United Arab Emirates 5 million9%76%Hinduism 10%
Buddhism 5%
77 years
37. Singapore 5 million15%15%Buddhism 42-61%
Hinduism 4%
82 years
38. Lebanon 4 million40%59% 75 years
39. Oman 3 million2%88%Hinduism 3-6%74 years
40. Mongolia 3 million2%5%Buddhism 50-93%68 years
41. Armenia 3 million99%  73 years
42. Kuwait 3 million14%70%Hinduism 12%
Buddhism 4%
77 years
43. West Bank 2 million 98% 74 years
44. Gaza Strip 2 million 98% 73 years
45. Timor-Leste 1 million97%3% 68 years
46. Qatar 800 thousand8%77%Hinduism 7%
Buddhism 5%
76 years
47. Bahrain 700 thousand9%81%Hinduism 6%78 years
48. Bhutan 700 thousand1%1%Buddhism 66-75%
Hinduism 2-25%
67 years
49. Macau 550 thousand  Buddhism 17-85%84 years
50. Maldives 400 thousand 98%Buddhism ½%74 years
51. Brunei 380 thousand11%67%Buddhism 9%76 years

 

CountriesCensus DataAverage Life Span
 ChristianMuslimOther 
EUROPE and RUSSIA 740 million
1. Russia 143 million70%12%Buddhism 1%66 years
2. Germany 80 million83%4%Buddhism 1%80 years
3. France 65 million84%10%Buddhism 1%81 years
4. United Kingdom 64 million48%5%Hinduism 1%80 years
5. Italy 60 million91%  82 years
6. Spain 47 million77%1% 81 years
7. Ukraine 44 million92%1% 69 years
8. Poland 39 million96%  76 years
9. Romania 20 million98%  74 years
10. Netherlands 17 million43%6% 80 years
11. Greece 10 million98%2% 80 years
12. Portugal 10 million87%  79 years
13. Belgium 10 million48%3% 80 years
14. Czech Republic 10 million29% Buddhism ½%77 years
15. Hungary 10 million74%  75 years
16. Belarus 10 million80%  71 years
17. Sweden 9 million76%2% 81 years
18. Austria 8 million66%4% 80 years
19. Switzerland 8 million79%4% 81 years
20. Bulgaria 7 million84%12% 74 years
21. Serbia 7 million91%3% 75 years
22. Denmark 5 million82%2% 79 years
23. Slovakia 5 million71%  76 years
24. Finland 5 million81%  79 years
25. Norway 5 million86%1%Buddhism ½%80 years
26. Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 million51%40% 79 years
27. Croatia 4 million93%  76 years
28. Moldova 4 million98%½% 71 years
29. Ireland 4 million92%½% 80 years
30. Albania 4 million35%65% 77 years
31. Lithuania 3 million85%  75 years
32. Latvia 2 million57%  73 years
33. Macedonia 2 million65%33% 75 years
34. Slovenia 2 million58%2% 77 years
35. Kosovo 2 million4%95% 70 years
36. Estonia 1 million28% Buddhism ½%73 years
37. Cyprus 800 thousand77%22%Buddhism 1%78 years
38. Montenegro 680 thousand78%18% 74 years
39. Luxembourg 500 thousand87%3% 80 years
40. Malta 400 thousand98%  80 years
41. Iceland 300 thousand89%  81 years
42. Jersey 90 thousand   81 years
43. Andorra 80 thousand90%  82 years
44. Isle of Man 75 thousand   81 years
45. Guernsey 65 thousand   82 years
46. Greenland 60 thousand97%  71 years
47. Faroe Islands 50 thousand94%  80 years
48. Liechtenstein 35 thousand88%  80 years
49. Monaco 35 thousand88%  90 years
50. San Marino 30 thousand97%  83 years
51. Gibraltar 30 thousand   79 years

 

