Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Australia’s birth rate has reached a record low of 1.4 babies per woman, well below the 2.1 needed to replace the population.
The historical fear of overpopulation is being replaced by a new reality, the population plateau. Current forecasts suggest the global population will peak at 10.3 billion in the 2080s before beginning a gradual decline.
This decline is being seen across much of the Western world and Asia with Africa remaining the primary driver of global population growth.
Australia’s birth rate has reached a record low of 1.4 babies per woman, well below the 2.1 needed to replace the population.
The historical fear of overpopulation is being replaced by a new reality, the population plateau. Current forecasts suggest the global population will peak at 10.3 billion in the 2080s before beginning a gradual decline.
This decline is being seen across much of the Western world and Asia with Africa remaining the primary driver of global population growth.
