According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau forecasts, the world's population will be younger in Africa and older in East Asia and Europe by 2100, while China will face a massive population decline. This radical shift coincides with the rise of African powers, while China risks a larger population drop, which could upend the current geopolitical order. This transition is expected to make African countries some of the world's fastest-growing economies, though it may also create a series of humanitarian crises that will define the beginning of the next century. According to forecasts from the U.S. Census Bureau released last week, Africa will become the world's demographic center, with its population more than doubling from 2030 to 2100. An Axios analysis of the data projects that Africa's population will increase by 155%, while Asia's will decrease by 9% and Europe's by 16% due to an accelerating long-term decline from aging and falling fertility rates. South America's population is also expected to shrink by 12%, while North America's will grow slightly, by only 4%, primarily due to immigration rather than births. The Axios analysis notes that the Democratic Republic of Congo's population will surge from 139 million in 2030 to 584 million by the next century—the largest increase globally. Nigeria is also expected to add 283 million people over the same period, while Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Angola, and Niger each are projected to add 100 million people. According to Axios's review, China's population will shrink dramatically, from 1.4 billion to 662 million—the largest decline for any country in recorded demographic history. Europe and the rest of East Asia will also face long-term population decline, reshaping labor markets.