CountriesCensus DataAverage Life Span
 ChristianMuslimOther 
OCEANIA 37 million
1. Australia 23 million64%2%Buddhism 2%82 years
2. Papua New Guinea 7 million96%  66 years
3. New Zealand 4 million55%1%Buddhism 1%81 years
4. Fiji 940 thousand58%6%Hinduism 30-33%71 years
5. Solomon Islands 580 thousand   74 years
6. French Polynesia (includes Tahiti) 280 thousand  Buddhism 7%77 years
7. New Caledonia 225 thousand 3%Buddhism 3%77 years
8. Samoa 220 thousand   72 years
9. Vanuatu 215 thousand   65 years
10. Guam 175 thousand   78 years
11. Tonga 120 thousand81%  75 years
12. Kiribati 110 thousand   64 years
13. Micronesia Federated States 110 thousand 95%  72 years
14. Northern Mariana Islands 90 thousand   77 years
15. American Samoa 65 thousand98%  74 years
16. Marshall Islands 65 thousand   72 years
17. Palau 20 thousand78%  72 years
18. Wallis and Futuna 15 thousand   79 years
19. Nauru 15 thousand   65 years
20. Cook Islands 10 thousand   75 years
21. Tuvalu 10 thousand   65 years

Sharia Law contrasted with Faith in Christ Jesus, the Son of God

 

Sharia (in the Arab world) is a word that is fairly close in meaning to Torah (in the Hebrew scriptures) from YaraPathway (to pasture) — normally translated as Law — that which points out the pathway to ongoing sustenance (from God).

 

Christianity, a heart-based relationship with Christ, God's Son

See Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews, to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law - being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ (the Anointed one) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Muslim belief on this matter

Note the words in the Koran, declaring that yes, Jesus was born of a virgin, Mary, but in the Koran it is blasphemy to declare him to be the Son of God, interceding and atoning for man's sins through his shed blood.

See the applicable extract below, from Maryam - Sura (chapter) 19: verses 29-40

So she pointed to him. They said, "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?" [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah . He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah (i.e. contribution-payment) as long as I remain alive. And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." That is Jesus, the son of Mary - the word of truth about which they are in dispute. It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. [Jesus said], "And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path." Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from among them, so woe to those who disbelieved - from the scene of a tremendous Day. How [clearly] they will hear and see the Day they come to Us, but the wrongdoers today are in clear error. And warn them, [O Muhammad], of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded; and [yet], they are in [a state of] heedlessness, and they do not believe. Indeed, it is We who will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned. And mention in the Book [the story of] Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of truth …

Now, back to Sharia, being under the Law

What countries use Sharia Law?

http://wiki.answers.com /Q/What countries use Sharia Law#ixzz1Nz6U2qwo

Countries using strict forms of Sharia Law include:

Death for Blasphemy:

1. Afghanistan
2. Bahrain
3. Iran
4. Mauritania
5. Oman
6. Pakistan
7. Yemen
8. Saudi Arabia
9. Gaza

Imprisonment for Blasphemy:

1. Algeria
2. Bangladesh
3. Egypt
4. Iraq
5. Kuwait
6. Libya
7. Malaysia
8. Maldives
9. Morocco
10. Somalia
11. Tunisia
12. United Arab Emirates

Nations that include some level of Sharia (lenient sentences for honour killings, ban on new churches, floggings, etc):

1. Indonesia (Flogging, Caning; Sharia applied strictly in Aceh province)
2. Turkey (Restrictions on alcohol)
3. Brunei (Caning, Alcohol is illegal)
4. Jordan (2 years or less for honour killings)
5. Eritrea (Girls as young as 8 can be married, spousal rape is not recognized)
6. Syria (1 year or less for honour killings)
7. Djibouti (Sharia law regarding divorce)
8. Chechnya (Modest dress enforced, Alcohol and gambling suppressed by local authorities)
9. Niger (girls can be married off before they reach puberty)
10. Nigeria (Sharia is enforced in the northern states)
11. Kenya (Ad Hoc Sharia enforced in the east near the border with Somalia)
12. Gambia (Sharia courts decide all family matters, including for non-Muslims)
13. Qatar (public consumption is illegal during Ramadan, Alcohol heavily restricted, blood money acceptable punishment for murder, "kafala" law which is also shared by all Gulf states but Bahrain is technically slavery)
14. Uganda (Kadhi Courts overseeing family and civil matters)

Most "Western" nations also have parallel Sharia legal systems (for example in Canada polygamy is widely practiced and authorities look the other way, Imams refusing to condemn or work to stop it). Sharia finance is also practiced in many nations around the world. Many other Islamic nations that do not apply Sharia (such as Azerbaijan, Albania, Bosnia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikstan) have large portions of their population who do want it applied or who actively seek to abide by it extra-legally.

** End of article