We all love hearing awesome statistics. The sort of mind-boggling numbers that make us take a step back and say “Wow!” What makes them even better when the stats in question are actually true. Here we explore some amazing statistics about the world around us, guaranteed to blow your mind.
The Growing World Population
Humanity is expanding rapidly. Here are the astonishing figures behind the growth.
• The world population was in just under two billion in 1930, but is now at around 7.8 billion.
• According to UN estimates, it increases by around 200,000 people a day.
• This population continues to climb, with a projection of 8.5 billion by 2030.
• By 2050 we’re expected to reach 10 billion people.
Unprecedented Wealth
The richest people on the planet have an unprecedented amount of wealth.
• The world’s billionaire population grew by 58% between 2013 and 2019.
• At the time the number of billionaires stood at 2,825 people.
• The combined wealth of these billionaires was at an all-time high, estimated to be around $7.6 trillion
• That’s three times more then the UK’s GDP.
Income Inequality
When it comes to wealth, there is a significant discrepancy between the haves and the have-nots.
• 8% of the world’s population own 85% of its total wealth
• 82% of the wealth created in the last year was captured by the top 1%
• The world’s poorest 3.8 billion people saw no improvement in their share of the wealth pie
• The 26 richest people on the planet own more wealth than the poorest half of the world’s population
Threat of Climate Change
Climate change is a serious issue that we’re all facing, and the statistics of its threat are concerning.
• The average global temperature is 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels
• According to the UN, global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased by 60% since 1990
• The ocean’s temperatures have increased by 0.2 degrees Celsius due to climate change
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that global temperatures will be 3-5 degrees higher by the end of the century
Rising Levels of Pollution
The world’s environment is suffering due to pollution of various kinds. Here are some of the most shocking figures.
• In 2018 global air pollution caused 7 million deaths
• This makes air pollution the world’s largest environmental health risk
• 90% of the world’s population is exposed to significantly more pollutants than recommended
• 22 of the world’s cities with the worst air pollution are in China
Social Media Usage
Social media plays a huge part in many people’s daily lives and the numbers show it.
• As of 2019, 3.5 billion people were using social media worldwide
• These users are responsible for producing 4.5 billion pieces of content a day
• Facebook is the largest social network, with 2.38 billion active users
• It also commands a huge market share, generating $55.8 billion in annual revenue
• The global social media landscape is worth an estimated $65 billion
Emerging Technologies
New technologies are disrupting the world faster than ever before.
• The global AI market is projected to reach more than $190 billion in value by 2025
• Meanwhile the global 5G network infrastructure market will be worth $17.8 billion in 2020
• Data analytics, cloud computing and managed services will also be essential technologies
• Cloud applications are said to be worth $331.2 billion in 2020
As you can see, there are some remarkable and wacky statistics out there. To survive, let alone thrive in the digital age, it’s important to be aware of the changes taking place? Surely it’s easy to see why these mind-blowing facts are so interesting.
The figures we touched on cover areas like population growth, wealth inequality and the emergence of digital technologies. It’s worth noting that these are very real issues and the information presented is accurate. The statistics can be used to provide newfound understanding about our world and what needs to be done in order to make it a better place.
Hopefully this article has provided you with some interesting reading. Are there any other crazy statistics that you’ve come across that we’ve missed off this list? Let us know in the comments section below.
