The population of 7 billion people will weigh the earth down just a little bit more when sometime during this year that number becomes a reality. The recent projections of the United Nations gives people food for thought, as we have doubled as a species in just half a century.

This is just the beginning of our growing planet, as in the year 2050 the population is expected to breach 9 billion people. In 2100 the expected population of this planet will be over 10 billion people, with 10.1 billion being the estimate for that year. For the next 40 years, 97 percent of the earth's growth will be in less developed regions on earth, with 2.3 billion people added in.

This growth in numbers is extremely larger than the earth has experienced before, bringing concerns to the scientific community about the impact this population explosion will have the limited resources found on this planet. The impact that this growing number of humans will have on the earth is unknown, but scientists are worried that this planet cannot sustain that many people, according to International Business Times.

"The population growth is expected to be highly uneven geographically," with Africa growing by 1.1 billion or seeing 49 percent of the population growth in 2050. While the earth's population doubled in the last 50 years, the population in some parts of Africa is doubling every 20 years. In the areas of Africa that is experiencing this growth, they are having a tough time keeping up with the amenities and infrastructures needed to sustain that many people. They cannot keep up with the housing , schools, roads and health facilities for the population that continues to grow in great numbers.

Some countries are expected to stay the same, and even see a small decline in population, like Germany and Japan. These countries could face a crisis in demographics with their aging population as far as care for the elderly. These countries won't produce enough adults to go around to care for the elders of their society. It is amazing the fine delicate balance that is needed in age groups to keep a society running smoothly.

"Towards 2050, the entire developed world is expected to contribute only three percent of the projected global growth. " according to IB.

The population's acceleration growth began with industrialization around 1750 and one billion humans were on the planet by 1800. In 1925, the numbers grew to 2 billion. While the growth peaked in the mid 1960's, the last 50 years went from 3 billion to 7 billion.

By 2050, the global life expectancy is expected to go from today's 69 years of age to 76 years, with a quarter of the world's population over 60 years old in 2050. This is doubled from today's percentage of people over 60.

This year, 57 million people will die, but 135 million people will be born, according to researchers. The lower death rate and the longer life expectancy is a major factor of the population growth, but the fertility rates will be the variable that makes the greatest difference in how many people will live on earth in 100 years from now.

According to IB, the world population would stay the way it is if every woman had two babies. Today it is 2.5 births per woman, which is much lower than 1950, when each woman had 5 children. The researchers also point out that the number of births differs drastically geographically.

David Bloom, of the Harvard School of Public Health, says to meet the future global demographic shift in all regions on this earth, it is up to mankind to, "tackle some tough issues ranging from the unmet need for contraception among hundreds of millions of women and the huge knowledge-action gaps we see in the area of child survival, to the reform of retirement policy and the development of global immigration policy." The human race is so strong, but yet so fragile when it comes to the balance needed to sustain life for all age groups.