World Population 2012
The world population in 2012 was 6,991,800,919. This population account is based off of calculations made using historical population data, birth rates, and mortality rates.
Scroll over the interactive map we have provided to see all the different continent populations across the globe. Click on Africa, Australia, North America, South America, Asia, Europe, or Australia to learn more about the specific continental region or use one of the links in the list below to explore further.
Method of Estimating World Population
In order to accurately assess the worlds population we need to use several factors, calculations, assumptions, and estimates. It is nearly impossible to count every single individual that alive at a given moment because the number changes every second. In the grand scheme of time, nations have only started to calculate populations by conducting censuses in the past 200-300 years. Estimates of world population must take into consideration birth rates and mortality rates acquired from analyzing historical census data.
Interactive World Population by Continent Map