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Is 7 billion people too many?

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According to Reuters, the world population is projected to pass 7 billion on October 31 as it heads toward 10 billion (or more) by the end of the century.

Nations face a delicate balance between high fertility and booming populations, which strain food and other resources. Also, low fertility, which leads to ageing populations and stress on social services, as some European states are already finding.

"All countries are going to age if their populations are not to explode even more than they are exploding now," Hania Zlotnik said.

UNFPA chief Babatunde Osotimehin said the latest global figures "underscore the urgent need to provide safe and effective family planning to the 215 million women who lack it," a point echoed by pro-birth control advocacy groups.

Suzanne Ehlers, president of Washington-based Population Action International, called the new projections "a wake-up call for governments to fulfill the global demand for contraception."

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Do people have too many children? Vote and comment below!
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